21 201-32

wooden canoe which a fisherman had brought
in from his fish stock. The seller waded
around with bare feet among the fish and
picked at a few of the ones I later had
for dinner. The third plate was piled
with meat balls and fried potatoes and the
fourth with beans. The dessert was a
fruit mixture. I still do not know if the
butter was pasturized or the bread prop-
erly baked. They have negro boys about

13 or 14 years of age to keep the rooms

in order and serve the food. They are
objecting because they get only $10 a
month wages. At the United Fruit Company's
Merchandise Company, where all the natives
trade, the prices are above those in the
States, but yet they expect those young
kids to live on $10 a month. Something's
wrong! You can see why they would accept
communism if they knew that they would get
better wages. Speaking of communism, most
of the people think that the road which
the Communists were building between
Guatemala City and Puerto Barrios was a
good thing because, as it is now, the
railroad is really holding up the people.
Holliday told me that the United Fruit
Company, although it did not have powers
of management, owned 45 per cent of the
stock.

During the day it rained five times
but after each shower the sun came out.
I thought it high time to buy an umbrella
but found out that they wanted $9.50 for
one at the store, so will not get one until
I get to Guatemala City. The water stands
in fields which are covered with luxurian
grasses and the excess water runs to the
sea, most of it I do believe flows under