MAGAZINE .Nfro JJorft -...
1
MAGAZINE and BOOK SECTION .Nfro JJorft ÍART VII TWELVE PAGES' MAGAZINE and % BOOK SECTION SUNDAY, MARCH 7. 1920 PART VII TWELVE PAGES Cuba, New American Playground; Land of No Quiet and No Speed Laws Havana Is Full of Americans Who Once Stopped at St. Au¬ gustine, Palm Beach or Miami By Solita Solano ONE of those psychology tests of word associations prob¬ ably would prove that the average American upon be¬ ing given the word "Havana" would flssh back "Booze" as his reaction. Such is the reputation that the Cuban capital has acquired in the last few months. An oasis for the ihirsty, Havana has become the winter playground for some Amer¬ icans who formerly stopped short at St. Augustine, Palm Beach or Miami, and for others who never used to go anywhere at all. Havana may be, as claimed, the second largest port in the western hemi¬ sphere, but it became famous for quite a different reason after Con¬ gress passed that national amend¬ ment. N Havana, you may believe, is pre¬ pared against any emergency or in¬ flux of parched American throats. A drink can be ordered with almost any sort of purchase price except a ßhoe shine. All kinds of strong, wet goods are stored away, and even in the humblest corner grocery the shelves are banked solidly with hotttes from floor to ceiling. And the victualers of country towns have not neglected to read the papers and to line their walls with bottles of whisky, gin, vermouth and wine. But in spite of the plentifuhiess of drinks of all kinds, I saw only one American under the influence of liquor. No Speed Laws As soon as the newly landed tour¬ ist recovers from the excitement of bang able to order a drink at any corner he sets out to explore the city's picturesque streets, many so narrow that vehicles are unable to pass each other. He finds an un¬ ending and ever moving line of American Fords in every street of the town. In fact, the ubiquitous ford is the most striking feature of Havana. More than 8,000 of them are constantly operating with¬ in a radius of one mile. Because of their number and the narrow- leas of the thoroughfares, elaborate and severe traffic Tules are enforced. And yet Havana has no speed law! The chauffeurs are, I'm sure, the most skilful in the world, for, al¬ though they rush at a terrifying rate through the streets and turn corners on two wheels, there are amazingly few accidents. Despite the duty on gasoline, the tariff rates aro so cheap that both Americans and natives walk but oidora. In the first zone one may l)e driven anywhere for 20 cents, in the second zone for 30 cents and out- Hlde ior 45 cents. For more than two persons an extra charge of 10 «nts is made, and by the hour either a Ford or a touring car can be hired foT .1.40. At these rates even the Pq. wst black may.and does.drive al>out with the air of a languid pa¬ trician even if he or she is only tak- ln8 home somebody's wash I The Chauffeur's Prey W course, every American, unless .«Peaks Spanish, is considered fair 8«tte for the taxi drivers. "How much an hour?" I heard a *k? °f ,0Ur inquire of a ch»uffeur wl)o had drawn up to the curb out- M<fc the Pasaje Hotel. 'S** dollar," responded the driv- T »ofenmiy. The four Americans Cabled in and drove off to see farm's famous cemetery, little "°»ing that had they asked to see «ttd of legal rates that each gaffeur fc obliged to ^^ ^ ** have saved themselves the «fcrence between "_eex dollar" and °*el rates for rooms are high in wJ***"Hmle8s one compares them ^Jht prices charged by Florida Th« moat exclusive hotel $» Sevilla, aaka $20 a day for its rooma. So does the smaller Miramar, which looks toward Morro Castle, across the bay from the Malecón.that beautiful driveway General Wood built along the ocean when he redeemed this strip of land from a despised garb¬ age dump. The Plaza and Ingla¬ terra hotels are also expensive. Smaller hotels charge $12, $10 and $6 a day for rooms. It is only at boarding houses that one can live cheaply. Havana is no place for poor tourists to have an enjoyable holiday.unless they have a single object for their visit. The noise in Havana never stops. Newly arrived Americans are al- J HÖHERE are said to be more motor cars in Havana than any ¦*¦ other city of equal area in the world. Those shown here are parked in front of the National Theater. Havana has no speed laws ways asking, "When, if ever, do these people sleep?" Every hotel clerk is kept.busy listening to com¬ plaints about noise and the request. "Please, can't you give me a quiet room?" Land of No Quiet But this is impossible. Em¬ ployees and servants