Evening star., 1926-04-17
HANDS-0FF POLICY
HELD TOWARD CUBA
U. S. Lending Financial Aid,
But Not Interfering in Fight
on Sugar Tariff.

While 1t has been stated Oh behalf
Of President Coolidge that official cog
nizance is being taken Of the "entire
situation" in Cuba, 1t is not believed
here that any formal protest Will be
made at this time against the drive
under way in Cuba against the United
States.
The campaign against the United
States, principally on account or the
tariff laws, which tax each ton or
Cuban sugar delivered in this country,
has become rather heated, neverthe-
less, as Is shown by the reports or a
speech made by Ramon o. I1arrea. a
Spanish merchant. who in the pres
ence OF the Cuban secretary OF the
treasury, loudly exclaimed:
but for the fact that Cuba is a
small country, the question OF the
Fordney tariff law between the United
States and Cuba would be settled with
cannon"
Outburst Being Ignored.
Hhere is a disposition both at the
White House and the Capitol to
ignore this outburst from the fiery
Senior Larrea, who, being a Spaniard,
probably has not entirely forgotten
some incidents Of 1898. The admin
istration is watching, however, moves
apparently made by the Cuban gov
ernment to foster q sentiment III
favor Of further concessions by Con
gress to Cuba in the matter OF the
tariff. Cuba now enjoys a 20 per
cent preferential over every other
country in the matter of customs
duties, but evidently considers this Is
not enough.
President Machado Of Cuba has
r-Sxv tnt
appealing to the United States to help
Cuba out Of its present economic
crisis by Tightening" the tarin on
sugar. He said such a move would
not hurt the American producers OF
sugar, but would go a long way to-
ward bringing about better feeling be
tween the United States, Cuba and all
the Latin american countries.
The Cuban secretary Of the treas
ury, Hernandez Cartaya. has insti-
gated movement to bring about a
revision of the trade treaty with the
United States Representatives of
Cuban merchants have announced
that the American Congress must do
something to relieve the sugar tariff
PrOtectiOnists Plan Defense.
American protectionists naturally
are marshaling their forces to resist
these Cuban appeals the moment they
seem to be having any sort Of weight
at the White House. At the present
time, however, 1t is stated President
Coolidge feels this country can go
no further than to lend financial as
sistance to the Cuban banks. This
is being done.
Mr.. Coolidge is not inclined to
make any recommendations regard
ing the tariff, because American
sugar interests are claiming that
Cuba and Cuba alone is response
BILE for the prevailing low prices.
which are compelling producers, to
sell below cost. Cuba has insisted
upon steadily increasing her crop
from year to year. The Fordney
tariff act, instead Of bringing about
sugar. seemed instead to stimu-
In 1922. when the Fordney bill
was passed, the Cuban siigar crop
was S.602,910 long tons. This year
1t Is estimated in excess Of $500, 900
tons. When the reciprocity treaty
with Cuba was under discussion in
1902. the Cuban sugar crop was only
something like 100000 tons, and it
was stated at that time that Cuba
would never produce more than
2,oUV,UUU tons.
Referential Removal Urged.
These statistics, recently made pub.
lie, caused G. A. Spreckels, chairman
of the board of the Federal Sugar Re-
timing Co, to declare that Cuba would
best be benefited by removal of the
20 per cent tariff preferential. He
said it was this preferential which had
brought about overproduction in the
island. II Cuba had to pay full duty.
he asserted, she would regulate her
crop.
Already q step has been made in
this direction by the announcement
from Havana today that the present
crop would be curtailed 10 per cent,
meaning. 1t is supposed, that the 10
per cent will either be held off the
market or not harvested.
The protectionists in Congress are
prepared to show, it is said, that in
1920, when there was a shortage of
sugar in the world and Cuba con-
trolled the market, there was an
agreement among Cuban producers to
hold their crop until the price reached
the unprecedented figure of "a cents
pound
In administration circles the banking
furry in Cuba is looked upon as a
temporary affair which lustif1es no