The Key West Citizen Newspaper, December 21, 1939, Page 1

Associated Press Day Wire Service For 69 Years Devoted to the Best Interests of Key West a The Key West Citizen | THE SOUTHERNMOST NEWSPAPER IN THE U. S. A. VOLUME LX. No. 302. State Department Investigates Of Columbus: Survivors Status IF BONIFIDE MEMBERS OF CREW, ALL MAY STAY FOR SIXTY DAY PERIOD (By Associated Press) NEW YORK, Dec. 21—The State Department was today studying all angles of the luxury | liner Columbus case with a view to release of final decision in the matter of the ship’s crew which is now being held at Ellis Island. Ordinarily, under usual trality law procedure, the mem-'} bers of the crew are accorded the privilege of staying in a neutral country for sixty days while ar-} ranging for transportation back to its mother country. Examination of all members of the crew is now going on and the effort is being made to see that no German agents become classi- | fied as bonifide crew members, as the officials of the ship have stated all are. The examination will last several days, it was stated today by immigration of- ficials. Additional light was put on the Columbus incident when the cap- | tain of the cruiser Tuscaloosa, | which brought the scuttled liner's | crew to shore, stated that “it was purely accidental that his’ ship was in the vicinity when the Columbus was in process of be- ing scuttled”. Contrary to be- lief, according to the captain the Tuscaloosa had not been convoy- ing the Columbus. Other U. S.| Navy ships had been convoying} the luxury liner ever since _ she left Vera Cruz, but, at the time} the scuttling order-was given and} the ship was fired, there were no| other U.S. ships in the vicinity. Reports that a British cruiser had fired two shots across the| bow of the Columbus shortly be- | fore the crew deserted the liner, | are being investigated today by U. S. authorities. If that fact can be definjtely established, a different light will be cast on the incident other than that now in} general existence. | BRITISH BLUFFED GRAF SPEE CREW neu- COMDR. LANGSDORFF BURIED TODAY; CREW AT- TENDED SERVICE (By Associated Prexs) MONTEVIEDO, Dec. 21—Com- mander Hans Langsdorff was buried this afternoon with full) naval honors in the cemetery in this city. Members of the ill- fated Graf Spee crew were pres- ent in full foree at the cere- monies. European opinion on the Graf Spee scuttling incident stated to- day that the British were run- ning a “big bluff” at the time when the harbor was under sur- veillance by British ships before the Graf Spee sailed to its doom. Only three British ships were | present instead of five or six as at | first represented. ‘ Uruguayan authorities, how- ever, stated today that the Graf | Spee was in no_ condition to) “fight it out with even that num-/} ber of ships”, as damage already | inflicted had rendered the Nazi | pocket-battleship practically) worthless in any sort of a naval battle. | FORCED AFFECTION PITTSBURGH, Pa.—Hailed in-| to court on charges of intemper- | ance preferred by his wife, John | Christ, 52, was released by the/| magistrate on condition that he refrain from drinking and prom- ise to “kiss your wife at least once | 544 will return the early part of | next year. | FRUIT CAKE and other Big Christmas Eve DANCE) each day, for a year”. BE SURE TO REMEMBER THE 25TH OF DECEMBER! DELICIOUS CAKES Order Yours Early—Do It Now! BUSY BEE BAKERY 900 Francis St. Phone 120 EAR nae Ie aR RS os | ships and subs are British. | FL hd hd de de CHANCE FOR BOYS TO GO TO CAMP Information received at the local NYA office states that a number of boys will be added to the Camp De- soto enrollment at Sulphur Springs after the first of the year. Boys in this camp receive training in woodwork, auto mechanics or metal work in addition to camp work. Sup- ervision is furnished in each of the trades. Youths interested in at- tending the camp between the ages of 18 and 25, should apply to the local NYA area supervisor, Victor Lowe, at headquarters here. 7 Luu uh uu uterus WARSHIPS SEEN NEAR FLORID FLEET. OFF PORT EVERGLADES (By Associated Press) MIAMI, Dec. 21—U. S. Navy | Department today stated that it} was investigating reports that two ships and three submarines were sighted offshore in the vicin- ity of Port Everglades where the German freighter Auraca_ is docked at present. Reports heard state that the Loca- tion is given as outside of the twelve-mile territorial waters,-but within the American safety zone, ROYALTY VISITS POPE PIUS XI KING AND QUEEN OF ITALY RECEIVE GIFTS FROM HOLY FATHER (By Associated Press) VATICAN CITY, Dec. 21.