Evening star., 1936-01-11
staff CORRESPONDENT of The Star.

These two big events are closely
linked in Cuban life this year. It is
no mere coincidence that the election
of president Friday, in what is de-
signed to be the first orthodox ballot
ing for this Office since 1924, i'm
mediately precedes the beginning of
"zafra." When the "machetero" is
busy cutting cane and making enough
to supply his simple pleasures he has
no inducement to join a revolution
and this year he is happy in the
assurance that he will be able to af-
ford a bit Of rum, bright shirt and
few remembrances for his lady love
through three relatively blissful
months.
Welded to Sugar.
Cuba is welded to sugar. Tobacco.
tourists, fruit. vegetables and rum all
play part. but sugar normally pro-
vides 80 per cent of the exports. Had
there been a fair price for sugar and
quota such as the United States
now allows (2,300,00O tons at $3.50
hundred pounds. many observers be-
lieve there would have been no reyo-
luton in Cuba.
The answer Of Cuban business and
political leaders TO the question.
What does Cuba need most?" is al
most invariably: "A good price and
a liberal quota for sugar" Without
that, it makes little difference who is
elected President. With that, even
the customary graft of the politicians
can be tolerated and the citizenry be-
comes so peaceful that no terrorism is
necessary to suppress uprisings.
For many years, the beginning of
"zafra" has been nothing to celebrate.
| There was no profit in sight. Ship
ments to the United States were too
small and yielded no more than cost
OF production. while the world market
offered nothing but loss-a single |
cargo to Germany having cost the
shippers more than 100000 above the
price received.
Exports Jump Suddenly.
Last year-or last March, to be
exact-all that was changed by the
| signing of trade agreement with the
United States, the natural market for
Cuba's sugar. Exports from Cuba
jumped suddenly from $5,772,32l in
February to Sl0,877,394 in March, |
The following month they rose to more
than sl3,000,000. In July, they ex-
ceeded $15.000,0 900 and August, when |
the quota was filled, showed more than |
$25, 600, ,000 The exports for June, |
July and August of 1885 were almost |
as much as for the entire year of |
1888.
The first profits from sugar brought |
American automobiles to Cuba by the |
shipload. Imports during the first |
three quarters Of 1885 exceeded the |
total of any entire year since 1881, |
and the 10-month total was greater |
than that of any IL months since
1880, practically equalling the COM
bined totals of 1882 and 1893.
The wage of the field hand had !
jumped from 20 cents day to 80 |
cents, or, in some cases, 81 a day.
They were paid, not by the day, but |
by the hundred rows, and might ex-
''machetero" and the "guajiro," or
rural peasant, rarely die of overwork.
1t Is enough to hum an accompani-
ment to the machete's singing blade
until a hundred rows have been cut.
5000, ,OO0-Ton Quota Desired.
The executives of the sugar business
in Cuba will tell you that a quota of
100000 tons year is not enough.
Give them 100000 tons at 2llz cents
a pound in the United States, with a
world price Of half that amount for
the remainder of their crop, they say,
and Cuba's economic troubles will be
at an END. But, without exception,
they express qualification over the
quota they now have and admit that
they have little hope of increasing it.
But they will fight with all their
power to hold it.
The low world price for sugar is
now their chief trouble. It Is only
30 to 80 cents hundred pounds, de-
pressed by the offerings of cheap sugar
from the East Indies. Some work is
now being done toward world price
Stabilization, renewing efforts that
proved futile a few years ago at a
world conference and wrecked the So
called Chadbourne plan that was then
Cuba's chief hope of prosperity. Eng
land, many believe, would profit by
stabilization of the world price at a
higher level, as it could then reduce
its subsidies to colonial sugar interests.
1t was the Chadbourne plan, involv-
ing restriction of the Cuban sugar
crop in an effort to raise the price,
that wrecked Cuba, some aStute OBJ
servers assert. The Chase National
Bank of New York, heaviest holder of
Cuban bonds, Is said to have sold"
Machado on the plan, which then was
understood to have the tacit approval
Of the United States State Depart
ment. But after Cuba was induced to
restrict its crop. other large producers
refused to play the game and our
Southern neighbors were left holding
the bag" The next time Cuba enters
into any agreement, it will make sure
that the others will keep their end Of
the bargain.
Satisfied With Price.
A price of $3.50 hundred for Cuban
sugar, under the present trade agree
ment with the United States, may
seem strange when the world price
in European markets is only 80 to 80
cents. But just try to bring some
OF that 80-cent sugar into the United
States. experienced men will tell you,
and you will stir up hornets nest
among domestic producers, chiefly the
beet sugar growers. They are reported |
to be well satisfied with the present ]
agreement.
The Supreme Court decision annul-
ling the A. A. A. was almost as big {
news in Cuba as in the United States, {
because of the fear widely expressed
in Havana that, should this program I
"A - IL 4