foi'egather in the courtyards and seem to reserve what should be the stilly hours of the night for wrangling, repainting the furniture (surrounded by a criti¬ cal audience), sorting the laundry and placing the blame for lost pieces, citing their losses at the last cock¬ fight and shouting with mirth over the number of times some of the mad Americans of the hotel have beseeched for silence from the win¬ dows above. The streets do not be¬ gin to quiet dowh until S o'clock in the morning and by 5 or 6 they are again vibrating with traffic One hotel just outside Havana proper carries this advertisement in the American newspaper: "Americans who cannot sleep in Havana because of the noise will find pleasant and quiet rooms at this hotel, only fifteen minutes' drive out." There really Isn't very much to do in Havana when one has seen the city and its environs, so it is natural that every one should gravitate toward the sports of the «country. These are the races, tennis, golf, cockflghting.and jal-alal. Jal-alai (pronounced high a-lle), the nation»! game of Spain, le ene of the most delightful things the | American discovers in Cuba. It is more exciting1 than baseball, squash and polo combined, and the person who introduces it to this country is bound to make his fortune. Re¬ sembling tennis, inasmuch as it Is played on courts by four men, it carries the onlooker on the crest of a wave of such suspense and thrills that he is enervated at the end of each game from sheer emotion. Americans who have been content to howl "Take him out!" and '"At¬ taboy!" stand on their feet and yell l'or half an hour at a time when they see the four players from Spain in a contest that strains every muscle and forces the perspiration from each pore, so that the clothing of the contestants is dripping by the time the first round is played. Not one frenzied spectator of the 4,000 ever sits down or stops yelling ex¬ cept in the intermissions. Jai-alai is no place for a contemplative at¬ titude. No Race Prejudice The jai-alai games were stopped once on the f*round that they were a public nuisauce. Aside from the noise, which is heard for blocks ahOut the building, and the dailj struggle for ticket!« that is foughi out in a «two-block area near th( building, the disproportionate gam bling that takes place throughou the game (sometimes $75,000 o: $80,000 is bet in an evening) cause< the authorities to auk the teams t« return to Spain. - But the popula i *írJTHEY'RE OFF" at Havana, and hundreds of Americans who have followed the ponies to ¦* the island republic knoiv nothing of Havana except such part of it as they see in their trips between the cafés and, the racetrack \\\WÊ Tclamor was too strong to be un-« heeded. I Americans are unfailingly aston- Q ished at the absence of race preju- \ dice in Havana. At the jai-alai games (as at theaters, restaurants and schools) the blacks sit among the whites, and I saw a white woman turn from her husband and make a bet with a black man she had never seen before. Mixtures of every proportion exist in the island, and the only prejudice that one sees is from Americans who were born below the Mason and Dixon lino. The racetrack outside Havana, al- ways swept by cool breezes, is at- tended on Sundays by everybody and daily by Americans. Among them are many of the "sporting" I variety, who have "followed the <è- he removed a $6 cigar from his mouth and remarked, casually: "Well, I'm cleaned out. When's the next boat back to New York?" Cockfighting is a sport little liked by American visitors, although many states in tho Union aro represented every Sunday at the several cock¬ pits outside Havana. The betting is heavy, and the din almost equals in volume what I heard at jai-alai. The Sunday I attended the city's largest cockpit about $20,000 had changed hands by the time the eight or ten combats were fought. Few American women were there, for even though no spurs are used the birds become covered with blood stains. It isn't a sport to appeal to the fastidious, and, no doubt, it will | be forbidden in time. No Open Gambling j American influence has done much toward cleansing Havana of its for- Itiful golf course has been laid out-, 1 near Marianao Beach. As the tern-1 perature in Havana always lies be- tween 70 and 82, it is never too warm to play any game. Money Is Plentiful As Cuba is one of the richest countries In the world per capita (her sugar crop of last year having been enough to give every man, woman and child $377), it is not surprising that all Cubans seem to j have money.and for spending purposes, too. The women think