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Religion. Although urban Cubans are mostly Catholic, Voodooism flourishes in small towns and "up country." Within the fortnight Mayor Miguel Quintana of Pueblo Nueva has confessed that he and three other Negro townsmen recently sacrificed eight-year-old Martin Perez to Voodoo Goddess Chantong.
Purpose of this child-murder: "To cure with his blood the ailments" of Josefa Quintana (brother of the mayor) who was not cured but died the same night.
Cuba's Department of Interior reacted to the outrage by announcing "a crusade against Voodooism in the towns of Candelaria, Artemisa and San Cristobal," all in Pinar del Rio province some 150 miles from Catholic Havana.
Education. All high schools, normal schools and the National University continue "closed indefinitely." Cuban parents who want their children to study (instead of playing revolution as most Cuban students do) are sending them to Europe, especially to Paris.
Sport. Newsreels have shown to millions of U. S. citizens the lightning-fast Cuban handball game jai alai (pronounced "hy aly"). Unknown to U. S. sport addicts is "Cuba's Babe Ruth," $2,000-a-month Jose Gutierrez, No. 1 handballer.
The Cuban National Lottery will be made bigger, better under a proposed law, is expected to net the Cuban treasury a profit of $10,000,000 next year. At the National Casino in Marianao, Havana, roulette (with two zeroes), Baccarat, Faro, Craps and almost every other gambling game known to man are played, are legal for both sexes. But women are not allowed to attend the better burlesque shows in Havana.
Smartest Havana hotels: the National, just completed at $6,000,000 cost; the Sevilla-Biltmore and the Presidents.
Most famed bar (not smart): Sloppy Joe's. Naughtiest night club: La Verbena. Smartest shops: El Encanto and Casa Grande.
Books. Anyone who reads Spanish should read these outstanding Cuban .books: Novelist Cirilo Villaverde's Cecilia Valdes; Poet Jose Maria Heredia's Niagara; Scientist Carlos de la Torre's Historia Natural de Cuba.
Machado. Tremendously resolute, sagacious and most calm, President Gerardo Machado y Morales has probably suppressed more uprisings than any other living chief of state. Characteristically he did not allow last week's news of munition running to spoil his week-end plans. After ordering out the entire Cuban Navy he went fishing, as usual.
Born in Santa Clara province, Sr. Machado fought in the Cuban War of Independence, rose to the rank of brigadier general—as did many another—but when peace came he left the army, went into business. At this time he danced the danzon at least as well as Edward of Wales tangoes today, was in fact, a noted cavalier.
In 1902 he organized an electric power corporation in Santa Clara, built up the property, sold it to U. S. interests at a fat profit. Sugar was his next interest. Buying a mill near Santa Clara he started grinding cane, considered himself almost rich just before the 1920 Cuban sugar panic.