CUBA BEGINS A NEW ERA

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13235, 10 January 1941, Page 2

CUBA BEGINS A NEW ERA

With the breaking down of so manv constitutions in Europe, it is good to learn of a new one which reveals real progress, and a great faith in democracy. Cuba has adopt-

ed a new Constitution. | The biggest of the West Indian j islands. Cuba has an area of 44.160 j square miles, with a population of | four millions. Discovered by Columi bus, Cuba remained Spanish until it ; re\ olied at the end of the last cenj ujry. and was aided by American I forces in securing its independence. So Cuba began this century with a Constitution modelled on America and America has naturally taken a deep interest in the island, for it conducts Three-quarters of its trade with its big neighbour. The world depression affected the island severely and there were revolutions and government by dictators and military juntas. Conditions have settled down in the last few vears and an Assembly was convenf ed to thrash out a new Constitution. This provides for a Senate of 54 members elected for six years, a House of Representatives of about 120. half being elected every two i years, a President <who must not be connected with the armed forces! elected for four years by direct vote, and .a Cabinet which must have half its members in Congress and its Premier removable by the vote of the House of Representatives.

Altogether the Constitution con--12:11? SIS articles, and some of them nave a special interest in the political thought of to day. It is forbidden, for example, to organise political parties opposed to the democratic form of government, or to dismiss public employees for political reasons. Ko Government may grant naval bases 10 any for- | eign potter or in any other tray impair the sovereignty of the State. Very trifle potters over in dns try, | commerce, and agriculture have been granted to the State with 2 view to the dividing of big estates ; among small farmers. Coloured people (who are about one-third of j the population'! trill have equal rights with the whites, and men and women trill receive equal pay for equal troth, Every worker, too, will be entitled to a 44-hour week and | a month's paid holiday every year. I There are provisions for fair trials, and capital punishment has been abolished except for treason in wartime.

It is a good thing, also, to find that the people of Cuba are not forgetting those measures of insurance against sickness, accident, and old age which our own country has proved so helpful in good days as well as in bad.