The Key West Citizen Newspaper, July 31, 1939, Page 2

“PAGE two The Key West est Citizen Published Daily Exeept Sunday By THE CITIZEN PUBLISHING CO. ENC. i. P. AITMAN, aud Pubisher #0E ALLEN, Assiatant gene ‘Manager From The Citizen Bui Corner Greerie and Ann ts vnly Dally Newspaper in Key West and Monroe County sutered at Key West, Florida, as second class matter Member of the Associated Press he Associated Press is pomp peed entitled to use for republication of all news di iapesenes credited to it onget etherwise credited in this paper and also ‘he Idtal news published ‘here, light of the facts, Mr. Pegler has handled himself like an adolescent. The facts are these, andthe records show them: The question of labor was always of the most perplexing. Three and four thousand men were employed for months at a time, and-this was especially true during the last year of construction (1911) im the rush te complete the Exten- sion honoring Mr. Flagler’s birthday. it was soon determined that negro labor was inefficient and insufficient— and always accompanied by women and liquor. Use of héegroes was giveneup after $50 | the first two and a half years of work, and ADVERTISING RATES Made known on application. SPECIAL NOTICE All Feading notices, cards of thanks, espect, obituary notices, etc., wil we Pens ge} for % be, rate of 10 cents a line. Notices for entertainment by peed a which « revenue is to be derived are 6 cents @ line. The Citizen is an open forum and invites discus- sidn of public issues and subjects of local or general _-nterest but it will not publish anonymous communi- eations. THE KEY WEST CITIZEN WILL always seek the truth and print it witliout fear and without favor; never be afraid to attack wrong or to applaud right; always fight for progress; never be the or- gan or the mouthpiece of any person, clique, faction or class; always do its utmost for the public welfare; never tolerate corruption or injustice; denounce vice and, praise... virtue: couumend good done by individual gr’ oreati-: ization; tolerant of: others’ rights, views and opinions; print only news ‘that will #levate and not contaminate the reader; never com- promise with principle. * (MPROVEMENTS FOR KEY WEST ADVOCATED BY THE CITIZEN . Water and Sewerage. Comprehensive City Plan (Zoning). Hotels and Apartments. Bathing Pavilion. . Airports-—-Land and Sea. . Consolidation of County and City WESTBROOK P-GLER RANTS AGAIN + A good many people think Westbrook -Pegler one of the enthroned among this “gountry’s newspaper columnists; many other people think he is a cock-eyed hack. _In his syndicated stuff printed, we pre- Sumeé, by all newspapers subscribing to his ‘column last Wednesday he took occasion, in commenting on the Miami Beach and Montauk Point (New York) real “estate activities of the late Car! G. Fisher, to drag in Henry M. Flagler and libel him, and to take a back-handed slap at Key West. Wrote Pegler, ““Fagler shoved the railroad down the Forida East Coast and finally, on stilts, over the water, to the God-forsaken settlement of Key ‘« West, resorting to outright or slightly * camouflaged peonage to command the = mecessary labor under appalling con- - ditions. .. Incidentally peonage has not yet vanished from the domain of ") Senator Claude Pepper, that enlight- statesman of the new South and al padrone of the WPA. But | Fisher up to the time of his death, *' though respected as a veteran and a “casualty of the Great Boom, had not _ received public recognition for the ‘fulfillment of the dreamy ambition of that coast which had began to fade when Flagler finished. 3 “Flagler made the railroad and “puilt some unsightly barracks called hotels” (Casa Marina at Key West, for instance?) “but still the people didm’t come in pay-loads until Fisher cleared Miami Beach and built a para- dise which changed the winter psy- chology of the country and reduced the famous French Riviera to the raf- fish status of a Brighton or a Benton Harbor.” Now, let’s look at the record. Key ‘West has no greater friend nor more eare- ful seareher after truth than Frank ~ W. tbe baling spt Coast rail- extension down ‘rouge arses: it was carried én‘by the most efficient and the. engineers had determined—Spaniards from Cuba—not the native Cubans but the eventually of about 20 per cent of the sea- going railroad army. The other 80 per cent was the miscellaneous mixture gar- nered from the big cities of the North. Transportation