nothing of sending to Paris for all their gowns or paying $25 a bottle for perfume. Even the small jew¬ elry shops sell only the most expen¬ sive platinum and diamond orna¬ ments, and Americans who go in smiling to search for bargains leave *."" ". > G OLF is the amusement of many Americans wintering in Cuba. This group, which includes Miss Marianne Ogilvie, of New York, is at the fifth hole of the links of the Havana \ Country Club ponies" to Havana and who would follow them to the antipodes. These familiar American types are distin¬ guished everywhere in the city by their dress. They speak only in the vernacular, and while in Havana nothing interests them except the horses. One hears them in second rate cafés arguing about tips re¬ ceived and given. At the track they consult "touts" or whisper myste¬ riously to a friend of a friend of an owner. Some play "form," and others, of a more sensible turn of mind, close their eyes and jab their programs with a pin. Only the New York cocotte has a system that wins. Her escort picks a horse and places a bet. If the horse wins, she cashes the ticket. Otherwise she looks bored and waits for another slip of paper, being nothing out of pocket. One well known New York gambler lost $9,000 the Sunday after his arrival in Havana. He had played somebody's "sure" tip on two races. After the numbers went uj I mer evils and the city is trying to uphold law, order and decency ac¬ cording to its lights.which are not American, of course. Contrary to rumors that are circulated in the States, no open gambling games, such as roulette, petits-chevaux, bac¬ carat or poker, are tolerated. What» goes on behind the closed doors of clubs or private houses may be guessed, but the public is restrained from this form of gambling and must be content with personal card and dice games, the races, cockfighting, jai-alai and the lotteries. The lot¬ teries are a nuisance because of the ticket vendors, who harass one from morning to midnight. But the gov¬ ernment gets a large percentage from the lottery institution, so it will, no doubt, go on. Golf and tennis are more popular among the American residents (the American colony numbers nearly 5,000) than among the less active Cubans. A tennis club and courts have been coüstruc. «d »ad ft beau- I quickly, tearing their hair and in- quiring for the nearest police sta- tion. The only luxuries which can be purchased cheaper in Havana than in New York are perfumery and cigars. French perfume can be bought at half the price asked in the States, if one finds the right shops. And $100 worth can be brought back duty free. As for cigars, one can buy for 95 cents apiece the brand that the late J. P. Morgan smoked, only he paid $4.50 in New York! The Kohinoors, each I in its separate little box, cost $1 in Havana and $4 here. Yes, there's a catch in it. Only fifty are allowed free of duty. Needless to say, every American brings in his fifty and pays duty on many more. Americans who seek real Spanish cooking in Havana, as I did, are doomed to disappointment and in¬ digestion. There are three kinds of cooking: good American, bad American and indifferent native. But the culinary art of Spain has disappeared from hotels and res¬ taurants. If one orders a Spanish .rice dish» either with chicken oi 9-_____-..- LOOKING toward Morro Castle through a portico of the wmstiR stand at Malecón Park. Havana fish, it means waiting an hour or more for dinner. Time, as a valu¬ able commodity, is absolutely un¬ known to Cuban cooks and waiters. For instance, 1 spent a day with three Americans who wished to learn of Spanish cooking. I ordered for breakfast thick Spanish choco¬ late, rice and fried bananas. One hour. For luncheon, cold pineapple juice, rice and fried eels. One hour and three-quarters. For dinner, Spanish white wine, rice, chicken and peppers, Valencia style. Three hours and fifteen minutes. Almost an American working day spent in ordering food, waiting for it and eating it. My friends told me the next day they preferred plain Amer¬ ican cooking, after all. Many tourists are pleasantly sur¬ prised to find at Havana restaurants low prices and no flies at all. The absence of the fly is undoubtedly the explanation of Cuba's low death rate. Sugar Mills Tourists visit every day the great sugar "centrals" to see the cane transformed from stalk to sugar and molasses. The figures they hear about the cane crop are so tremen¬ dous that even those who have come to Havana only to quench their thirst are sufficiently interested to make the short trip beyond the Venus plantation. They learn that last year's