Salt Lake Telegram | 1934-05-22 | Page 2 | Cuba Spinning Cocoons to Gain U. S. Silk Trade

Cuba Spinning Cocoons To Gain U. U S. S Silk Trade Island Hopes to Get Worth of Americas America's Purchases This Year YearBy I IBy By GUSTAVO RENO HAVANA Cuba Cuba is now ready to enter into competition with the silk-exporting silk nations of the Orient especially Japan and China and to make a bold effort to wrest in 1934 at least worth of Americas America's annual silk purchase from abroad The governments government's plans call for an almost fantastical expansion of ot thU industry within 10 years I This is regarded as Cubas Cuba's first actually factually profitable experiment Inthe in inthe inthe the government controlled combined program for agricultural and industrial industrial indus indus- trial expansion ion featuring Cubas moderate Industrialization Secretary Secre Score tary of Agriculture Commerce and Industry Carlos Caries de Larionda said tonight tonight tonight to to- night that Cuba would surprisingly soon become the western hemispheres hemispheres hemisphere's hemi spheres sphere's mecca for silk culture and exportation This broad industrialization and agricultural expansion plan has been perfected by President Carlos Mendieta and DC Larionda to divert the farmers' farmers minds from the traditional tradition tradition- al at Cuban idea that the islands island's economic eco coo nomie prosperity can only be expressed expressed ex ex- pressed in terms of sugar production and prices Looks Profitable Although the 1934 expected returns may be regarded as negligible considering considering con con- that Americas America's total silk purchases purchases pur pur- chases are arc anticipated at only 50 the profit for lor this first experiment ex cx- along with the governments government's govern governments ments ment's financial and technical assistance assistance assis assis- tance at the disposal of the farmers and the plans calling collin for a a 25 per percent percent percent cent silk exportation expansion Inthe in inthe the he next ten years should prove a luring and profitable attraction for native and foreign investors Secretary Secre Score tar tary de do Larionda explained Many of ot them haven't made one cent of I profit in sugar in the last decade Ninety five per cent of the United States silk imports come from the Orient in ships requiring from 16 to 21 days to cover the routes Cuban silk which rivals in quality the worlds world's best can be had at greatly reduced transportation and sales costs and is only six hours from Key KeyWest KeyWest West or three days doys from New York the secretary added Transportation savings alone would go far to compensate for the probably probably probably ably higher cost of producing the silk here and allow Cuban silk to sell sellIn sellin In n the United States at a price equal to or lower than th that t of ot the Orient Not less than one fifth of ot Cubas Cuba's agricultural area is excellently adapted adapt adapt- ed to the raising of at mulberry trees the best food for tor silkworms and the government will distribute these free freeto to o numerous l large e owned government farms S As compensation to the United States for absorption of ot Cuban raw raw I silk the plans call for the erection of at least ten owned government silk cloth mills which with those expected to be built by private investors investors in in- v tors will represent an expenditure expendi ture iture of ol many millions of ot- ot dollars for lor American machinery and agricultural implements This will insure tim the supplying sup plying of Cubans with silk sUk goods exclusively ex cx- elusively for lor home consumption