was furnished to the camps ron the Keys and the cost deducted from wages. Many applicants teok the chance to quit the cold North for’ jobs in the warmer Winter climate of the South—and when they got there they frequently de- serted or refused to work. Naturally the railroad buiders resented the procedure and kept their eyes open, but used moral suasian and not force to persuade the de- transportation. Once—and only once—the charge of peonage—compelling a laborer who is a creditor to work until his debt is paid—was made against the Flagler. forces. For | nearly two years J. C. Meredith, the chief engineer, ‘and W. J. Krome, his first as- sistant (who took up the torch and carried the Extension to completion when Mr. Meredith died at his post of duty April ‘20, 1909) together with their New York city employment agent, were under indict- ment before a United States Circuit Court. The prosecution seemed willing, even anxious, to drop the case. But the two en- gineers fought persistently for a hearing, eventually got)one—and presented no eyi- dence in their defence. To have done so was needless, for the court on motion of the attorneys, directed a verdict of not guilty, and roundly scored the prosecution for “wasting time on a charge which manifestly had no founda- tion in fact.” Somebody better suggest to the en- | throned columnist, Pegler, that words strewn carelessly over the country without regard to facts, might reflect the light-.of knowedge and illuminating truth more clearly, much more clearly, if.a little more brain-power were associated with a little more tact... as “that God-forsaken a tlement of Key. West.” Or were you dizzying with your type- writer, brother? _ The school of life does not give any vacations; you have to earn them. Human nature is hard to change. If you don’t believe this, try changing your own. Perhaps because it has a Frénkdiohin it, President Roosevelt’s favorite ‘state. as Indiana. . scsicel aueaeaal apa that “the stars shine brightest just before dawn when the hour is darkest. . The idea that a man can make a for- tune without contributing to society ex- plains why so many men never have any money. Tourists are attracted ‘by anything fo | that is attractive, and one of the attrac- {fowne? tions that aways attracts. is beach. donations but the government fixes his taxes, and thatis what has made ‘the dong, | tions very slim 5 Seales ae eee is fre-| quently a failure when it enters. woman- hood or manhood. As the the twig is bent, the tree inclined, still holds good. Bven if we build a better momsecieas E or have something better to offer than be obtained elsewhere, the world: make a beaten path quicker to our de ‘we let it he known. This can og’ chroqgh the anna ‘wenn of | economical type of mén the experience of |' Spanish laborers. This class consisted | . linguents to work out the amount of their | P FORGET SOMETHING, ABER, aT io MONDAY, JULY 31, 1939 ... they bring a lot of pleasure. a Vale Gs Ghd won ove Soibkers Sveryitaee are finding out “that Chesterfield’s HAPPY COMBINATION of “mild ripe American and Turkish tobac- 0s gives them just what they want . "REFRESHING MILDNESS e BETTER TASTE MORE PLEASING AROMA When you try them you'll knawwhysmokers allsay, “They're Milder They Taste Better” CROMBIE ? BIRTHDAY 2% ANNIVERSARY? HAIRCUT P ‘BREADFRUIT TREE WEEK" Key West has an pportiuiite | to make for itself a secure plage among the notable regions. ef} America; a:.place for .:- whieh Nature itself has provided ‘an. uh- breakable monopoly. ‘The beauty of the Rhodoben- dron, the glory of the Camelia} and of Cherry Blossom ‘Time, have been capitalized in favored: ‘spots and the capitalization has; been productive of ever increas: | ing dividends. “Miami ‘proposes to clothe her- \ addition [Manse ees succonneseranene: | PaOPLES ron eeec6e encescsesece! A KEY WEST. MENACE Hditor, The Citizen: ‘The writer thoroughly igor of The Citizen’s. editorial on the | passing of an ordinance ‘to rid | \some public places of lewd’ wom- en who are spreading venereal | diseases.’ DAILY QUIZ Happenings flere Just Ten Years Ago Today As Taken ‘From The Files Of The Citizen { “A state scholarship for Monroe }egunty is still open at the State’ | University at Gainesville, {held in Key West on August. 