THECUBAREVIEW 11 



to Cuba from China, who Avill be put to work on the sugar centrals and in other 

 branches of industry, 



MAIL CONGESTION: Considerable comment has been caused by extreme delays 

 which are suffered by the mails between Cuba and the United States and many sug- 

 gestions have been offered for the betterment of conditions. The San Francisco Con- 

 vent, the edifice which is used for housing the Post Office Department, has proven too 

 small to accommodate the host of employes who are occupied with the distribution 

 and assorting of the mails exchanged between this country and North America. As 

 a general' rule it is well understood that the postal employes are rather underpaid, 

 and representations have been made to the Government for an increase in salaries 

 and also an increase in the working force, in an endeavor to handle the mails promptly 

 as they are received, thereby cleaning up the congestion and enlarging departments 

 which are now unable to function freely under the tremendous amount of work 

 which is handled daily. 



REAL ESTATE ACTIVITIES: Real estate continues to change hands freely, 

 large prices being paid for desirable business and residential sites both in Havana 

 and the outlying suburbs. Recently Sr. Regino Truffin, well known capitalist and 

 oflicial of the Cuba Cane Sugar Corporation, paid $1,500,000.00 for 4,700 meters of 

 ground on the corner of Prado and Animas Streets. This is at the rate of $350.00 

 per meter, which sets a new record for high prices in Havana. 



DEVELOPMENT IN PINAR DEL RIO PROVINCE: In view of the recent high 

 prices paid for undeveloped land in the eastern end of the Island, industries are 

 turning more and more to the province of Pinar del Rio in quest of suitable land 

 for both cane growing and cattle raising and recently a company formed with Amer- 

 ican capital purchased a large tract at Bahia Honda for the purpose of establishing 

 a cattle ranch on a very large scale. It is understood that the Western Railway of 

 Havana will soon extend its lines to Bahia Honda, in which case great tracts of 

 very fertile soil will be made available for shipping purposes and it is expected that 

 the cattle industry will make great strides in the province of Pinar del Rio. 



FLOWER FESTIVAL: The Flower Festival which was held at the Quinta de 

 los Molinos (the summer residence of the Spanish military governors of Cuba) on 

 April 24th and 25th for the benefit of the Catholic organization of the Sisters of 

 Mary was a success, a large amount of money having been donated to this worthy 

 charity. Havana society was out in full force on this occasion. 



HIGH COST OF LIVING: Demonstrations tending to reduce the high cost of 

 living have been instituted in Havana and throughout the Island by the wearing of 

 khaki and the painting of straw hats. In many of the large offices the men are 

 appearing in khaki shirts and pants and the women employes in khaki skirts and 

 waists and the movement is growing rapidly. Recently the students of the National 

 University in Havana paraded the streets carrying large buckets of black paint which 

 they used for the painting of straw hats. The l:)uckets bore the annoinacement, "Busi- 

 ness for us and economy for you." Thousands of these tinted hats are now in e\T.- 

 dence and it is hoped that, in view of the movement, general prices of necessary 

 articles of wearing apparel will be considerably reduced. 



CRUDE OIL RECEIPTS: The imminent shortage of crude oil which exists in 

 tbe United States has caused many sugar centrals considerable concern, inasmuch as 

 great numbers of centrals and other industries are converting their plants from coal- 

 burning to crude oil, and in the event of the shortage of oil becoming pronounced, 

 considerable hardship would be experienced on the Island, especially among the sugar 

 centrals, as the closing down of their grinding season would mean a loss of hun- 

 dreds of thousands of dollars to them. 



POLITICAL NEWS: The Conservative party on May 9th held a meeting of 

 their Executive Committee for the purpose of forming a permanent campaign com- 