— Pope Pius XII today received | King Victor Emmanuel and Queen Helena of Italy, marking the first visit of royalty to Vatican City since 1929. ‘ In recognition of the visit, Pope Pius presented Queen Helena with a beautiful piece of jewelry and a valuable collection of Italian .coins to King Victor. CIP. COUNCIL City Council meets tonight in council chambers at city hall for ing of December. Archie Roberts, clerk, reports that several matters of import- ance will be discussed and noted upon at this meeting. The first- of-the-month meeting held De- | cember 7 lasted from 7:30 o'clock in the evening until almost 12:30 YACHT GORDA Il HERE YESTERDAY Yacht Gorda II, with the owner and master, Dr. Mathew P. Mellon, and Mrs. Mellon, and a party on board, arrived:in port last night. and berthed..at the Mallory ..dock.. until 7:45" this morning, when, she sailed. Mr. and Mrs. Mellon and party left on the 7 o'clock bus this morning for Palm Beach, to spend the Christmas _ holidays, Make Reservations Early For at RAUL’S CLUB Music By RAY BALWIN’S NATIVE HAWAIIAN BAND Cover Charge, 75c—Ladies Free Pemetaeteran | WARBLER LEAVES TO AID SHIP NEAR | BAHAMA ISLANDS SALVAGE MASTER PETERSON EXPECTS TO ARRIVE AT SCENE SATURDAY MORN- | ING | Wrecking Tug Warbler left port i today at 12:30 o’clock going to the lassistance of the Steamship San |Anselmo, which is off the north side of Spanish Key, Bahama Is- ‘lands, according to Salvage Mas |ter C, N. Petersen. The message was received by ; telephone this morning by Mr. {Petersen from headquarters in New York, advising that the ship was in 16 feet of water and lying in latitude 27.02 north and longi- |tude 77.38 west. | Where the San Anselmo is \lying is said to be in particularly tempestuous waters, exposed to {the winds from the north, and jas she is loaded with general reach her as soon as_ possible, cargo, the Warbler is anxious to jand will be there some time early Saturday morning. | An extra crew of 15 men was ‘taken on by the salvage master |before leaving, and a supply of |stores to last approximately six |weeks. The San Anselmo is own- ed by the Pacific and Atlantic Steamship Company and is op- erated by the Taurinico Com- | pany. PIERCE 1 NEW "LICENSE OFFICER j |BUSY CHECKING UP ESTAB- | LISHMENTS; SEVERAL |” WERE GIVEN NOTICE | | | Benny Pierce, officer of the police department, has received the appointment as license in- spector, and has started on an active roundup of the delin- quents. To date he has reported several who have failed to pro- with the re- | {vide themselves quired paper. Mr. Pierce said he will con- tinue an active investigation of all businesses in the city, with- out fear or favor, and those who jare not provided with a license ; which covers their entire busi- ‘ness, will be given the notice as required by law, and if the license has not been provided ; when the time is up, the proper |steps will be taken. RITES TOMORROW \the regular second-monthly meet- | FOR MIGUEL PEREZ i Miguel Perez, 59, ‘died yester- jday afternoon at 4 o'clock at his ‘residence, 716 Olivia street. Fun- eral services will be held tomor- |row afternoon, 5 o’clock from the chapel of the Pritchard Funeral |Home. Rev. G. Perez will offi- | ciate. | Survivors are: Two daughters, ‘airs, Amelia Borges and Miss | Blanca Perez of Tampa; two sons, | Miguel and Alfred Perez of Key |West; three brothers, Marino Perez, Ramon Perez of Key West, and Americo Perez of Cuba. There:are also six grandchildren. Mrs. Borges and Miss Perez ar- rived this morning from Tampa tes attend the funeral. Turkeys Roasters Capons _ Fryers | Fresh Eggs Stewers | BRADY’S 1} Live Poultry Market || WE DRESS AND DELIVER —FREE— Phone 540 1214 White Street enn KEY WEST, FLORIDA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1939 Connctions For SewersAnd Water Project Approved PRESIDENT SIGNS APPROVAL, RELEASING} $62,488 FEDERAL FUNDS TO COMPLETE SYSTEMS WASHINGTON NEWS SERVICE Special Washington Correspondence of The Citizen WASHINGTON, Dec. 21.