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The Significance. The high art of politics as a money-making game has never been sufficiently esteemed in this country to induce a full appreciation of that art as it is practiced in Cuba. Without casting any reflections on President Zayas or others, one may note that the campaign for the next Presidential election there is just opening. Patronage plays an even larger part in Cuban politics than it does in the U. S.
The Director of the lottery is Alfredo Zayas, Jr., son of the President. Before him Norberto Alfonso, uncle of the President, had the post. Many of the lottery agencies are in the hands of other members of the President's family. The younger Zayas is responsible only to his father for the administration of the lottery. Of course not all the "profit" of the lottery agencies goes to the President's family and followers. Some (about half, it is said) goes to the members of Congress, some to the press, which is fairly well under political control. The corruption in the Loteria Nacional is more or less an open secret, but the Cuban public views it with characteristic Latin indifference. The situation would not be nearly so bad if lottery tickets were sold without profiteering as they are in Spain, Italy and South America generally.
The Tarafa Bill, in the opinion of many Cuban observers, is likely to pass unless the U. S. takes a hand. There is considerable sentiment for the bill in the public ports which expect to profit by it. In the country districts there is said to be much sentiment against it in the fear that it will throw large numbers of Cubans out of work. However, the support of Tarafa and others may well be worth more to the Zayas group in the coming election than support from the country districts. Most of the Havana papers did not discuss the bill, although the House of Representatives continued to discuss it even after its passage—chiefly to condemn those who opposed it. The Possibilities. Under the Platt Amendment to the Cuban Treaty, the U. S. Government has the right to intervene in Cuba if American interests are threatened. This step is most unlikely, however, unless more serious difficulties arise. Action through diplomatic channels is more probable. Meanwhile President Zayas announced (perhaps by way of appeasing the U. S.) that a Cuban loan of $7,000,000 negotiated in the U. S. during the War will be paid off within a few days. This is said to be the first war debt to this country to be liquidated.