The Key West Citizen Newspaper, July 31, 1940, Page 1

Associated Press Day Wire Service For 60 Years Devoted to the Best Interests of Key West Che Key West Cttizei THE SOUTHERNMOST NEWSPAPER IN THE U. S. A. VOLUME LXL. No. 182. Bridge. Commission To: Meet With State Road Group Aug. 22 Duncan States Subjects To Be Discussed Will Mean Much To West Key A meeting of the Overseas Road and Toll Bridge Commis- sion the same date as a scheduled session in Key West of the State Road Department Aug. 22, has been called, according to the an- nouncement today by B. M. Dun- can, manager of the highway. Refusing to comment on his recent trip to Washington, Dun- can made it clear that the meet- ing here Aug. 22 would be an im- portant one in Key West's his- tory. * “I am working on some de- tails of the water 'system”, Dun- can said. “The meeting of the Highway Commission in Key West the same date, Aug. 22, as the State Road Department, will mean much to Key West.” In Washington Duncan is re- ported to have contacted offi- cials of the Reconstruction Fi- nance Corporation with regard to $1,100,000 which corporation had voted to the Florida Keys Aque- duct Commission. The Navy De- partment has been allocated $2,- 000,000 by the Congress for the water system, but the aqueduct commission is interested in mak- ing certain that a civilian pop- ulation is assured water. The State Road Department is reported ready to let a contract for the rebuilding of the Over- seas Highway above and below the district controlled by the Bridge Commission. This high- way may be declared a military road, so that the federal govern- ment will be asked to spend some $4,000,000, estimated cost of the work. Bridge Commission is to be asked to approve of next year's budget at the meeting here Aug JOHNSON HELD FOR COURT TERM Frank Johnson, Duval street merchant, was bound over to the next term of Criminal Court by Peace Justice Franklin Arenberg yesterday on a charge of selling a conch shell without a license. The charge was preferred by the state conservation officer. Bond in the case was set at $50, and Johnson immediately posted it. Residents Answer Navy Complaints ADout Rents ‘CITES CHARLESTON RENTS APPEAR THAN Key West took exception to some points in the articie writ- ‘ten by Penetrator concerning the “Navy Growl About High Cost Of Living Here”, appearing in The Citizen yesterday. One resident of the city ithought sufficiently on the ques- tion to draft a reply, which presented herewith: “As a citizen of Key West and a taxpayer, I take exception to the remarks in yesterday's Citi- zen, written by Penetrator. “It is obvious that the writer is familiar with the situation, vaguely. “In comparing prices of apart- and that side but ments in Key West to those rent- j ed elsewhere, I wish to state that EVERY QUESTION HAS TWO SIDES In presenting the Penetra- tor article yesterday, The Citizen little thought there would be no comments from Key Westers and others re- siding here. As a matter of fact, it was anticipated that many would answer the article, either in part or whole disagreement or in sympathy with perhaps some of the items listed. In that light, then, The Citizen is pleased to print this article and will give space to other answers with the hope that a clarifying of the subject, heretofore sim- mering under the surface, may come about. —— prices elsewhere are higher. Es- pecially in Charleston, S. C., a navy base, where I visited re- cently, In one Charleston an apartment of bedroom, kitchen and bath (to be shared with tenants), no gas and no poorly furnished, was month. “The occupants of this apart- ment moved to a ‘government unit consisting of four rooms, un- furnished excepting an electric ice box and a wood stove for cooking. The electricity wa. furnished by the government up to a certain number of kilowatts, more than this had to be paid for a other lights, $35 SIDI SSIS S PREDICT CLOSEST PRESIDENTIAL RACE IN U.S. HISTORY Of course, it is not known at present who will win the 1940 presidential race but experts predict the closest battle in history. Two brilliant and colorful men are pitted against each other and the effect of their campaigns on the minds of the people is problematical. A brief analvsis of the with the Democrats’ Chicago convention and up to the out- look to date, may be found in this issue of The Citizen. written by the author of “Economic Highlights”, on Page 2. Turning our thouchts across the seas, the author of “Eco- nomic Highlights” informs us that the authorities say there will be famine in Eu- rope this winter. Should the United States, with its sur- plus of food. aid the starving of the Old World? Read what this column has to say about this problem. ‘LT. SUTHERLING NEW DISBURSER COMDR. BYRNS LEAVES FRI- DAY FOR WASHINGTON; FAMILY TO COAST Lieut. E. W. Sutherling, supply corps, U. , has arrived at Key West naval station and is in charge of disbursing and commis- sary supply Coming here from Destroyer Division 70 at San Diego, Calif., Lieut. Sutherling~ relieves Lt.