THE CUBA REVIEW 15 



Under the Reciprocity Treaty between the two countries special advantages were 

 given in the Cuban tariffs to goods and products coming from the United States, and the 

 United States agreed to a preferential tariff on Cuban products amounting to 20%, 

 during the period while the treaty should remain in force, and it provided that no 

 products of other countries should be admitted upon similar terms while the Treaty was 

 in force, to the end that Cuba might always be sure of the 20% differential. It was 

 provided by the Reciprocity Treaty that this should remain in force for an indefinite 

 period subject to six months' notice by either party. 



To disregard the provisions as stipulated in the Treaty of Paris, or the provisions of 

 the Reciprocity Treaty with Cuba while it remains in force, by restricting Cuban 

 imports into the United States, or by the assessment of additional duties, would be a 

 great violation of the International Treaty obligations, and to ignore these obligations 

 would be to destroy Cuban credit, public and private, not only of Cuban but of all 

 foreign citizens in Cuba including Spanish, British, French and others upon the demand, 

 not of the administration at Washington, but of special interests known as the agricul- 

 tural "bloc," which does not include the farmers of the eastern and middle states, who 

 would suffer rather than benefit by it. 



It would seem from our Treaty provisions that the United States has special moral 

 obligations to the Spaniards in Cuba. There is no more industrious, honest or dependable 

 class of laborers in the world than those from the Province of Galicia, the Basque 

 Provinces, and Asturias. Not only are these men honest, temperate and industrious, 

 but they are loyal to their employers, whether they be Spaniards, Cubans or Americans. 

 Many cases can be found where these men have spent a life-time in one employ, and not 

 only watch over the interests of the employer but also of their children. If they are 

 not better understood by certain classes of Americans it is because we do not make 

 allowances for environments, differences in language, education, training and national 

 customs. By those who understand them of whatever nationaUty, too much cannot be 

 said in their praise, and everything should be done to protect their rights and property, 

 as well as their savings accumulated by years of faithful toil. 



Among these men are the railroad workers. They are in all occupations requiring 

 the heaviest kind of physical labor, rather than in the fields where the skill of the 

 Cubans as cane cutters excels them. For agricultural work the Spaniard is not so well 

 adapted by experience or training, and cannot resist the tropical heat so well as the 

 native-born Cuban both white and black. There is a popular impression by Americans 

 who do not thoroughly know Cuba, that the Cuban countrymen are lazy. This is far 

 from correct. The Cuban countryman when working for himself or by contract is 

 most industrious. Like laborers in other countries when wages are high they will work 

 only long enough to earn sufficient for their needs. The same is also the case to a 

 great extent with our black population in the south. The Cuban country population 

 when not stirred up by political or labor leaders make desirable citizens, and are entitled 

 to every consideration. 



During the past summer owing to the lack of work much of the surplus labor left 

 the Island, assisted directly or indirectly both by the Spanish and Cuban governments. 

 There was much suffering among the laboring people and many were supported by the 

 Estates and charitable societies. So many have left without being replaced by immigrants 

 that grave fears are expressed of a shortage of labor. It is now proposed by the 

 authorities in Washington to limit the importation of Cuban sugars into the United States 

 to two million tons, which would in all probability lead to a serious shortage and 

 advance prices to the consumers of the United States to an unwarranted extent. 



Such a measure seems unnecessary, and it would terminate all work upon the sugar 

 estates at an early date, probably soon after the first of April, and throw thousands of 

 men out of employment with no means of support. 



Conditions in Cuba are such that owing to the difficulty in obtaining funds, the 

 probability of a shortage of labor, and the lateness of the season, it is highly probable 

 that Cuba cannot make more than 2,600,000 tons, all of which will be required. 



{Written in Cuba, February, 1922, and published in the "Diario de la Marina,'' 

 Havana, March 3d, 1922.) 