crop totaled $524,000,- 000 and this year's is estimated at $1,080,000,000. A statistican of the "National Geographic Maga¬ zine," in Cuba to get material for an article (and it seemed as if every magazine and newspaper pub¬ lisher had some one in Havana get¬ ting a story), figured that this year's sugar crop would rebuild twice over all subway and elevated lines and bridges of New York City. He also declared if the sugar crop were built with City Hall Square for a base it would rise to ten times th« height of the Woolworth Building Every man, woman and child on th< face of the globe would be given fivt pounds. Although many Americans go t< see sugar made, not all are able t< remain in the mill because of th« sickly sweet odor given forth whej the cane is crushed under 500-toi pressure. Those who do not fee nausea are taken through by a guid to see the juice, which, having bee: boiled and filtered, goes to the ceu trifugal separators that drive ou the molasses by revolving at th rate of twenty-three times a seconc Every one who hears about the gres sugar profits wishes to invest i cane, and there is much America money left in Cuba. An idea c what the profits are can be had h this: President Menocal bought sugar "central" three years ago f< $3,000,000. He has just sold it f( $9,500,000. "Mashers" Are Numerous American women in Havana ai apt to be annoyed by unwelcome a tentions from Cuban men, and th is the one unpleasant feature found in Havana. Women a: stared at, followed in the street ai even jostled by native men, who, must be said, do not spare their o~ women these insults. Because this ^fflPititifMi Cuban woman [standing seldom walk unaccompa nied. Families of means send their daughters and sons to the States to be educated, and it is to this modern movement that Cuban women look to improve the status of their sex. Girls return to Cuba, form clubs and demand the vote and American freedom for woman. English nov¬ els and plays are gradually spread¬ ing feministic propaganda. Taking courage, many Cuban women ¡»re going into business. The evening* in Havana are dull for Americans. They are bored by the native farces and musical com¬ edies. And if they understood Spanish they might be a little bit shocked. So after dinner there is ^nothing ta do but $6 drive, go to jai- alai or attend one of the dozen or more motion picture theaters in the city, where American films are- shown with English and Spanish captions. These theaters are always crowded with Americans and na¬ tives, and they may see Mary Pick- ford, Norma Talmadge or Charlie Chaplin to ward off any attack of homesickness. The admission is 20 cents a reel.. If you stay longer an usher visits your seat and a iecta another peseta. Some of the smaller shops in Ha¬ vana have the "two price" system Co confound the hitherto un traveled American who has never suspecte that after you have been told I* , price of an article you can get r less by arguing with the shopkeeper for half an hour. It is not an i* t're- quent sight to behold an Amci wan crimson with rage, in a wordy »a* at the doorway of a shop. Bargain Hunting "You're a robber I A ridiculous price I It's an outrage!" shouts the American. The clerk or proprietor relates, half in Spanish, half in bad English, the story of how and where, he acquired the article in question, that he paid for It twice the amount; he is demanding, that his family of little ones will be ruined, that he is willing to pocket his loss because he has taken a fancy to the nice Ameri¬ can gentleman.or lady.and that since his patron is so angry he may have it for so much.take it away before I change my mind. The cus tomer rushes forth into the street. The clerk pursues. Sometimes at the corner they come to an agree¬ ment and both return to the shop to close the bargain. The progressive President of Cuba, Mario Menocal, will soon com¬ plete his term of office. Opin¬ ions in Cuba concur that the next President will be former President Gomez, alleged to be friendly to the worst interests of the island. Gomez is the man who led the revolution against the present government in 1917, with 20 per cent of the Cuban army, which he had diverted to hia leadership. A feeling of sadness about the election prevails among the better interests of Cuba. They see the country has a prosperous and happy future. They are desirous oi having the good opinion of America For the benefit of tourists, mucfr I American money is about to be in vested in new hotels of unboundec luxury, a park, a bathing beach. and an unlimited supply of liqui.
Transcript of MAGAZINE .Nfro JJorft -...
