THECUBAREVIEW 15 



stay of ten days or so promises to be quite full of entertainments. Dinners, luncties, 

 balls and special performances at the theatres are the order of the day and an elab- 

 orate program has been arranged. This is the second Spanish naval vessel to arrive 

 in any Cuban port since the Island rebelled against Spanish rule in 1898 and, with 

 the aid of America, secured its independence. The other visitor was the School 

 Ship "Nautilus," which visited Cuba in 1909. The "Nautilus" was accorded a very 

 cordial reception. 



RAILROAD EXTENTION ON NORTH COAST: A good deal has been said recently 

 regarding the proposed railroad connections to the port of Mariel on the North Coast 

 of Cuba, just 2.5 miles distant from the City of Havana. The Port seems ideally situ- 

 ated, is splendidly protected, and has a sand bottom which could easily be dredged 

 for sufficient depth to accommodate large liners calling at Cuban ports. The railroad 

 extension, as projected, would run from Artemisa to Mariel and connect with the 

 United Railways for interior points of the Island. There are no less than sixteen 

 sugar Centrals located on the proposed railroad, and the service to tlaese Centrals 

 alone would seem to warrant the construction of the road. The territory which it 

 would traverse is a rich one and the port of Mariel would offer a splendid relief to 

 the port of Havana in diverting thousands of tons of sugar to Mariel which would 

 otherwise come through Havana and add to the already overburdened facilities for 

 handling this commodity. 



GERMAN STEAMERS: The German ships which were seized by the Cuban Gov- 

 ernment when Cuba entered the War were to be leased at public auction. The auction 

 was held during the early part of this month and bids were offered by several different 

 companies in Cuba and the United States, but all bids were rejected on the gromid that 

 the prices offered Avere insufficient to justify remodeling the ships for freight service. It 

 is stated that President Menocal takes the stand that these vessels should earn not 

 less than $6.00 per gross ton per month, and for this reason it is now understood that 

 the ships will be chartered to private parties or operated by the Cuban Government. 



GOVERNMENT EMPLOYES: In order to meet the high cost of living, the Gov- 

 ernment has come to realize that present salaries paid Government employes are 

 inadequate to maintain families on an hygienic basis and has recently granted 

 increases in salaries extending to every branch of the Government service. Policemen 

 are now receiving .$140.00 per month where formerly .?100 was the salary, and below 

 we quote a list of salary raises which was published in the Official Gazette in its 

 edition of .July 1st, 1920: 



Those at present earning 



.$ 600 will receive an increase of 100% 



From .$ 601 up to $1000, an increase of 80% 



From $1001 up to $2000, " " " 60% 



From $2001 up to $3000, " " " 40% 



From $.3001 up to .$4000, " " " 20% 



From $4001 up to .S6000, " " " 15% 



From $6001 upwards, " " " 10% 



Among the Government employes who will be benefited by this law are included 

 heads of the various departments and subalternates. pviblic school teachers, harbor 

 policemen, etc. The minimum wage to be paid by the Government to laborers 

 whose services may be utilized is fixed at $3.00. Among those not included in this 

 law are the President of the Republic, the Vice-President, Senators and Representa- 

 tives, Cabinet Officers and subsecretaries, and the Army and Naval forces. 



This increase in the salaries of the Government employes reaches the enormous 

 sum of approximately $21,000,000.00 per year, and is to be met by increased taxes. 



