Great Falls daily tribune., 1920-03-02

Havana Cuba, Feb. 2S.-The impress
sion which has gone abroad that this
city is, crowded carnival of revelry,
drunkenness and vice, is largely mistaken.
There are many visitors but not more
than the city can accommodate, and
much liquor but not many drunks. The
general effect is one of spaciousness and
quiet rather than of crowdedness and
noise. The life of the old city flows
through its many pillard portals, it's mar
row shaded streets and brilliant tropical
parks in the leisurely fashion of its
wont Fifteen or twenty thousand
Americans in i latin city of nearly half
a million are not enough to jar it out
Of its unhurried Latin ways.
Cuba. it should be added, is undonbt-
edly in the midst Of great boom. Sug
ar. tobacco and prohibition have put
more money into the island pockets than
ever they contained before To the
Cubans no doubt, it seems that their
city is roaring with life and prosperity.
but its roar is a mere purr beside the
voice of almost any American city OF
the same size.
Liquor is here in astonishing abuna-
ance and variety. The exied American
WHISTLES combine with the native pro-
ducts and liberal importations from En-
rope to make this one of the wettesr
spots on the face of the earth. Along
the prado, the central square and other
principal thoroughfares, literally every
door leads to a drink, and the very air
is polluted with the breath of the BAN
ished demon. Yet drunks are surpris
ing few considering the thousands who
are here from arid lands, and who have
braved the terrors of travel on southern
railroads to get here The native does
not get drunk at all. and the visitor APP
parentlY not very often. When he does.
the tropical climate lays soothing hand
upon his heated brow, and he generally
goes TO sleep in some quiet corner of
q cafe.
None -theless the presence of un.irn.t-
ed alcohol has undoubtedly influenced
a considerable percentage of those WHO
now visit Habana, and the crowds in
the hotels, bars and cafes. are an in
teresting collection of the types who
seek the fellowship of John Barleycorn.
Here is the chap who leans across the
bar and stares like a crystal gaZer into
glass after glass. silent, gloomy. en-
raptured. caressing the brass rail with
4 well accustomed foot Here is that
we'll known fellow who haunts cafes the
world over, who is persuaded that all
the JOY Of life ii where liquor and pretty
women and music meet under brlght
lights. Here Is tte man Wao seeks
oblivion. and the one who wants merely
something e. make him laugh and dream
aud forget he'll and taxes. These ana
many others are here. a veritable
gathering of the followers OF King John,
come to his court Of exile. Yet the loud
and rowdy drunk is surprisingly scarce.
and one cannot but feel that the sooth-
ing air is what holds him in check.
The abundance Of high percentage re-
freshment is crudey emphasized BY the
Cuban barkeepers. who regularly spill
about one thousand gallons of bonded
goods a day, The native barnan evi-
IDENTIFY thinks that he is not discharging
his duties with proper dash and flourish
unless he makes a li5atioa e the gods
If waste every time he mixes a drink.
In eoncocting daiquiri, he begins hy
shaking up too much liquor in the
shaker: he then pours it all into the
glass and lets it run over on the bar;
and the panied customer is forced 70 lose
little more in conveying the drink to
his lips. If q waiter handles it. there
Is still further leakage As he trots along
with his tray gracefully balanced on two