MAGAZINEand
BOOK SECTION .Nfro JJorftÍART VII TWELVE PAGES'
MAGAZINEand %
BOOK SECTION
SUNDAY, MARCH 7. 1920 PART VII TWELVE PAGES
Cuba, New American Playground;Land of No Quiet and No Speed Laws
Havana Is Full of AmericansWho Once Stopped at St. Au¬gustine, Palm Beach or Miami
By Solita SolanoONE of those psychology tests
of word associations prob¬ably would prove that theaverage American upon be¬
ing given the word "Havana" would
flssh back "Booze" as his reaction.Such is the reputation that the
Cuban capital has acquired in the
last few months. An oasis for the
ihirsty, Havana has become the
winter playground for some Amer¬
icans who formerly stopped shortat St. Augustine, Palm Beach or
Miami, and for others who never
used to go anywhere at all. Havana
may be, as claimed, the second
largest port in the western hemi¬
sphere, but it became famous for
quite a different reason after Con¬gress passed that national amend¬ment. N
Havana, you may believe, is pre¬
pared against any emergency or in¬flux of parched American throats.A drink can be ordered with almost
any sort of purchase price excepta ßhoe shine. All kinds of strong,wet goods are stored away, and even
in the humblest corner grocery theshelves are banked solidly withhotttes from floor to ceiling. Andthe victualers of country towns havenot neglected to read the papers andto line their walls with bottles ofwhisky, gin, vermouth and wine.But in spite of the plentifuhiess
of drinks of all kinds, I saw onlyone American under the influenceof liquor.No Speed LawsAs soon as the newly landed tour¬
ist recovers from the excitement ofbang able to order a drink at anycorner he sets out to explore thecity's picturesque streets, many so
narrow that vehicles are unable topass each other. He finds an un¬
ending and ever moving line ofAmerican Fords in every street ofthe town. In fact, the ubiquitousford is the most striking featureof Havana. More than 8,000 ofthem are constantly operating with¬in a radius of one mile. Becauseof their number and the narrow-
leas of the thoroughfares, elaborateand severe traffic Tules are enforced.And yet Havana has no speed law!The chauffeurs are, I'm sure, themost skilful in the world, for, al¬though they rush at a terrifyingrate through the streets and turncorners on two wheels, there are
amazingly few accidents.Despite the duty on gasoline, the
tariff rates aro so cheap that bothAmericans and natives walk butoidora. In the first zone one mayl)e driven anywhere for 20 cents, inthe second zone for 30 cents and out-Hlde ior 45 cents. For more thantwo persons an extra charge of 10«nts is made, and by the hour eithera Ford or a touring car can be hiredfoT .1.40. At these rates even thePq. wst black may.and does.driveal>out with the air of a languid pa¬trician even if he or she is only tak-ln8 home somebody's wash IThe Chauffeur's PreyW course, every American, unless.«Peaks Spanish, is considered fair8«tte for the taxi drivers."How much an hour?" I heard a
*k? °f ,0Ur inquire of a ch»uffeurwl)o had drawn up to the curb out-M<fc the Pasaje Hotel.'S** dollar," responded the driv-T »ofenmiy. The four Americans
Cabled in and drove off to see
farm's famous cemetery, little"°»ing that had they asked to see
«ttd of legal rates that each
gaffeur fc obliged to ^^ ^** have saved themselves the«fcrence between "_eex dollar" and
°*el rates for rooms are high in
wJ***"Hmle8s one compares them^Jht prices charged by Florida
Th« moat exclusive hotel$» Sevilla, aaka $20 a
day for its rooma. So does thesmaller Miramar, which lookstoward Morro Castle, across the bayfrom the Malecón.that beautifuldriveway General Wood built alongthe ocean when he redeemed thisstrip of land from a despised garb¬age dump. The Plaza and Ingla¬terra hotels are also expensive.Smaller hotels charge $12, $10 and$6 a day for rooms. It is only atboarding houses that one can livecheaply. Havana is no place forpoor tourists to have an enjoyableholiday.unless they have a singleobject for their visit.The noise in Havana never stops.
Newly arrived Americans are al-
JHÖHERE are said to be more motor cars in Havana than any¦*¦ other city of equal area in the world. Those shown hereare parked in front of the National Theater. Havana has no
speed laws
ways asking, "When, if ever, dothese people sleep?" Every hotelclerk is kept.busy listening to com¬
plaints about noise and the request."Please, can't you give me a quietroom?"
