THE CUBA REVIEW 



11 



GENERAL COMMENT ON CUBAN AFFAIRS 



GREATER FREEDOM FOR WOMEN 



With greater freedom coming to woman in 

 manA' parts of the world, Cuba has advanced 

 ideas which have not been accepted by some 

 of the much larger South and Central Ameri- 

 can countries. In Havana a movement has 

 been begun which, while not measuring up to 

 what the United States can present, is a tre- 

 mendous advance in giving women the oppor- 

 tunity to take their stand in the struggle for 

 economic independence. The Cuban press, 

 as enterprising, by the way, as any to be 

 found in Spanish America, opens its columns 

 freely to the affairs of women. The Cuban 

 government must have recognized the im- 

 portance of giving them a larger shai'e in the 

 discussion of the questions of the hour when 

 it appointed Senora Blanche Zacharie de 

 Baralt* to represent the nation, as well as the 

 Woman's Club of Havana, during the Boston 

 exposition just closed. 



Not full political participation, but gi-adual 

 comprehension of the economic issues that 

 make for Cuban nationalism is what the 

 women of Cuba are most in need of now, ac- 

 cording to Madame de Baralt. Here again 

 Cuba has to learn its lesson elsewhere. But 

 as the country is now solving the problem of 

 co-education and enlarged home activity, so 

 it may also teach the advantage of allowing 

 old Spanish-American institutions and cus- 

 toms to be superseded by what is better 

 suited to the needs of the present. — Boston 

 Christian Science Monthly. 



*Mme. Baralt's very interesting address at the exposition 

 will be found on another page. 



DESERVES UNITED STATES GRATITUDE 



President Menocal has lived up to the ex- 

 pectations of those who selected him for the 

 presidenc}'. His administration has been a 

 remarkable contrast to that of his predecessor. 

 There has been business efficiency and the 

 pastime of revolution has been rendered un- 

 safe. Elections could be held without fear of 

 outbreaks or uprisings. It is unfortunate 

 that Senor Menocal is determined to retire 

 at the end of his term, one year hence. 



The administration at Washington may 

 well be pleased that for the time being Cuba 

 has ceased to be a source of trouble or worry. 



President Menocal deserves the gratitude 

 of the big sister republic. — Cleveland (Ohio) 

 Plain Dealer. 



STRENGTHENING ITS NATIONALITY 



In deciding to coin its own monej^ Cuba 

 shows that it is determined to strengthen 

 its nationaUty. There can be no doubt that 

 the aim of its statesmen wiU be to secure 

 sound money. Its nearness to the United 

 States and its increasing interests in this 

 part of the world, are revealing to it the 



importance of shaping pohcies which will 

 avert any serious disagi-eement with the 

 United States. While Cuba will ever be 

 free, it is likely to be influenced by our 

 government in a manner to cause it to strive 

 for clean and enlightened rule. 



The beautiful island is going ahead. With 

 a President who is familiar with American 

 institutions, and who is intent upon securing 

 government of the people, there is little 

 likehhood of a return to the conditions which 

 prevailed imder the Palma administration. 

 Cuba is prosperous. Her producers are 

 securing the compensation which makes for 

 contentment. — Troy (N. Y.) Record. 



CUBANS FOND OF BASEBALL 



The enthusiasm of Dr. Lorenzo .Ai-ias, the 

 Cuban government's representative at the 

 Boston Food Fair, and the Assistant Secretary 

 of Agi"iculture of the Republic at the world's 

 series in Boston, attracted the attention of 

 a Globe representative, who later interviewed 

 the distinguished "fan" on baseball in 

 Havana with the following interesting result : 



"Oh, yes," smiled the doctor, "we have 

 baseball in Havana, and are very fond of 

 it. All winter long, games are ]3layed by 

 the three professional teams, known as the 

 Almendares, the Fe and the Havana clubs, 

 which are professional teams, besides several 

 amateur organizations. 



"You know the Philadelphia, New York, 

 Brookl;yTi, Detroit and Chicago teams have 

 visited Cuba during the past few winters 

 and the gi-eat American game has become 

 the creditable successor to the old-time 

 Spanish bull fight. Cuba has even produced 

 United States big league baseball talent, 

 among these being Gonzales of Chicago, 

 Marsans of Cincinnati and Acosto of Chicago. 

 During the world's series, two of the brightest 

 newspaper men in Havana came to Phila- 

 delphia and to Boston to report by cable 

 the story of the games." 



CUBA'S GOOD EXAMPLE 



Cuba has set the United States an economy 

 example. Being short of funds because of 

 small customs receipts since the Eiu-opean 

 war has been playing its dates, the govern- 

 ment of Cuba has cut down the expenses 

 to fit the income. — Worcester (Mass.), 

 Telegram. 



"Cuba seems to have found a real man 

 for President of the Repubhc, and the Island 

 is bathed in contentment and a peace that 

 even an election cannot disturb. 



"There is no reason why Cuba should not 

 be as stable as Argentina or Chile." — 

 Minneapolis Journal. 



