THE CUBA REVIEW 



21 



CUBAN COMMERCIAL MATTERS 



INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL FOR FOREIGN 

 TRADE 



The charge d'affaires of the Republic of 

 Panama at Washington, Mr. J. E. Leferve, 

 has announced the organization of the 

 Pan American College of Commerce, which 

 wiil open in January, 1921, at Panama 

 City. The Panama Government has ex- 

 tended its patronage and support, having 

 placed buildings, grounds, and other Gov- 

 ernment facilities at the disposal of the 

 institution. The retiring director general 

 of the Pan American Union, Mr. .John 

 Barrett, has accepted the post of presi- 

 dent of the administrative council, with 

 the director general of the Southern Com- 

 mercial Congress, Mr. Clarence J. Owens, 

 as executive director, assisted by an emi- 

 nent dean and faculty of experts in foreign 

 trade. 



It is stated that the college will be 

 devoted chiefly to the study and pro- 

 motion of commerce and intercourse 

 among the American republics, which 

 work, it is believed, will be greatly facili- 

 tated ))y its location at the geographical 

 center of the Western Hemisphere and 

 on one of the great commercial highways 

 of the world. According to the announce- 

 ment, the college has not been organized 

 for profit, charges for tuition being deter- 

 mined by the cost of operation. 



BRANCH CUSTOM HOUSE AT MANOPLAS 

 The branch Custom House of Santa 

 Cruz del Sur at Manoplas has been author- 

 ized to receive and dispatch all kinds of 

 merchandise. 



CUBAN OIL COMPANY 

 The Cuban Oil Company recently es- 

 tablished a plant at Cano for the extrac- 

 tion of edible oil from castor beans and 

 other oil bearing products and plants. 



INTERNATIONAL BANK 

 The International Bank has established 

 a Department of Immigration for the 

 purpose of assisting Spanish immigrants 

 who go to Cuba. 



LIFTING OF U. S, SHIPPING BOARD 

 EMBARGO 



The embargo on shipments of freight 

 from the United States to Havana in 

 government vessels was lifted on October 

 Sth, by the United States Shipping Board. 

 Government ships may now be used for 

 carrying coal to Cuba. 



The embargo against acceptance of new 

 orders of freight for Havana was in effect 

 for nearly three months. 



CUBAN MARKETS FOR AMERICAN GOODS 

 The attention of American manu- 

 facturers new to the export business is 

 directed by the National Foreign Trade 

 Council to the potentialities of the Cuban 

 market, which is easily accessible, but 

 yet characteristic of the vast markets in 

 the republics further south, and which 

 forms a natural stepping stone for those 

 companies wishing to test the possibilities 

 of selling their , products abroad. By try- 

 ing to introduce his products in this mar- 

 ket first, the manufacturer will be able 

 to gauge the conditions he may expect 

 to encounter in other Spanish speaking 

 countries without the handicap of long- 

 distance negotiations. 



Cuba at present offers an excellent field 

 for American products. The greatly in- 

 creased prosperity in the island, due to 

 the fortunes made in sugar and tobacco, 

 has given rise to a demand for luxuries 

 of all kinds. 



Although the United States was able to 

 obtain practically a monopoly of trade 

 with Cuba during the war, our manu- 

 facturers are cautioned to be very care- 

 ful in their dealings with this market, 

 as the exporters of other countries are 

 availing themselves of every opportunity 

 to recover their former trade. The 

 National Foreign Trade Council points out 

 that the establishment of a parcel post 

 service between the United States and 

 Cuba would aid materially in cementing 

 business relationships and in increasing 

 Cuban-American trade. 



