THE CUBA REVIEW 



HAVANA CORRESPONDENCE 



December 24th, 1919. 



CONGRESS: On December ISth the Treaty of Peace was ratified by the Senate 

 with only one dissenting vote, Cuba thus taking this action in advance of the United 

 States. There are no other matters before Congress for consideration, as the present 

 session was called by the President solely for the purpose of considering the Peace 

 Treaty. 



GENERAL MAXIMO GOMEZ MONUMENT: President Menocal recently issued 

 a decree annulling the previous award in the competition for this statue. The Presi- 

 dent based this action upon the fact that investigation developed that the award as 

 made was illegal and that the successful design could not be produced for the amount 

 provided for in the original specifications. This decision on the part of the President 

 has been criticized by his political opponents and the matter is now being held in 

 abeyance, pending a decision by the Supreme Court as to whether the President has 

 a right to annul this award or not. 



POLITICAL SITUATION: Presidential elections in Cuba will be held in No- 

 vember next year, the same as in the United States, and naturally the interest in the 

 elections is constantly increasing. It is understood that President Menocal will not 

 run for office again and that his candidate will be General Montalvo, who has also 

 been the head of the Conservative party. However, the latter has recently resigned 

 this position and announced his determination not to be a Presidential candidate- 

 General Montalvo is at present on a trip in the North. This leaves General Emilio- 

 Nunez, the present Vice-President, as the one most likely to lead the Conservative 

 party and he is actively preparing his campaign, although the formal nominating 

 of the candidate is being deferred, pending a reorganization of the party. 



There is considerable dissension among the Liberal party, former President Gomez- 

 and former Vice-President Zayas heading their respective factions, which run in 

 bitter opposition to each other. General Gomez has been living in Florida for the 

 past two years or so, but he has always kept in as close touch as possible with 

 political matters in Cuba and has had frequent conferences with his leaders. His- 

 faction is constantly endeavoring to suppress the political aspirations of Dr. Zayas,. 

 his one-time mate, but the latter refuses to be eliminated and has organized a branclx 

 of his own of the Liberal party. This makes Zayas a factor to be carefully con- 

 sidered in national politics, as he has a considerable following, and if he cannot 

 get what he believes is due him from his own party, he can do so by affiliating with 

 the Conservative or other parties. There is some talk about the United States super- 

 vising these elections, but the more conservative elements of both parties believe that 

 this will not be necessary. 



SMALLPOX: The recent local outbreak, which, however, later extended to a 

 few points in the interior, is practically over, and as a result, the United States 

 Public Health Service has rescinded its order requiring the vaccination of all crews 

 on vessels bound from Havana to United States ports and it is no longer necessary for 

 passengers to provide themselves with vaccination certificates prior to embarking for 

 the United States. 



NEW YEARS RECEPTION: This reception on New Year's Day will be held 

 in the new Presidential Palace, on which finishing touches are now being made, and 

 is expected to surpass all former functions of this kind. 



COAL SITUATION: Due to the recent miners' strike in the United Stat?=, 

 causing a subsequent shortage of coal here, it became necessary for the Government 

 to take over the coal supply, in accordance with a decree issued by the President. 