—President approved WPA Project Number 40,229 calling for Federal allotment of $62,488 and sponsor’s contribution of $16,665, for installa- tion of sewer and water service connections from collectors and laterals in present system to curb lines in city of Key West. Approximately 1,000 connections are contemplated, to serve approximately 2,000 pieces of property in the city. The project is sponsored by the Board of Public Works. Starting of work depends upon release from State Director Roy Schroder. Christmas Party ForPoorChildren At Park Friday LIONS CLUB SPGNSGRS ANNUAL EVENT; HELP GIVEN BY NYA, WPA AND SCOUT GROUPS Key West Lions Club an- ,cooperating with the club in sev- nounced, today that everything is eral matters. Especially helpful, jn repumess SEAL Nita ted te ' according to ae Delaney, is the el arrangement thi Bayview Park tomorrow after- be pen at the pask ipo, noon, bringing cheex to hundreds 'details of which follow herewith. oe of needy families of Mrs, Eva Warner, director, has is city. had charge of this feature, help- Total time of the regular week- ing in other phases ‘of the one ly meeting of the club tonight at ‘also. Stone Church Annex will be de-; The WPA band will open a voted to preparation of. bags of Christmas concert at 2:30 o'clock, Sufficient quantity of oranges, anes eavols by foe titsien let tp y roils by ie children le y apples, tangerines and Christmas George Mills White. candy has been purchased to fill] Arrangerifents have been made approximately 1,000 bags, it is|with chief Harry Baker of the announced, and the club will be|Fire Department for transporta- kept busy for at least a three-|tion of Santa Claus to the’ park, hour period in their work. | following whose arrival the dis- The committee, under chair- | tribution of gifts and bags of manship of Lion Jack Delaney, fruit and candy will commence. assisted by a large committee of| All children are instructed to the club, has been preparing for| assemble at the park as soon as the event during the past six | possible. weeks, PRE PRE ET GHA « e NYA department, under Victor |FLAG HALF-MAST FOR NEGRO Lowe, has ably assisted by con- | —_ structing a great quantity of new; DALLAS, Tex.—The flag on top and useful toys for the children, of the City Hall flew at half-mast and the Boy and Girl Scouts have |during the funeral of Addison helped in renovating old toys 'Gaston, 64-year-old Negro, who collected by the Lions club. |for more than thirty years ve WPA Recreation departmentias custodian of the municipal has been of great assistance in building. The formal Opening Dinner and Dance at La Casa Marina will take place this year on Saturday evening, December twenty-third. : A cordial invitation is-extended to the people 1 will be served at 8:00 o’clock and danc- ing is from 9:30 ’till 2. The charge will be $2.50 per person. Please call Mr. Grobe, phone 780, for your table reservations. This is necessary. CASA MARINA, PETER SCHUTT, Manager. SEEKS HELP IN P.&0. MATTER DISCUSSED: MESSAGE SENT LINE AND GOVT. OFFICIALS Chamber of Commerce direc- tors’ meeting was held last night for the purpose of discussing the order recently issued by the P. and O. S..S. Co, reducing the sailings from Key West about 50 percent. . Present at the meeting were: President Everett Russell, Melvin E. Russell, Miss Elizabeth Sharp- ley, B. D. Trevor, Charles Taylor, W. W. Demeritt. Also attending were L. S. Gruber_and R. A. Leh- mann, of the Key West Hotel and Tourist Homes Assoiation. The matter was discussed from every standpoint and it was fin- ally decided to have the -secre- tary write thd P. and O. S.S. Co., and also the Maritime Commis- sion, setting forth the detrimental effect this curtailment would have on tha city’s business. In connection with. this Miss Sharpley said’ that the extent of the curtailment in the schedule of the visits of the vessels of the line from Tampa could be under- stood when the vessel was off the run during the year for several weeks. She had received 27 can- cellation of reservations in a pe- riod of two weeks. The following « telegram .was sent to Senator. Claude Pépper, Senator -C. 0. Andrewg'and. Con- gressman Pat Cannon: “P. and O. reduction of service is a sérious inroad on expected revenue from tolls on the high- ‘way. Monroe county is obligated to meet the payment of principal and interest and travel drops off sharply as passage to Cuba is cur- tailed. Can you take up the matter with the R.F.C?” BRITISH BUILD SUPER PLANES NEW MODELS WILL OUT- MANEUVER NAZI'S BEST: GERMANY EXTENDS LINE (By Aswoctated Press) LONDON, Dec. 21.