The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-03-27

end"
Another local employer who takes a
sympathetic attitude toward labor is
frank Stinehart. president of the Ha-
Vana Electric company, which employs
about 5000 men. Mr., Stinehart has
been president Of the company for IL
years and has not had strike in that
time. He says that he makes wages
depend upon the earnings of the COM
pany. He sets aside what is necessary
to pay upkeep, interest, and dividends.
and then pays the best wages he Is
able, He provides doctors and dentists
for his men, and always takes care of
an employee who is sick. He believes
that his policy of taking a personal in
terest in the employe Is largely re-
sponsible for his success in avoiding
labor troubles.
The Cuban government has a high
handed way with labor. Recently, in
, order to break the railway strike, the
president suspended the constitutional
guarantees" presumably meaning those
which make man safe from arrest
unless he has been seen committing a
crime. or someone has sworn out a
warrant for him. This apparently was
not declaration of martial law. and
there was no occasion for martial law,
as there had been no disorder. The
Cuban government simply announced
that the constitution went into the dis
, card for a while. 1t then went out and
arrested all of the labor leaders, and
all of the idle men it could find. This
maneuver was given credit for break
ing the strike by a leading local paper.
Others, however, said that the admin
istration made hit with the strikers
by taking them to Jail and feeding
them, Cuban politics is a subtle bust
ness!
Although Cuba is full of labor unions
and bedeviled with strikes. it seems to
be nearly free of Bolshevism com
munism socialism, or whatever you
want to call it. A few Spanish and
Russian agitators have been trying to
spread these ideas here, but according
to the best information available. they
have not had much success. In other
words while Cuban labor has organlz ID
into unions for the specific purpose of
raising wages, it is not organized as a
class nor is it class conscious. Cuba
is not apt soon to be infected by the
class war which has ravaged Europe
and which seems to be forming It's
lines of struggle In the United States.
The reason for this, according to
those who know Cuba well is found in
Cuban social organization and customs.
In the first place, Cuba is very dem
poor colonial farmers before the war
with Spain, and they all fought against
Spain together in a. long and bloody
war. In this way they acquired GER
tain democratic homogeneity
Besides every Cuban family is very
large. and family loyalty is very real
and strong emotion. A Cuban capital
list may we'll have several first cousins
among his employees. These men might
80 on strike against him, and then
o~~re to his house and demand food on
the strength of their relationship ana
h. 1NY tTEI a
tration, but the point is that family
bonds make class divisions almost i'm
, rossible. Furthermore, the Cuban is not
strictly homogeneous. 1t Is quite usual
for Cuban of wealth to have one or
! re- 4ue ,da$, OF sMeethearts be-
sides a wife. These differ In status
from the unofficial dear ones, when q
wealthy man in another country might
have, in that their existence Is often
recognized by the mans duly welded
wife, and in that they generally have
children. These children are unotti-
clally recognized and cared for by shee
Cuban patriarch. 1t is a matter OF
record that few years ago Cuban
of wealth went to the United States
with IS children whom he wished TO
educate there. but he was refused ad-
mission, apparently on the ground that
sucn prolific man was meanace TO
tn. morals of the republic.
In this way, the Cubans are all bound
together by ties that run through and
through the social classification from
top to bottom. A Cuban will not, dare
not refuse the plea for aid of one who
has the claim of kinship, Il is said
fhat even u !nusdsreE EiLt be sAeltere1
Sv his relatives, solely as . matter u
family duty IL is paradise Of poor
relations. Thus any struggle OF class
aAainst class is exceedingly lmprobab bic.
shatever other ills may beset her.
Bolshevlsm and internat:onalism. the
NO great bugapoos CT ne hour, seem
to be far from Cubas door.