Land of No QuietBut this is impossible. Em¬
ployees and servants foi'egather inthe courtyards and seem to reserve
what should be the stilly hours ofthe night for wrangling, repaintingthe furniture (surrounded by a criti¬cal audience), sorting the laundryand placing the blame for lost pieces,citing their losses at the last cock¬fight and shouting with mirth over
the number of times some of themad Americans of the hotel havebeseeched for silence from the win¬dows above. The streets do not be¬gin to quiet dowh until S o'clockin the morning and by 5 or 6 theyare again vibrating with trafficOne hotel just outside Havana
proper carries this advertisement inthe American newspaper:"Americans who cannot sleep in
Havana because of the noise willfind pleasant and quiet rooms at thishotel, only fifteen minutes' driveout."There really Isn't very much to do
in Havana when one has seen thecity and its environs, so it is naturalthat every one should gravitatetoward the sports of the «country.These are the races, tennis, golf,cockflghting.and jal-alal.
Jal-alai (pronounced high a-lle),the nation»! game of Spain, le ene
of the most delightful things the |American discovers in Cuba. It ismore exciting1 than baseball, squashand polo combined, and the personwho introduces it to this country isbound to make his fortune. Re¬sembling tennis, inasmuch as it Isplayed on courts by four men, itcarries the onlooker on the crest ofa wave of such suspense and thrillsthat he is enervated at the end ofeach game from sheer emotion.Americans who have been content
to howl "Take him out!" and '"At¬taboy!" stand on their feet and yelll'or half an hour at a time when theysee the four players from Spain ina contest that strains every muscleand forces the perspiration fromeach pore, so that the clothing ofthe contestants is dripping by thetime the first round is played. Notone frenzied spectator of the 4,000ever sits down or stops yelling ex¬
cept in the intermissions. Jai-alaiis no place for a contemplative at¬titude.
No Race PrejudiceThe jai-alai games were stopped
once on the f*round that they were a
public nuisauce. Aside from thenoise, which is heard for blocksahOut the building, and the dailjstruggle for ticket!« that is foughiout in a «two-block area near th(building, the disproportionate gambling that takes place throughouthe game (sometimes $75,000 o:
$80,000 is bet in an evening) cause<the authorities to auk the teams t«return to Spain. - But the popula
i*írJTHEY'RE OFF" at Havana, and hundreds of Americans who have followed the ponies to¦* the island republic knoiv nothing of Havana except such part of it as they see in their
trips between the cafés and, the racetrack \\\WÊTclamor was too strong to be un-«heeded.
I Americans are unfailingly aston-
Q ished at the absence of race preju-\ dice in Havana. At the jai-alai
games (as at theaters, restaurantsand schools) the blacks sit amongthe whites, and I saw a white womanturn from her husband and make a
bet with a black man she had never
seen before. Mixtures of everyproportion exist in the island,and the only prejudice that one sees
is from Americans who were bornbelow the Mason and Dixon lino.The racetrack outside Havana, al-
ways swept by cool breezes, is at-tended on Sundays by everybodyand daily by Americans. Amongthem are many of the "sporting"
I variety, who have "followed the<è-
he removed a $6 cigar from hismouth and remarked, casually:
"Well, I'm cleaned out. When'sthe next boat back to New York?"
Cockfighting is a sport little likedby American visitors, although manystates in tho Union aro representedevery Sunday at the several cock¬pits outside Havana. The bettingis heavy, and the din almost equalsin volume what I heard at jai-alai.The Sunday I attended the city'slargest cockpit about $20,000 hadchanged hands by the time the eightor ten combats were fought. FewAmerican women were there, foreven though no spurs are used thebirds become covered with bloodstains. It isn't a sport to appeal tothe fastidious, and, no doubt, it will
| be forbidden in time.
No Open Gamblingj American influence has done muchtoward cleansing Havana of its for-
Itiful golf course has been laid out-,1near Marianao Beach. As the tern-1
perature in Havana always lies be-tween 70 and 82, it is never toowarm to play any game.
