Putnam patriot., 1924-05-09
Cuban Politics

Cuban Politics
 The club we found delightful and instructive. All of it's members are of the old conservative party iu Cuba and today they were especially excited Revolution is in the air. President Zayas this morning closed up the of fees of the Spanish newspaper Fl Sal.e which has been bitterly attack ing the Zayas government. Among the club members there is the most in- tense indignation.
 Manuel has told us much that is in- teresting of the Cuba of today. In his opinion the American occupation fol- lowing the Spanish American War should have lasted many years longer than it did. He is great admirer Of General W oed who was by all odds, he says, the greatest American benefactor of Cuba. Manuel feels that America, in giving self government to the Cu- bans so quickly after the liberation Of the country from Spanish misrulc. did not take into consideration the fact that the Cubans were neither ready or educated for self government. They had been a subject people for hundreds of years, and it required American help and instruction to organize the nation properly and to cultivate gov erning class. Yet he feels that Cuba for new nation has done very wei. He is high .n his praise ef the hrSt president, Palmas, who was the best of the four Presidents Cuba has had. ! Menocal is his close friend and a great statesman and diplomat. But he hns nothing but condemnation for the present occupant of the gorgeous presidential palace and Manuel, as well as his friends of the club. would gladly see the Zayas govern ment fall Manuel does not think it at ali unlikely that there will be a reyo= lution. and We are of the opinion that he would not be unwilling Co play a major part in 1t.
 American Havana
 Tonight We penetrated the Ameri- cans Havana and dined at the huge Biltmore Sevilla hotel in the Prado. This is the center of tourist life in the city. gorgeous house. built about an open patio and with its restaurant high on the roof some fourteen stories above the street As we went in we stopped for a moment in the patio and saw most amusing decoration. In a niche against Che patio's central wall stood marble replica of the Venus ! de Medici Around the Venus was a circle of ten eargantuau green china frogs. and from the mouth of each a stream of water poured upon the un- fortunate statue The effect was amazingly funny.
 Dinner on the roof was SO much like ! the rtavmnre at Atlantic City that ] # Was difficult ta believe that We were in enha and not New Jersey [ The people around us were Americans of the 0vertresspd winter resort vari- ety The food was entirely American served by walters of the conglomerate ! type one encounters In any New York restaurant fhe iazz band might have been the band from the Biltmore, New York. instead of the Biltmore, Havana But the sight of a bottle ef pommery. ial4. quickly iispelied the American illusion
 At Hai-Alsi
 Dinner over We crowded into taxi and drove to the Fronten Hal Alai Hai-Alai, or pelota is almost national game to Cuba. Everyone has told us not to leave the island without seeing a game. and we would n't have missed t for it proved most interesting and exciting contest The fronton or arena where fl is played is a high rectangular building with the grandstand ris- ing almost Co the roof on One side WItA tier ef boxes az tbe