THE CUBA REVIEW 



CUBAN GOVERNMENT MATTERS 



A CUBAN VIEW OF THE PLATT AMENDMENT 



The Cuban review, Cuba Conteinporanea, 

 presents an eloquent defense of the so-called 

 Piatt Amendment to the Cuban Constitution 

 made by Dr. Evelio Rodriguez Lendidn at 

 the session of the Cuban Society of Inter- 

 national Law held in Havana last January. 

 As is well known, this amendment provides 

 for active intervention in Cuba by the United 

 States under certain contingencies. From 

 Dr. Lendian's viewpoint, this provision is a 

 necessary consequence of Cuba's geographical 

 position, since it was not possible to leave the 

 island exposed to the encroachments of other 

 foreign powers, when it had ceased to be a 

 dependency of Spain. The possession of 

 Cuba by any strong marit'me power would, 

 in case of war, render possible to make the 

 island a base for a blockade of the Atlantic 

 and Gulf ports of the United States. 



However, in case this intervention in Cuba 

 should again become imperative, for it has, 

 unfortunately, been once before found neces- 

 sary, the Cubans will, in Dr. Lendian's opin- 

 ion, always know that the American comes as 

 the friend, the defender, and the champion 

 of Cuban independence; that, he comes to re- 

 establish order, when it has been temporarily 

 overthrown; but that his presence will in no 

 way constitute a menace to the self-govern- 

 ment of this island. Hence the Cuban should 

 trust implicitly in the accomplishment of the 

 solemn obligation assumed by the United 

 States in the eyes of the world. 



Commenting on Dr. Lendian's address, 

 Seiior Carlos de Velasco cites the authorita- 

 tive declaration of Mr. Root that the inter- 

 vention permitted by the third article of the 

 Piatt Amendment is in no sense synonymous 

 with any interference in matters concerning 

 the Cuban Government, but would be merely 

 the formal action of the United States, based 

 upon just and substantial grounds, for the 

 preservation of Cuban independence, and for 

 the maintenance of a government adequate 

 for the protection of life, property, and in- 

 dividual liberty. 



As Senor de Velasco truly observes, this 

 does no more than fulfill the wishes of any 

 people desiring to live justly and equitably. 

 The sole distinction, an important one it is 

 true, being that while the other American 

 nations may or may not maintain for them- 



selves a government of this class, Cuba is 

 under obligation to provide it for herself, and 

 to maintain it. For should she fail to do so, 

 the Ignited States would be called upon to 

 establish and uphold such a government in 

 Cuba. It is only for this purose that inter- 

 vention is permissible, only for the preserva- 

 tion of Cuba's independence, never for its 

 destruction. 



To make this perfectly clear and indis- 

 putable, the Cuban writer believes that his 

 government should seek to have the terms and 

 conditions regulating a possible intervention 

 more precisely detailed and defined than they 

 are at present. He urges, to this end, the 

 execution of a special treaty or agreement with 

 the United States, in which these terms and 

 conditions shall be embodied, and which shall 

 serve as a rule and guide in case any sudden 

 and unforseen difficulties should arise. — The 

 American Review of Revieu's. 



SUGAR BAG SUPPLY ASSURED 



The threatened shortage in sugar bags for 

 the coming Cuban crop has been averted by 

 the Food Administration, in co-operation 

 with the British Government, it is officially 

 announced. 



The Food Administration became inter- 

 ested in the sugar bag situation as a part of 

 its policy of doing everything possible to ex- 

 pedite the marketing of the Cuban crop im- 

 mediately when it begins to come in, about 

 Dec. 15. The difficulties in the way of obtain- 

 ing a sufficient supply of bags had been pre- 

 sented by the Cuban Commission which has 

 been in Washington in conference on the 

 situation. The question was taken up with 

 the British Government, with the result that 

 the British Admiralty is to furnish the neces- 

 sary shipping. 



CHRISTMAS FUNDS 



A Havana commission headed by Count 

 Leclerc, French Minister to Cuba, which is 

 collecting subscriptions for Christmas presents 

 for French soldiers in the trenches, reported 

 November 25th that $30,000 in cash, 50,000 

 cigars, 750,000 cigarettes, and more than 

 $10,000 worth of merchandise had been 

 given. A similar fund for Italian soldiers 

 also is being raised in Cuba. 



