THE CUBA REVIEW 11 
LABOR CONDITIONS: ‘The attitude of labor in the Harbor of Havana is anything 
but encouraging at this time. Especially disappointing is this attitude since it is the 
desire of the steamship lines operating into Havana to reduce freight rates and 
handling and wharfage charges to a more normal basis than that maintained for 
the past two years. The harbor unions are closely interrelated and have steadfastly 
refused to make any concessions as far as wages are concerned. On the contrary, 
they now have a movement on foot whereby captains of lighters and barges are to 
be paid additional wages besides their salaries as captains. These wages are not to 
be on a straight day’s work basis, but on a piece work basis, and will make lighterage 
costs higher than ever before in the history of the Bay of Havana. Whether their 
demands will be granted has not yet been decided, but it certainly is to be hoped 
that the steamship lines and operators of lighterage companies in the Bay of Havana 
can organize and combat this seemingly unjust award. 
HIGH COST OF LIVING IN CUBA: At this time, although material reductions 
have been noted in prices for all lines of food and clothing in the United States, it 
must be admitted that prices in Cuba have been reduced but little if any during the 
past six months. Clothing has been marked down, but these reductions are not 
noticeable in the better grades of clothing. Shoes of standard make are still about 
$20 per pair and bread, although the price of flour in the States has been reduced, 
is still twelve cents per pound, and coffee and milk at the local café is eight cents 
per cup, although sugar has been reduced in Cuba from thirty-five cents per pound 
(when the price of a cup of coffee was increased to eight cents) to ten cents per 
pound. 
CLEARING HOUSE TO BE ESTABLISHED IN HAVANA: Much attention has been 
given recently to the question of establishing in the City of Havana a clearing house 
for the banks of Hayana and the Island of Cuba in general, and also to include the 
private bankers. This clearing house has been the one facility which Havana bankers 
have always lacked and this inauguration will mean that Cuban banks and bankers 
are on a par with those of other countries which enjoy this institution. 
NEW CABLE LINE: A decree has been signed by the Secretary of Goyern- 
ment whereby permission is granted the All America Cable Corporation to lay various 
lines of cable between the American Naval Station at Guantanamo, in Oriente 
Province of Cuba, and the United States. 
CHINESE IMMIGRATION: ‘The Secretary of Agriculture, General Sanchez de Agra- 
monte, has granted permission to Chinese immigration agents to bring to Cuba one 
Chinese immigrant for each 100 Chinese population which the Island already has. 
HARBOR NOTES: Col. M. Despaigne has given notice to all the importers here 
whose goods have been taken to the old Espada Cemetery and deposited there, that 
unless these goods are called for within the next thirty days, they will be sold at 
public auction to cover the charges which have to date accrued thereon. Col. Des- 
paigne ‘has also warned the importers that if they persist in neglecting the handling 
of their importations he will not deposit their merchandise in Espada Cemetery, but 
rather within the confines of the customs zone where high storage charges preyail. 
NEW SHIPPING BOARD HEAD: Much interest was displayed in Havana recently 
when it was rumored about the city that Mr. Alfred G. Smith, president of the Ward 
Line. was to be appointed by President Harding to head the U. 8. Shipping Board. 
Cuban shipping men realized that with a man like Mr. Smith at the head of the 
Shipping Board, American shipping interests would progress rapidly, since Mr. Smith 
is a man of broad experience and recognized ability in the shipping world. 
COREAN LABORERS FOR MANATI SUGAR COMPANY: The Mexican steamship 
“Tamaulipas” put into the Bay of Havana the early part of this month, having run 
short of water and fuel, and a few days later proceeded on her way to Manati, Oriente 
Province, where she disembarked some 600 Coreans which she had on board for the 
