Evening star., 1902-09-02
But Little Discipline.

But Little Discipline
The. Cuban or Spanish employer, under
standing his man, contrives to secure his
ends more automatically; but he never has
really disciplined force of employees. Or
ganization and discipline are two Of the
things most seriously lacking in Cuban life;
and they are lacking because Of a certain
timidity, a lack Of self-assertiveness in the
attitude Of the officers Of industry toward
their men. The Cuban is capable OF dis
cipiine: but 80 long as nothing else is re-
qu1red, he naturally prefers discussing poll
ties and local news or comparing notes
about their children with his foreman to
performing more commonplace duties. His
friendliness toward his employer is usually
well-meaning, even il unwsely manifested
1t is somewhat akin to the easy inquIsitivs
but sympathetic familiarity one finds in a
New England village.
Occasionally it can be turned to good ac-
count In securing the loyalty of men Two
American retail merchants were interviewed
In Havana. One was evidently reserved
toward his working people He reported
that among several employed he had never
had Cuban clerk he was not Obliged to
discharge for stealing. Another. who was
conducting a larger business and had MANY
Cubans in his employ, but who stood on
terms of greater intimacy with them re-
ported that he had no difficulty whatever
of this kind. Whether the difference In the
experience OF the two merchants was due
to the reason suggested or not. it is certain
that the Cuban Is peculiarly susceptible to
appeals to ideal motives, whether made di-
recuy or only by implica ton, and that sue
cess or failure in dealing with the workmen
of the island often hinges upon an under
standing of this trait of character
Do Not Take Tips.
One desirable outcome of the aspiration
toward social equality on the part of
Cubans is their aversion to tips. Employees
who had made some money sacrifice by
leaving piecework to act as guides about
a factory refused, evidently with consid-
cradle embarrassment the offer of gratulty
poor countryman who had left his lleld
labor for several hours to show a trail
through tract Of forest would only accept
compensation under protestant when II
was turned into gift for the children.
These same men would have made as
shrewd a bargain as possible and would
have haggled for hours over centavos IN a
matter OF trade. but for a service of cour-
tesy money was no compensation for their
sense of wounded dignity in accepting a
gratuity.
With reference to the personal honesty of
the Cuban, no unqualified statement is like
ly to be just. All people possessing great
love- of appreciation and an excessive de-
sire 5to please are apt to be more or less
insincere in social intercourse Men tell
you things they think you like to hear
~ Workmen Are Honest.
Large contractors in Cuba report no un-
usual loss of tools through the pecu!ations
Of their workingmen. The owners of re-
tall stores where there is such multitude
of petty sales that no record of such trans
actions can be kept, intrust practically
their whole business to their clerks. Judg-
Ing from actual experience with the peo-
pie and with their way of doing business,
there Is nothing to indicate that a fair de-
gree of private and commercial honesty
does not prevail. AS rule the Cuban has
not q passion for acquisition for its own |
sake. The question Of money Is an ever
present and tnststent one with the middle
and working classes in Cuba as elsewhere,
but when current demands are met-and |
they are not excessive-the Cuban is usual
ly satisfied.
He is not ambitious to accumulate. Men
In political life. with uncertain tenure of |
ofhce, expensive ambitions. and the worst |
kind OF precedents to influence them, are |
said not to be trust worthy: but Cuba should |
not be judged by its politicians. Consider
Ing only the industrial classes there is no
reason to reproach Cuba with a particularly
low standard of commercial and personal |
integrity. One will not find there conditions
equaling those in countries where greater |
general Intelligence. and social discipline |
have long prevailed, and where reasonably
good government has been habitual: hut /
the moral standards of the people In the /
respects mentioned are not such as to pre-
sent serious bar to the Industrial deyelop- /
ment of the country.
Cubans Not Indolent.
One Of the most common and perhaps the |
most popular charges made against Cuban
w0rkmen by Americans Is that they are in l