- Commander Ray M. Byrms as disbursing and tommissary offi- cer, but the latter retains his title and the duties of supply and ac- counting officer. Lieut. Suther- ling is assistant supply officer. Commander Byrns leaves Fri- day for Washington to be gone about a week. It is a business trip, though the commander will escort his wife and daughter to a westbound train. Mrs. Bryns and daughter, Miss Constance, are going on a mid-summer va- cation to the west coast from Washington. In the absence of Commander Byrns, Lieut. Sutherling will act as supply officer, it is reported "ID D DDD OAD + tbe naval station. is} but one side of '2 i box, EXAMPLES WHERE, TO BE HIGHER HERE i sas | by the tenant, which usually amounted to about $2. Wood had to be purchased for use in the’! wood | stov This apartment! rented ‘for $18.50 a month, which, with the additional amount paid for electricity, amounted to $20.50 a month. “There, fruits were higher than in Key West. I priced small canteloupes at 15 cents each, and! peaches were 25 cents a dozen. When I asked why the prices were high, the answer was that they were shipped to Charleston, scarce at this season. West, everything we eat and wear is shipped from elsewhere, and our prices are} lower. Must we give away our profits to those who come here; to make a living? “In Key West, an eight room house ‘with screened porch, one block from the bathing beach, well furnished, all modern con- veniences, including. electric ice china, linens and_ silver, ! rents for $50 a month in summer ! and $100 in winter, but the poor! navy officers cannot afford it. | “As for Key West being a ‘four-price town’, there are some | residents who are not Conchs, Cubans, tourists and are not of | the navy. Into what classifica- | tion do they fall? Penetrator needs to live longer in Key West and get a better slant on local conditions before glamourizing | and martyrizing the poor navy people, who, by the. way, go! elsewhere and fare far worse | than in Key West”. STATE PISCATORIUM DISPLAY AT NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR | MANY TROPICAL FISH SWIM ABOUT IN TANKS FILLED: WITH UNDERWATER GRASS- | ES FOR REALITY ' (Special to The Citizen) WORLD'S FAIR, N. Y., July 31. —A “piscatorium”, a treasure chest of live tropical fish, may be seen in the main exhibit hall of the Florida Exhibit at the World's Fair. The brightly cof- ored little fish which thrive so well in Florida have been in- stalled in a setting of tropical un- derwater grasses by J. E. Wallace of the Florida Exhibit staff. j Among the tropical fish are dwarf gourami, hatchet fish, an- ; albino paradise, | gel fish, zebra, Brazilian cat fish and blood red swordtails. In this underwater fairyland the bronze red discus, or pompadour fish swims upright in regal manner as befits an ex- pensive fish worth $50. The fighting fish (bettas) swim grace- fully with long waving blue fins and, tail ready to attack one an- other while the neon fish look like small ships with port holes! x {an aftermath of solidarity of neu- 'trality front manifested lighted. The tanks constituting the “pis- catorium” have plantings of Florida grasses in soil between them, giving the effect of an un- dersea tropical forest. The Afri- , cluding -gasoline of can four-leaf clover and odd plants from the Amazon river grow in the water. “Within the past ten years”, said Wallace, “most of the trop-/ ical fish found in private aqua-! KEY WEST, FLORIDA, WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 1940 tal er Lower Ag NYA Boys To 17 Years 'FUTURE PROGRAM TO BE SCALED ON NEEDS OF NATIONAL HOME DEFENSE Authority has been received by Joe A. Youngblood, State Youth Administrator, to extend the work program of the Nation- al Youth Administration in Flor- ida to include youth workers be- tween the ages of 17 and 18, ac- cording to Victor Lowe, local supervisor. The program previously has been limited to those who had reached their 18th birthday, and it had been necessary to deny a large number of applicants who were 17 years of age. In all parts of the state there has been evidence of a desire on the part of these 17-year-old youths to do something for them- selves and to prepare for a job. Their insistence resulted in a special request to permit the lowering of the age limit in Florida. It seems a natural step, Mr. Lowe stated, as the CCC age lim- it is 17, and many workers have jbeen unable to understand why they could not work on NYA at home when they could leave home and work on the CCC pro- gram. The NYA program for