T li E CUBA 11 E \' I E W 



HAVANA CORRESPONDENCE 



March 26tli, 1920. 



CONGRESS: Most of the tiiue of the present session of Congress has been taken 

 up with routine matters, altlioiigli just now there is considerable agitation going on 

 in connection with the passing of a bill modifying the electoral law compiled by Gen- 

 eral Crowder of the U. S. Army, for whicli purpose he was detailed here last year. 

 The Conservatives are the ones who are most strongly backing this project and tliis 

 tends to confirm the rumor that a fusion is being contemplated between the Zayas 

 faction of the Liberal party and the Conservatives for the purpose of defeating at 

 the coining presidential elections that faction of the Liberal party headed by Ex- 

 President Jose Miguel Gomez. This bill passed the House of Representatives yes- 

 terday after a bitter fight by its opponents. Considerable adverse criticism has been 

 raised by this action, as it appears that the coalition of political factions such as 

 seems at present to be contemplated was barred in the provisions framed by General 

 Crowder in his electoral law. Therefore, it is necessary to amend the electoral law in 

 order to effect such a fusion. 



CUBAN GOVERNjMENT: As we have mentioned before, at the time of the 

 harbor strike in Havana, during which other smaller strikes also broke out in various 

 portions of the Island, President Menocal was compelled to suspend constitutional 

 guarantees. As the situation which called forth such action on his part has since 

 changed, on March 24th he issued another decree annulling the suspension of constitu- 

 tional guarantees. 



The city government of Havana is now occupying the former presidential palace- 

 on the Plaza de Armas, as after President Menocal moved to his new ciuarters a short 

 time ago necessary changes were made in the old palace to fit it for the city ofRces- 

 A commission has been appointed by the President to investigate the high cost 

 of living. This commission is made up of prominent business and professional men 

 in different lines, and headed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Meetings have been, 

 held, but nothing definite has yet been accomplished. 



CUBAN CURRENCY: All of Cuba's money has been coined at the United 

 States Government mint at Philadelphia, but none has been made for a few years- 

 past. However, the Washington Government a short time ago advised Cuba that it 

 was now in position to again resume such coinage, and as a result arrangements 

 have been made to mint up to $1,550,000 in gold and silver. The Cul^an director of 

 the mint has gone to Philadelphia to superintend this work. 



HAVANA W^NTER TOURISTS: We expressed the opinion before the tourist 

 season had started that there would be a considerable shortage of hotel accommoda- 

 tions to take care of the tourists who might come, and this belief was a generally 

 accepted one. We are glad to state, however, that owing to the opening of some new 

 although small hotels, as well as the reopening of the Hotel Sevilla, Havana has been 

 able to offer sufficient accommodations to take care of the visitors. This opinion as to 

 shortage of hotel accommodations was also general in- the North, as some publications 

 here had early in the season issued warnings to this effect ; in fact, one of the New 

 York papers recently stated editorially that undoubtedly a good many tourists who 

 intended taking in Havana this season had not done so fearing they could not be ac- 

 commodated here and adding that this was the penalty of Havana's popularity. 



As we have previously pointed out, Havana still lacks a large modern hotel, and 

 in particular some such hotel where moderate prices will prevail. There is no ques- 

 tion but that there is a considerable number of tourists coming here each season 

 who are in position to pay what might be called winter resort prices, but on the other 

 hand we believe we are safe in saying by far the majority of the visitors here are 



