10 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



CUBAN GOVERNMENT MATTERS 



PASSPORT REGULATIONS. 



Considerable concern is being shown by the 

 commercial and financial interests of Cuba 

 over the present stringent passport regulations 

 now in effect between the United States and 

 Cuba. Cuba at present, in so far as the State 

 Eepartment in Washington is concerned, is 

 in the same status as any European country 

 in the matter of passport requirements. 

 "While these regulations to date have caused 

 only the usual amount of delay to travellers 

 between the United States and Cuba, and 

 have not constituted any serious annoyance 

 to those who come under their regulations, 

 nevertheless it is reahzed in Cuba that when 

 the tourist season begins, two months hence, 

 either the regulations must be modified, or 

 Cuba will suiTer during the coming winter a 

 considerable and serious financial loss. In- 

 formal representations have already been 

 made to the State Department in \A'ashington 

 looking toward the abridgment or the aboli- 

 tion altogether of the present passport require- 

 ments. It is understood also that the State 

 Eepartment of Cuba will shortly present a 

 communication to Washington on the subject. 

 What the conservative element among the 

 objectors beheves is a kind of discrimination, 

 is seen in the fact that no passports whatever 

 are required in Canada, while the travellers 

 from the United States to Cuba are required 

 to provide themselves with proof of United 

 States birth or wuth naturaUzation papers; 

 with letters from employers or associates 

 certifying that they are going to Cuba on 

 necessary commercial business; with three 

 photographs of the applicant, one of which 

 must be signed, and the certification of a 

 responsible business man of the community 

 in which he makes apphcation, who must 

 accompany the applicant and swear corrobor- 

 ation to his assertions. 



\\ hile only two or three days are required 

 to complete the formalities, it is realized that 

 under present travelling conditions, with 

 Cuba ofiering more natural winter attractions 

 to the United States tourist than any other 

 country in the world at the present time, the 

 influx of sight-seers and prospective investors 

 in Cuba dxiring the coming winter will be 

 larger than ever before. At H!avana alone, 

 during the past winter, thousands of tourists 

 from the Enited States arrived despite the 



slight disturbance caused by the recent 

 uprising. What the result wUl be in the 

 1917-1918 season with tranquility existing 

 and the great material development of the 

 country during the past year, can readily be 

 imagined. 



One circumstance, which may or may not 

 be a factor in the present muddle, is the 

 belief in Washington that Cuba is more or 

 less of a rendezvous for pro-German sympa- 

 thizers and possible German espionage. Since 

 the suspension of constitutional guarantees 

 by President Menocal, which action was 

 taken by the authority of the Cuban Congress, 

 the President has taken into his own hands 

 the extermination of any such activities in 

 Cuba, and it is understood that the admin- 

 istration here is now in a position to assure 

 the United States Government that Cuba 

 is as impossible a base for German spy activ- 

 ities as is Canada. 



It is believed entirely probable that these 

 requirements will be greatly modified or 

 eUminated altogether within a sufficient time 

 before the tourist season begins. 



SECRETARY OF GOVERNMENT 

 Dr. Juan ?vIontalvo, the new Secretary of 

 Government, assumed the duty of his cffice 

 August 9th. 



SECRETARY OF SANITATION 

 Secretary Mendez Capote, recently ap- 

 pointed head of the Department of Sanitation 

 by President Menocal, took possession of the 

 department on August 16. 



The ceremonies of the installation were 

 witnessed by many distinguished persons. 



The appointment of Dr. Mendez Capote 

 has created a universally favorable impres- 

 sion throughout the island, it being considered 

 one of the strongest cabinet appointments 

 that the president has made. 



PINAR DEL RIO RAILROAD 



The Cuban Senate has passed a bill pro- 

 viding for the establishment of a railroad 

 between Bahia Honda and Guane, in Pinar 

 del Rio, and granting an appropriation of 

 $3,600,000 for the purpose. The appropria- 

 tion is at the rate of $12,000 a kilometre. 

 The House is expected to pass the bill without 

 opposition. 