the new year, which began’ July 1, will place special and additional em- phasis on shop activities, Lowe said today. It is expected that ‘a large number of the workers now on the NYA program will find employment as a result of the experience on the NYA proj- ‘ects and as a result of the present \Gemand for additional workers, resulting from the increased ac- tivity in many fields of indus- try. Applications will now be ac- ‘cepted at all NYA offices from those who are 17 years old, and a waiting file will- be kept from which project workers will drawn as openings develop | worthwhile projects. These projects, which are con- sidered most worthwhile, provide experience in fields of work im- o LOCAL NYA PROGRAM TAKING SHAPE The National Youth Administration work program in Key West is now taking shape, accordimg to the new plans for the ensuing fiscal year, and approximately 175 youths, both male and female are employed on the various projects which number 13 at present. Work on these projects vary from sewing, handicraft and carpentry and mechanics to general clerical, and the training and experience afforded these young people has been proving of inestimable value whenever they sever their connections with the NYA to accept private employment along their individual lines of training. In Camp Roosevelt, the girls resident project at Ocala, Florida, there are at present several vacancies for those white girls who happen to be interested in Home-making training. These classes afford the girls the opportunity to learn the details of home-making according to the most modern and efficient ideas, and while learning these details each girl receives a cash payment, monthly, of approxi- mately $8, plus her room and board and medical care if perchance it should be required by the youths. The local offices of the NYA will_be very pleased to explain every phase of the program to interested youths who feel they can qualify for assignment on it. portant in the defense program of the country. Additional shops are being established, and by September 1 it is expected that at least 40 NYA shop units will be in operation. The shop units include auto mechanics, wood- working, sheet metal, aviation mechanics, machine, and radio. In addition to these shops there will be at least 11 short wave ra- dio stations through the state extending from Pensacola to Key West. An opportunity will be given girls to participate in some phas- es of the shop program, such as the assembling of radio equip- ment and the operation of some light machinery and power sew- ing machines. Some projects will be changed, some will of necessity be discon- tinued; because of their failure to fit into the defense program. The NYA employment reached a high point in Florida in June, when a total of 6,800 were under active assignment on the pro- gram for out-of-school workers. This large number can not continued but an effort will be made to avoid sudden and drastic reduction, Mr. Lowe stated. Naturally, preference must be given to the work projects that most fully meet the requirements of the defense program, and op- portunity will be given workers on any projects discontinued to transfer to acceptable projects on ; Which they can work. President Proclaims Oil Embargo Move (By Associated Press) WASHINGTON,» July 31— President Roosevelt today took stringent measures to insure that no foreign nation obtains any petroleum products from the Western Hemisphere. In a proclamation. .released as at the Havana conference just con- cluded, the President declared that no petroleum products, in- all . kinds, would be shipped beyond hemis- phere boundaries for the dura- |tion of the war in Europe. Strong opposition to the procla- mation is expected from axis Powers who are said to depend tiums in this country have been | in a large measure on oil shipped bred here and are far more hardy previously to neutral countries than imported fish. South Flor-| friendly to those nations for re- ida is an ideal place to breed tropical fish in outdoor pools and here new varieties of this popu- | ‘lar house pet are developed”. shipment for war purposes. Congress planned actj on the five billion dol tional bill for defense. toda: The measure will provide enlistment provisions for an army of 1,200,- 000 soldiers, with permission to Taise the limit to 2,000,000 later. Combined strengthening of both arms of the airforce will come with appropriations for 25,000 army planes and 10,000 for the navy. - The new bill expected to be Passed today will raise the total made available for defense dur- ling the present term of Congress to over $10,000,000,000. A total (Continued on Page Four) addi- | i be | be} Hols Europe's Attention Safety Council T - Freak Accident Cases WHEEL COMES OFF TRUCK, KILLS CHILD: | OCCUPANTS