THE 

 CUBA REVIEW 



"ALL ABOUT CUBA" 



Copyright, 1915, hy the Munson Steamship Line 



Volume XIII 



MAY, 1915 



Number 6 



CUBAN GOVERNMENT MATTERS 



PRESIDENT MENOCAL'S MESSAGE 



Referring to the financial situation of the 

 country, President ^Nlenocal points out that 

 this is necessarih' bad, owing to tlie European 

 war,which has brought aliout sensilile changes 

 all over the world, liut that as matters now 

 point, Cuba will be the least suffeier from it. 



Concerning foreign relations, the President 

 says that the most cordial intercourse has lieen 

 maintained. 



The reforms carried out concerning the 

 army reorganization is discussed at length and 

 benefits to be derived from it are set forth. 

 Among these are included the increasing of 

 the mounted forces which will not only serve 

 to give the army more efficiency as far as the 

 needs in this country are concerned, but also 

 of the aid that these mounted soldiers offer 

 the countrj' for the purpose of policing the 

 island. 



Recommendations to the effect that further 

 appropriations for the establishment of postal 

 routes in Oriente Province, the annual cost of 

 which ^^-ill be $9,000 is suggested. 



Congress is urged to approve the creation of 

 a postal saving bank and a sj'stem of tele- 

 graphic monej' exchange, and the collection of 

 accounts through the postoffice service. The 

 reduction of the rates for the interior parcels 

 post is also suggested. 



An appropriation of $55,000 to repair the 

 governmenc telegraph lines in the six pro- 

 vinces is also suggested. 



The financial statistics presented by the 

 President demonstrates a decrease of $3,558,- 

 393.38 for the semestre ending Dec. 31, mainly 

 from the custom duties,and is attributed to the 

 fall in the importations due to the European 

 war. The internal revenue which covers the 

 principal and interest of the $35,000,000 loan, 

 show a general decrease of $315,216 for the 

 fiscal year. 



The economical balance for the last six 

 months of 1914 shows a fall of $5,000,000 in 

 round numbers. Xotmthstanding this there 

 was a difference of $9,000,000 in the value of 

 exports in 1914 as compared with those of 

 1913, owing to the increased price of sugar. 



The President takes up the question" of 

 revenues as compared with the expenses 

 which have to be borne between now and the 

 end of the fiscal year, and announces that a 

 deficit of $5,000,000 is ex-pected to result, and 

 in this sense a policy of retrenchment is sug- 

 gested. 



DISCUSS BILL TO PROTECT WORKERS 



Srs. Enrique Nuiiez, Cristobal de la 

 Guardia and Emilio Nuiiez, secretaries re- 

 spectively of sanitation, justice and agricul- 

 ture, have recently helcl a conference for the 

 purpose of drawing up some form of em- 

 ployers' hability bill to replace a Spanish law 

 which dealt with this subject, but which has 

 been allowed to lapse. 



A proposal for a bill has been framed, and it 

 is stated that this will })e lirought before the 

 consideration of the cabinet. 



TOO MANY COLORED IMMIGRANTS 



Dr. Enrique Xunez, Secretary of Sanitation, 

 has received a communication from the chief 

 of the Immigration Department at Santiago, 

 informing him that in the last few months 

 there has been a very great increase in the 

 number of immigrants from Jamaica and 

 Havti and that though thev all have the $30, 

 without which they would not be allowed to 

 land, he believes that many of the men are 

 either worthless or crimimal, and will be a 

 detriment to Cuba. This letter has been 

 handed to Dr. Frank Menocal, inspector of 

 immigration. 