—Royal Air Force stated today that airplane manufacturers in England today were completing delivery of new type planes which would “fly circles” around the most modern equipment that Germany can boast of. ‘ Information was received at the war office that Nazi engineers are busily engaged in extending the Siegfried line to border the Switzerland frontier, evidently |anticipating the time when the eee may try to advgnce on that j flank. FIVE NAVY SHIPS NOW IN PORT Vessels of the ‘ United States Navy which are in port today are the Destroyer Lea, flagship of the squadron making headquarters at Key West, the Destroyers Sch- enck, Wickes and Evans and the Tender Gannett, fe These are the ship which were LOCAL CHAMBER —————— "PROTO DaLS: THIEVES CARRY OFF CONTRIBUTION BOXES Lions and directors of the alarmed to hear reports to- day that theft of the contri- bution boxes in one or two Stores of the city had oc- uhhh ded ft ff) BOMBS DROP ON FINNISH CAPITAL RUSSIANS STRIVE TO PRE- SENT STALIN WITH BIRTH- DAY PRESENT (By Associated Press) STOCKHOLM, Dec. 21.—Fin- nish communiques arriving here today stated that the Russians launched: increased attackd late yesterday and this morning “evi- dently ‘determined “to “produc some sort of major victory to “place in Stalin’s lap” on the oc- casion of the Soviet dictator’s 60th birthday tomorrow. 3 Helsinki was again bombed to- day, but there were few casual- ties as the Finnish capital city has been practically avacuated. Other bombing raids were cen- tered on Finnish railways with slight damage reported. Wave after wave of Russian troops were hurled against the strong Mannerheim line on the Karilian isthmus, but, according to last word, the Finns still hold ground. Successes for Finland were also reported today in the middle and north sectors as coun- |ter-attacks against the Russians have pushed the latter back on their heels. A total of over one hundred Russian tanks have been de- j ners to date. IR.0.A. SCHOOL 70) HEAR M’MULLEN of the Reserve Officers’ Associa- tion will be held tomorrow eve- ning at the Post Exchange build- ing at Key West Army Barracks, starting at 7:30 o’clock. Lt.-Col. J. D. MacMullen will speak to the school on the sub- ject, “Organization of the Artill 5 Reserve officers in the city in attendance will receive credit | |Slips for this meeting. | BLIDLIAODS: |MUSEUM SCIENTIST - SEES RARE SPECIMEN Dr. Paul Bartsch, of the . National Museum at Wash- for apd tots Behera ater ticularly interested “in the display of crustaceans at th il i ge idl 5 F | : I E fie E PERE | Rite fli Fee tee HE rum stroyed by efficient’ Finn gun-| Meeting of the Group School | PRICE FIVE CENTS Naval Station : Official Gives Information On T mbo Bidding ‘LIEUT. COMDR. BRADY STATES BIDS CAN BE TURNED IN UP TO JANUARY 24 Lieut. Comdr. Thomas J. Brady. public works officer at the local naval station, today gave to The Citizen complete in- structions concerning bids for all work at the Trumbo Field air station with the exception of the main hangar. Bids will be accepted at the Public Works office at the local station up to Wednesday, Janu. ary 24, at 11:00 o'clock a. m. Plans and specifications for’ the | Proposed work will be available at the office of Russell T. Pan- coast, First National Bank build- ing, Miami Beach, on and after Friday, January 5. The work planned in detail is listed herewith: Foundation for one seaplane hangar, foundation and _ super- structure complete for barracks, mess hall for enlisted personnel, bachelor officers quarters, store- house and utility building, maga- zine, seaplane parking area pave- ment, roads, walks and services to include fresh water storage and distribution, sewerage — sys- tems, electrie distribution to and within various buildings, gaso- line storage distribution and small boat pier at Naval Air Sta- tion, Key West, Florida. JAPS HOLD CHINA TWO MONTHS: WAR STILL GOES ON: (By Angociated. Press) TOKYO, Dec. 21—Japanese government officials today stated it would probably be a matter of two or three months before the Yangtse and Po rivers in China would be opened to world com- merce. | At the same time, several addi- | tional victories were reported for | troops of Japan in the undeclared |war against China. Severe bat- tles have been fought inland and the Chinese are again being driv- en back, it was stated. On the other hand, China to- day stated that a fleet of Chinese |bombing planes had successfully jearried out several raids on Ja- | pan’s wag-centers in captured \Chinese territory and that heavy |damage had been inflicted. | TEMPERATURES | Lowest last highest last Stations— night 24 hours |Atlanta _._. 32 50 | Boston Buffalo Charleston ;Chicago ,Denver {Detroit El Paso . Galveston ‘Havana _ Jacksonville - |Kansas City — |\KEY WEST jLos Angeles — 57 'Louisville __ 26 {Miami 49 |Mpls.-St, Paul 14 Nashville — 57 Al 61 32 53 36 63 61 81 SSSSSsRyzens RSSVSSVSERSeisss