OF CAR DROWN IN TIDAL WAVE—ARE THEY TRAFFIC DEATHS? i (Special ro The Citizen) | CHICAGO, July 31—Traffic ‘authorities of Pittsburgh, Pa., ‘asked the National Safety Coun- cil to settle this one: “A wheel came off ‘olled down.a hill, struck a tele- ‘phone pole, gianced off and struck a child with fatal results. {Is this a motor vehicle traffic ac- | cident?” How would you classify it, Mr and Mrs. Reader? And what about this one, from Providence, R. L “Shall we classify as motor ve- hicle deaths those suffered by {persons riding in motor vehicles and drowned when engulfed by ja tidal wave during the hurri- {cane?” Into which statistical pigeon jhole would you consign the rec- jords of these deaths? j In the Pittsburgh case the Council ruled it was a motor ve- hicle traffic accident, since the sequence of events which result- {ed fatally for the child started jwith the movement in traffic of !a motor vehicle. | Ci 31 Decid | In the Providence case the rul- ing was, “non-motor vehicle— jdeath due to cataclysm”, with the observation that the people in jthe tidal wave would have HOLLAND WILL | SPEAK BEFORE | STATE FISHERS ' |PROBLEMS OF COMMERCIAL a truck, H ! H { | i | FISH INDUSTRY TO BE AIRED AT GATHERING IN TITUSVILLE NEXT WEEK | ! | TITUSVILLE, July 31 (FNS).— ;Spessard L. Holland of Bartow, ; Democratic nominee for gover- ‘nor, will address over 200 com- mercial fishermen and will at- tend discussions at a session to jbe held here at the court house, | aeetes; Augut 6th. Those interested in the com- mercial salt water fishing indus- try in the state have been in- jvited to attend the mass meeting {which will open at 10 o'clock Problems of the industry will be discussed during which leaders of the industry will consider some vital questions relating to fishing interests. Mr. Holland during his campaign visits here indicated that he would be glad to become better acquainted with those problems. ~ Also attending the meeting with Holland will be visiting, state legislators all of whom are! to be guests at a combined Rotary and Kiwanis club lunch- eon meeting at 12:15 at the Dixie Hotel here. . At 3 p. m. Mr. Holland will ad- dress the fishermen at the court house. The committee in charge of arrangements headed by Roy Carpenter, city councilman -and manager of the Seaboard Fish Co., has cordially invited anyone who is interested to attend. Holland will be accompanied by Mrs. Holland and they plan to spend a few days here as drowned regardless of m hicles or traffic “Some per W. G. Johnson the Why what kind of an The else matters ms might say chief sta National Safety quibble tistician of Council accident # victim is dead and noth But there is a lot else that ters. The meticulous sa: traffic accidents the vs sands is showing traffic sutheri- v4 by th lies why accidents occur and how they can be prevented. As a matter of fact, Mr. John- son points out, counting and tab- ulatung national totals of acci- dents isn't the grisly tysiness af bony-fingered skeletons in black shrouds that cartoonists make it out to be—it's a full-time job for trained statistical experts. Huge Record Of Accidents Out of the slide-rule, adding machine and tabulater operations of the National Safety Council's Statistical Division comes an im delible record of circumstances and conditions in thousands upon thousands of accidents—each tak- ing its part in the general pat- tern. Ten thousand report cards on New Jersey accidents, picked at random, are tabulated, for im stance, to sift out factors tha recur again and again How many were heaton ctllisiogs? How many occurred at intersec- tions? In how many was the fault” driver making a left turn A right turn? Wi percentage of crashes involved a drinking driver or pedestrian? Again, reports from are studied to prepare tion on the importance as a contributing factor. Thus, in one special study after another, the relative importance of every factor in a traffic acci- dent gradually is weeded out The resulting information is im valuable to police, engineers and educators throughout the world (Continued on Page Four WARBLER MAY BRING SUPPLIES SEND NAVY CONTRACT EQUIPMENT ON TUG 3 states informa- of speed Wrecking Tug Warbler, which was transferred to_New York re- cently, may come beck to Key This was the word reaching of- ficials of the Merritt-Chapman Scott Corporation here todse™ The moorings are to be plac! off the main channel! guests of friends. The women of community plan to en’ Holland at a tea during her it. Teday; Diplematic Frets Bes iz ie the rule of the Gey = Earope = Gey & che wer preperes & eco the lest month of 2 peers exut ce weer i eh cee ‘cus ReDoemngs cccutec seatime- Sp Gee @ bao ot Ge Ce ce ce mers a Bs hig. ae Set cance ba at the residence of ber gere=m 720 Oleis street at 12) ckieck