12 THECUBAREVIEW 



from st.-aiiHTs in llie l>iiy and llioy aiv alonjrsi.l.' awaiiiii^^ llu-ir turn also. There are 

 exactly nliiefy-elf:ht vessels in the Kay of Havana at this wriiini:. the majority of 

 wliifh are awaiting disehnrge. 



Another element that has entered into the .Ulli.ulty <.f dearinir up the eongestion 

 dnrin« the past month has heen the almost constant rains that have heen experienced. 

 It has rained every day either in the morning or afternoon (and sometimes hoth) 

 with the exception of three days, and the rain lias Iteen so heavy as to c;uise a total 

 ci^satic^n from work for the period. It must be admitted that fewer ships have entered 

 the Tort of Havana during the past month and had it not been for the almost constant 

 rains surely some headway would have heen made with the congested condition of 

 the wharves and warehouses. 



Another feature that it is believed will tend to relieve the congestion is the recom- 

 mendation of the American Chamber of Commerce of Havana to consignees that they 

 use only the established factors in bringing their merchandise to the Island. When 

 conditions became bad here as a result of the j.rotracted strike on the part of the 

 stevedores last December and .January, many new concerns attempted to inaugurate 

 new services between the principal ports of the United States and Havana, and the 

 outports, with the result that all available wharf space in the Bay of Havana was 

 soon filled to overflowing with merchandise of all kinds and descrljition. The estab- 

 lished factors were congested for the reason that the stevedores' strike had left them 

 with their wharves loaded with merchandise and, as the cartinen were on sympathetic 

 strike with the .stevedores, no goods were extracted from the wharves until after 

 settlement was made with the strikers. As a consequence, wlicn service was resumed, 

 the wharf space in the Ray of Havana was inadequate to handle the tremendous 

 amounts of freight arriving. These new companies, in their wild endeavor to secure 

 despatch of their cargoes, offered exorbitant rental for floating etiuipment to effect 

 their unloading. The results were only what was to be expected under the circum- 

 stances. The General Wharves (and the privately owned wharves too) soon over- 

 taxed their capacities and the barges that had been loaded w(M-e delayed sometimes 

 for months awaiting discharge. The situation brought about by tlic enormous im- 

 portations of rice was greatly responsible for the tying up of many barges, since the 

 warehouse capacity of the City of Havana could not absorb the quantities offered. 

 Thus the situation developed from bad to worse. Embargoes were i>ut into effect by 

 the established factors as soon as the situation became critical, but the new lines 

 saw, or thought they did, their opportunity to reap a rich harvest and continued 

 operations and the consignees patronized them extensively. Prices were high, a 

 splendid profit assured, and high rates of freight were demanded l)y these new lines. 

 Had ihe merchants of Havana been willing to acceiit the protestations of the estab- 

 lished factors that conditions were critical the congested conditions would have been 

 quickly relieved. But, as usually happens in cases of this kind, the scramble for 

 space was continued and the I'ort of Havana became noted for the long delays suffered 

 by shii^s while awaiting discharge. 



At this critical time the labor leader.s, realizing that the shipping interests were 

 playing into their hands in overworking the facilities of the port, since wharves of 

 the entire port were working days and nights and Sundays, took advantage of this 

 opportunity to make unreasonable demands for higher wages. The work could not 

 l»e stopped at that time, consignees were demanding that boats l)e unloaded, and the 

 shipping interests of the Bay of Havana were forced to accede, with the result that 

 today the stevedore in Havana is being paid twice the wages of a year ago and, last 

 but not least, the efficiency and morale of the labor engaged today is the lowest in 

 the history of the bay. The lalxtring gangs have been increased while the amoimt 

 <f work performed by each gang is appreciably less. 



Were shii-ping interests in a position to suspend sailings for a period of thirty 



