Diario las Américas., 1958-04-18
Know thv
Neighbor
By ANTONIO RUIZ

CUBA - A Cuban citizen, born
in the United States, is responsible
for most of the great progress
achieved by the Cuban textile
dustry. The "Textilera Ariguna-
DO" and the "Compania Rayonera
Guiana" are two of the most
progressive industries of Cuba, and
they pride themselves also of hav-
ing been pioneers in labor and So
cial reforms. Long before a law
was passed in Cuba to regulate So
cial relations between workers and
employers, Textilera A%riguanabo
established 8 hours pay for 6 hours
work a day, maternity assistance,
free medical attendance, and n.y.
gienic houses for its workers, COM
fortahly built with light and wat
er systems, everything free, in
Guiding the rent. The living quart
erS of the workers are among the
best EN- Eyed by any workers in
Cuba and their prosperity can be
seen very easy by anyone visiting
their housing projects around the
factory and the village of Bauta,
which depends almost completely
on the industry for its economic
life.
The Textilera Ariguanabo was
started in 1881, with 80 looms and
% workers. 1t has been growing
steadily ever since, to become one
OF the most important industries
in Cuba today, both for its produc-
ton and for the number of famil-
les who depend on it for their
living. Also important is the aid
it brings to the income of the
Government and the general eco
nomy Of the Republic. Today, the
factory employs more than 1000
workers. on four shifts of six hours
each, so that the plant may run
"a hours d day.
The average salary of these
workers is $1.15 per hour, the
highest paid in all of Cuba, and
the payroll is over five million
dollars a year Today the factory
has more than 1900 looms, and its
productions is well over 43 million
yards Of different kinds of ma
terialS.
Mr.. Dayton Hedtes, founder of
the great industry, and his two
sons, Burke and James, became
Cuban citizens and, contrary to
the old tradition of investors who
were taking out of Cuba all the
profits on their investments, they
have constantly re-invested in Gu
ba and in Cuban industries to the
last cent of their profits. They
have bought large tracts of land
for cotton planting, so that most
OF the raw material will be obtain
ed in Cuba, instead OF importing
it from abroad, giving at the same
time the opportunity to make a
living to many Cubans.
Their "Compania Rayonera Gu
bana" is a Cuban corporation with
a total investment, including its
chemical plant, of more than 10
million dollars, it was organized
in May, 1945 and started produc-
ton in 1948. Since December, 10.
40 the rayon plant has been work
ng at full capacity. 1t is located
ing at full capacity. 1T is located
tanzas Province, and there the two
main processes are performed the
chemical one and the textile. 1t
has its own power plant, two
plants for the production of sui
phuric acid and carbon bisulphide,
operated by two associated COM
panies which are next to the rayon
plant.
The "Rayonera" uses a process
called "~viscose" for the manufactu-
re of its products. In its Spinning
Department they use the widely
known process of Continuous
spinning" Of the Industrial Rayon
Corporation, which is considered
all over the world as the most
modern and most efficient. 1t works
without interruption "a hours a day
and 7 days q week, employing
more than 1000 workers, whose
wages are well over three million
dollars a year.
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