THE CUBA REVIEW 



HAVANA CORRESPONDENCE 



AiPiil L'lid, 1920. 



CUBAN CONGRESS: The opening of the Third Session of tlie Ninth Congress, 

 whicli was to liave talven place on the 5th inst., did not talve place Itecause of the 

 lack of a quorum. The President's message could not, therefore, be read. 



The President's message contains many important features. In it he reconunends 

 appropriations for sufficient funds to repair roads througliout the Island and also 

 to build schools, for lack of which education of the children in Cuba is being neg- 

 lected. Additional Post Office edifices are also included in the apiiropriations, as 

 well as more Normal Schools. The conduct of the coming Presidential elections is 

 also dwelt with at length. 



A quorum was obtained in tlie Senate Ajiril lOtli, wlicii tlic PiTsidcut's message 

 was received and read. The House of Representatives failed to secure a quorum 

 and could not meet on Monday liecause of the absence of Liberal memliers as a 

 demonstration of protest against the amendment of the Crowder Electoral Law, 

 which was signed recently by the President. 



Jose iliguel Gomez, Vice-President Nuiiez, former Secretary of Government, 

 Montalvo and Senator Maza y Artola are still spoken of as Presidential Candidates. 



CUBA'S YEAR'S TRADE B.ILANCE $42.3,000,000.00: The President's mes- 

 sage to Congress threw light on some very interesting facts concerning Cuba's 

 Trade P.alance. We give below figures relative to Cuban Imi)orts and Exiiorts that 

 should be of interest to readers : 



Exports to 



United States .$4.'',n,G.33,936 



Other American Countrits 1<»,!»12,(!02 



Germany 10,42.5 



Siniin s,24:;!,9(j3 



Fran( e 2:!.041,878 



Great I'.ritiiiii S2,."J21,32S 



Other Hurojieaii ( 'imnrrics (;.(J.36,254 



All nrhcr ( 'ouiitries 1,909,987 



Total .5;.!;T2,910,3T6 



Imports from 



United States .*iJ2T2.192,946 



Other .ViiK'ricaii < 'niiiitries 2T,2.5T,G37 



Germany 197,499 



Spain l.j.9n,108 



France 9,905,719 



(ireat P.ritain s,746,505 



Other Kuril] lean Countries .■t.0."i9,989 



.\11 Otlier Comitries 20,:!05,129 



Tntnl >;:!57.575,522 



In addition to the foregoing, goods amounting to .sl,."(S!t.(!<i(> were re-exported to 

 all countries. Trade for the year just completed exceeded the previous year by the 

 round sum of .$200,000,000.00. 



PRICE FIXING: President .Menocal i-eceiitly signed a decree, subnutted by the 

 Committee appointed by him which is looking into the high cost of living, regulating 

 the prices of meat and fish on the Island and it is feared that drastic measures 

 may have to be taken toward the enforcement of this measure. Ranch owners in 

 the interior of the Island have refused to sell their cattle at the prices fixed to be 

 paid under this ruling and nniny meat markets in the interior are closed. There 

 is no fixed price on goat meat and large quantities are being placed on the market. 

 For a time fish disappeared from the market almost entirelv. 