Money Is PlentifulAs Cuba is one of the richest
countries In the world per capita(her sugar crop of last year havingbeen enough to give every man,woman and child $377), it is notsurprising that all Cubans seem to
j have money.and for spendingpurposes, too. The women thinknothing of sending to Paris for alltheir gowns or paying $25 a bottlefor perfume. Even the small jew¬elry shops sell only the most expen¬sive platinum and diamond orna¬
ments, and Americans who go insmiling to search for bargains leave
*."" ". >
GOLF is the amusement of many Americans wintering in Cuba. This group, which includesMiss Marianne Ogilvie, of New York, is at the fifth hole of the links of the Havana
\ Country Club
ponies" to Havana and who wouldfollow them to the antipodes. Thesefamiliar American types are distin¬guished everywhere in the city bytheir dress. They speak only in thevernacular, and while in Havananothing interests them except thehorses. One hears them in secondrate cafés arguing about tips re¬
ceived and given. At the track theyconsult "touts" or whisper myste¬riously to a friend of a friend ofan owner. Some play "form," andothers, of a more sensible turn ofmind, close their eyes and jab theirprograms with a pin. Only the NewYork cocotte has a system that wins.Her escort picks a horse and placesa bet. If the horse wins, she cashesthe ticket. Otherwise she looksbored and waits for another slip ofpaper, being nothing out of pocket.One well known New York
gambler lost $9,000 the Sunday afterhis arrival in Havana. He hadplayed somebody's "sure" tip on tworaces. After the numbers went uj
I mer evils and the city is trying touphold law, order and decency ac¬
cording to its lights.which are not
American, of course. Contrary torumors that are circulated in theStates, no open gambling games,such as roulette, petits-chevaux, bac¬carat or poker, are tolerated. What»goes on behind the closed doors ofclubs or private houses may beguessed, but the public is restrainedfrom this form of gambling and must
be content with personal card anddice games, the races, cockfighting,jai-alai and the lotteries. The lot¬teries are a nuisance because of theticket vendors, who harass one frommorning to midnight. But the gov¬ernment gets a large percentagefrom the lottery institution, so itwill, no doubt, go on.
Golf and tennis are more popularamong the American residents (theAmerican colony numbers nearly5,000) than among the less activeCubans. A tennis club and courtshave been coüstruc.«d »ad ft beau-
I quickly, tearing their hair and in-quiring for the nearest police sta-tion. The only luxuries which can
be purchased cheaper in Havanathan in New York are perfumeryand cigars. French perfume can bebought at half the price asked inthe States, if one finds the rightshops. And $100 worth can bebrought back duty free. As forcigars, one can buy for 95 centsapiece the brand that the late J. P.Morgan smoked, only he paid $4.50in New York! The Kohinoors, each
I in its separate little box, cost $1in Havana and $4 here. Yes, there'sa catch in it. Only fifty are allowedfree of duty. Needless to say, everyAmerican brings in his fifty andpays duty on many more.
Americans who seek real Spanishcooking in Havana, as I did, aredoomed to disappointment and in¬digestion. There are three kindsof cooking: good American, badAmerican and indifferent native.But the culinary art of Spain hasdisappeared from hotels and res¬taurants. If one orders a Spanish.rice dish» either with chicken oi
9-_____-..-LOOKING toward Morro Castle through a portico of the
wmstiR stand at Malecón Park. Havana
fish, it means waiting an hour or
more for dinner. Time, as a valu¬able commodity, is absolutely un¬
known to Cuban cooks and waiters.For instance, 1 spent a day with
three Americans who wished tolearn of Spanish cooking. I orderedfor breakfast thick Spanish choco¬late, rice and fried bananas. Onehour. For luncheon, cold pineapplejuice, rice and fried eels. One hourand three-quarters. For dinner,Spanish white wine, rice, chickenand peppers, Valencia style. Threehours and fifteen minutes. Almostan American working day spent inordering food, waiting for it andeating it. My friends told me thenext day they preferred plain Amer¬ican cooking, after all.Many tourists are pleasantly sur¬
prised to find at Havana restaurantslow prices and no flies at all. Theabsence of the fly is undoubtedlythe explanation of Cuba's low deathrate.