5, Let me add the following: be as you Answer seven of these according to a statement made to- the body is made_up of Warious | parts, ‘which must all work to-| | gether, with a community. Tn! o laws and their en-| self'in the flaming beauty of the Royal Poinciana, in spite of the) fact ‘that this tree, as gorgeous as / Scarlet blankets, hides its spec- forcement, lawyers and physicians can aid in theory and ‘practice; thers can see that the right kind | if information should be/given in Test Questions? Turn to Page 4 for the Answers — 1. In what country Slave Lake? 2. For what labor organization | LLA. do the initials is Great stand? . Which city in South Caro- lina suffered from an tacular bloom from the transient | the right way by the right kind winter visitor and displays it for | of persons; associations. and in- those who love Florida enough | dividuals can do their ‘bit;- the} to abide here during the Spring press should sponsor triith, jus- earthquake in 1886? } ‘day by Melvin E. Russell, super- jimtendent of public instruction, blanks and other information can Mbe had at his office. Miss Etta Patterson informed The Citizen today of an act of; vandalism in the family plot in | the city cemetery, in which some | mn deliberately uprooted a, and | ‘examination of applicants will be | |who also said that application The wealthy citizen may regulate his | and Summer months. For Key West there is re-: served a distinction that no other | city in the United States can even pretend to share with her, | Here alone the Breadfruit Tree | will thrive; a magnificent shade | tree and a ig ag! ofa staple article of food. It is a tree of ‘hich any” cality might well be »broud, fast} growing, sturdy, evergreen, with’ Teaves more than a foot and’ a half long, shaped like a huge white-oak Jeaf. Far more’ im- portant than’ its économic value as an addition to our table: sup- , is its value as a distinctive d to the attractions Key West holds for the world travel- ler and for the large number of by | by ii ‘ Parietal ith disease, or that God will close | ei tice and morality, and above’ all ligion, not mere lip seryice, but | that which teaches and: enforces | the Ten, Commandments, a Se 1 pSary. Even. with all- these® i@jorking | harmoniously, I admit that some individuals: will expect‘ to avoid ’s eye and ¢hib, and | rinks to hava ir | sentence shortened, also’ to’ avoid | ‘His eyes to their iniquities.’-. man is human and ‘this “sword is not Paradise, However, with law-abifigrs and | . God-fearing people all ‘working together, many evils will be les- sened in all localities. cv T would be if — would back up The Citizen’s edi-| torial, and not just gossip, say- ing, “Let George do it”. If George | and Georgina just pass the buck; - Rather} § Shai Which varsity crew won the: four-mile race at the re-)* cent Intercollegiate Row- ing Association regatta at: ‘Poughkeepsie’ Mame the capiial of Geor-! gia. banderas cane gg of 5} ‘of Gene Mako associated?’ Today's Birt Birthdays Pegeerergoosesovccocoocs | B. + Peutital President Taft rose) ibush, completely destroying the ‘plant and others which wére planted nearby. The case of de-| stroying plant life in the ceme- tery is being frequently brought ‘to the attention of people and {Miss Patterson makes the request this may be ly eliminated through en- t of the laws pertaining "l49 such acts of vandalism. . With what sport is the name’ State shell fish hatchery, which « has been in oj ition for the past several mont hatching large °°°* | numbers of crawfish, is ‘being th : Fis FEGE \that the proper authorities give | | fs matter their attention and foodstuffs. Mr. McManus make frequent visits to Key West. Editorial Comment: It will be |well for.the vandal or vandals twho mutilated some trees in the jpark at the foot of Whitehead ' street in the park being arranged by the Woman’s Club, to keep his or their identity. hiddén. | Matchmaker Castillo of the Cu- |ban Club says that the match be- ‘tween “Mutt” Griffin, the Geor- \gia Peach, and Billy Roque, the Cuban Flash, will go on tonight | regardless of the weather. It was 'to have been held last night at | the club stadium, but rain pre- vented. A new concrete sidewalk is being laid in front of the Monroe theater. Work of tearing up the told one was started this morning. This was finished,aBout noon to- {day and plans ‘were being made ito place‘ the new fnaterial. ‘Juan Carbonell, pwner of the Monroe tand the Strand theaters, says he [is having the work done in order ito make more attractive the al- ready neat and modern front of the theater.