Sugar MillsTourists visit every day the great
sugar "centrals" to see the canetransformed from stalk to sugar andmolasses. The figures they hearabout the cane crop are so tremen¬dous that even those who have cometo Havana only to quench theirthirst are sufficiently interested tomake the short trip beyond theVenus plantation. They learn thatlast year's crop totaled $524,000,-000 and this year's is estimated at$1,080,000,000. A statistican ofthe "National Geographic Maga¬zine," in Cuba to get material foran article (and it seemed as ifevery magazine and newspaper pub¬lisher had some one in Havana get¬ting a story), figured that this year'ssugar crop would rebuild twice overall subway and elevated lines andbridges of New York City. He alsodeclared if the sugar crop werebuilt with City Hall Square for abase it would rise to ten times th«height of the Woolworth BuildingEvery man, woman and child on th<face of the globe would be given fivtpounds.
Although many Americans go t<see sugar made, not all are able t<remain in the mill because of th«sickly sweet odor given forth whejthe cane is crushed under 500-toipressure. Those who do not feenausea are taken through by a guidto see the juice, which, having bee:boiled and filtered, goes to the ceu
trifugal separators that drive outhe molasses by revolving at thrate of twenty-three times a seconc
Every one who hears about the gressugar profits wishes to invest icane, and there is much Americamoney left in Cuba. An idea cwhat the profits are can be had hthis: President Menocal boughtsugar "central" three years ago f<$3,000,000. He has just sold it f($9,500,000."Mashers" Are Numerous
American women in Havana aiapt to be annoyed by unwelcome atentions from Cuban men, and this the one unpleasant featurefound in Havana. Women a:stared at, followed in the street aieven jostled by native men, who,must be said, do not spare their o~women these insults. Becausethis ^fflPititifMi Cuban woman
[standing seldom walk unaccompanied. Families of means send theirdaughters and sons to the States tobe educated, and it is to this modernmovement that Cuban women lookto improve the status of their sex.
Girls return to Cuba, form clubsand demand the vote and Americanfreedom for woman. English nov¬
els and plays are gradually spread¬ing feministic propaganda. Takingcourage, many Cuban women ¡»regoing into business.The evening* in Havana are dull
for Americans. They are bored bythe native farces and musical com¬edies. And if they understoodSpanish they might be a little bitshocked. So after dinner there is^nothing ta do but $6 drive, go to jai-alai or attend one of the dozen ormore motion picture theaters in thecity, where American films are-shown with English and Spanishcaptions. These theaters are alwayscrowded with Americans and na¬tives, and they may see Mary Pick-ford, Norma Talmadge or CharlieChaplin to ward off any attack ofhomesickness. The admission is 20cents a reel.. If you stay longer an
usher visits your seat and a iectaanother peseta.Some of the smaller shops in Ha¬
vana have the "two price" system Coconfound the hitherto un traveledAmerican who has never suspectethat after you have been told I* ,
price of an article you can get r
less by arguing with the shopkeeperfor half an hour. It is not an i* t're-quent sight to behold an Amci wancrimson with rage, in a wordy »a*at the doorway of a shop.
Bargain Hunting"You're a robber I A ridiculous
price I It's an outrage!" shouts theAmerican. The clerk or proprietorrelates, half in Spanish, half in badEnglish, the story of how and where,he acquired the article in question,that he paid for It twice the amount;he is demanding, that his family oflittle ones will be ruined, that he iswilling to pocket his loss because hehas taken a fancy to the nice Ameri¬can gentleman.or lady.and thatsince his patron is so angry he mayhave it for so much.take it awaybefore I change my mind. The customer rushes forth into the street.The clerk pursues. Sometimes atthe corner they come to an agree¬ment and both return to the shop toclose the bargain.The progressive President of Cuba,
Mario Menocal, will soon com¬
plete his term of office. Opin¬ions in Cuba concur that the nextPresident will be former PresidentGomez, alleged to be friendly to theworst interests of the island. Gomezis the man who led the revolutionagainst the present government in1917, with 20 per cent of the Cubanarmy, which he had diverted to hialeadership. A feeling of sadnessabout the election prevails amongthe better interests of Cuba. Theysee the country has a prosperous andhappy future. They are desirous oihaving the good opinion of AmericaFor the benefit of tourists, mucfr
I American money is about to be invested in new hotels of unboundecluxury, a park, a bathing beach.and an unlimited supply of liqui.
