The Key West Citizen Newspaper, June 19, 1954, Page 4

i ah Page 4 Saturday, June 19, 1954; The Key West Citizen Published dail; ) from Th ph ryt Sunday @ Citizen Building, corner THE KEY WEST CITIZEN of Only Daily Newspaper in Key West and Monroe County L. P. ARTMAN, Editor and Publisher .... sessanceesierssseqeee U92T « 1954 NORMAN D. ARTMAN sssinernemenrsninenninnnenn Editor and Publisher Entered at Key West, Florida, as Second Class Matter TELEPHONES 2-5661 and 2-5662 Member of The Associated Press—The Associ Sr not otherwise ersdhed ia this my ee lished here. Tosi news dispatches credies wert Paper, and also the local news pub- Member Associate Dailies of Florida tO Subscription (by carrier), 25¢ per week; year, $12.00; by mail, $15.60 ADVERTISING RATES MADE KNOWN ON APPLICATION The Citizen is open forum and invites and subjects o Paes or general discussion of public but it wit! not anonymous communi issue interest, publish IMPROVEMENTS FOR KEY WEST ADVOCATED BY THE CITIZEN 1. M and Apartments, Fy Flore, Hotel ots Ppavilions Sea. Lopes nae of omnes, and City Governments. McCARTHY-ARMY DISPUTE WAS WASTE OF TIME; IT ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING The Citizen publisned an Associated Press dispatch ‘Wednesday giving the “rundown” of the senate’s investi- gating sub-committee in the Army-McCarthy dispute. It is hard to determine how so great a country as the United States would permit a sort of backfence quarrel that*has settled nothing to go on for a month up in the nation’s capital. A bunch of drunks wouldn’t indulge in more recriminations than the witnesses, lawyers and even .the members of the committee fired angrily at one an- other, Were you to believe one side, you would have to reach the conclusion that the other side was composed of untrustworthy men, and if you believed the other side you would feel similarly about the men on the opposite side. . But in all the wrangling that went on it has been hard to determine just what the objective of either side was, other than to make this or that side appear to-be liars. No objective of a sound and worthwhile nature could be gained regatdless of how the bickering turned out. It was easy, though, to see that Senator Joe McCar- thy’s aim Was to make himself appear a champion of the people of the United States. But in trying to do that, he slipped up several times, even going so far as to admit he had testified falsely on another occasion. While the dispute was going on, the Veterans of Foreign Wars in McCarthy’s own state of Wisconsin took him to task for his activity or lack of activity in the Sec- ond World War. McCarthy said he had enlisted as a private; the veterans declared he had sought and got a commission as an officer. McCarthy said he had been a tailgunner in an airplane, and the veterans asserted that his duties had been confined to clerical work on the ground. He said that he had concluded his duties because of illness, but the veterans denied he had been ill and asserted he had come back home just as soon as the war in the Pacific began to get hot. There you have it, McCarthy denied what the vet- erans had said about him, and the veterans stuck to what * they: had said. McCarthy’s aim, in trying to rid the country of Com- munists, has been a worthy one, but, as many leading men pointed out, he went at it in a wrong way by stirring up strife while trying to accomplish his purposes. Many others maintained that his vindictiveness has done far more harm than Communists have done in the United States since he has been on their trail.® The only thing the McCarthy-Army dispute has done is to make Americans generally wonder how such a boy- like quarrel could have ¢ontinued for so long, wasting taxpayers’ money as it continued, in the nation’s capital. Crossword Puzzle | aCRoss: 31. Alarm 1 Heavy nail whistles 4. Immerses ae &.Partota ehureh 36. Article of ‘Lason native food Partetese 3-Notal tris Antmal's stomach Allow 16. Direction 27. Expectant Ringlet tides eal 0. Catnip ig % DOWN (82. Soft drink 2. Steps 2. County in 128, Feminine Colorado Dame 3. Lessened ‘24. Legume 4. Membership Ogle Courses ef ABA Ue le 1D] CIE RB AISIAREOIMIE IR} OIVIAIL A TE INI MIE INIT Mie TE (LIE INIDIS} PURE Jem) ATR PIO MEG Le || NIMC! SII IN} TE TEIRIOISIE! FEIN} IF IAIO} Solution of Saturday's Puzzle 56. Lowest ot 6, Annoy the 1. Glossy tabric 8. Pain 9. Thrive 10. Weaken 27. 29. 23. Thing: law 25. Japanese outcast 26. Viper 28. Foe 30. Articles 31. Pigpen 32. Anger, 33. Dish of meat and pastry Vacation Bible School Is Set Up At Ist Presbyterian Church Plans have been completed for the Vacation Bible School to be held this summer in the First Presbyterian Church. Dates for the school are July Sth thru 16th. Mrs. Hugh Duggan, Chairman of the Christian Education for the Women of the Church has been in charge of teachers recruiting, with Miss Doreen Clawson recent gra- duate of Davis and Elkins College scheduled to be Superintendent. Faculty members met recently in the Social Hall to go over the study material prepared by the Board of Christian Education of the Presbyterian Church in the United States. Lesson Series The title of the ten lesson ser- ies, to be used in the Church School, is “This is our Church.” The purpose of this Sammer’s:ser- ies is to help the pupils understand why we have Churches, to feel a Breater love, appreciation and re- verence for their Church, and to find a share in its work. Another project. in wich the school will take part is the build- ing, in replica, of the present church. structure. Walter Clawson and Joseph Bringman, officers of the Church, are co-operating in this effort. 2 The M. A. C. Class has launch- ed on a campaign to secure new members for their Mixed Adult Class. Heading the campaign and the newly elected officers Dr. and Mrs. Harold Campbell and Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Felton. This class meets each Sunday morning on the Church Patio and is taught by Gleason Snow. Building Program Interest in the Church building program is running high with the recently appointed building com- mittee holding their first meeting last Tuesday night under the lea- dership of Dr. Harold Campbell. Planning is in the preliminary sta- ges yet with no recommendations crystalized to the point where they can be presented to the congrega- tion. The consensus is that the new lo- cation will be adequate for pre- sent and future building needs. Ma- ny members and friends of the church have gone by the corner of Laird and White Streets to look over the new spot. The lot runs 282 feet on White St. by 125 ft. on Laird. New Sign Planned According to Fred Miller, Chair- man of the Board of Deacons a perty indicating that the future home of the First Presbyterian Church of Key West will be locat- ed on this site. Several officials of St. Johns Presbytery will visit Key West to look over the new location. Dr. A. R. Larrick, Executive Sec’t of St. Johns Presbytery and Dr. E. C. Campbell of Hyde Park Presby- terian Church, Tampa have ex- Pressed satisfaction that the con- Sregation has launched out to ac- cept the opportunities afforded in the rapid growth of Key West. Tomorrow morning’s‘ sermon ti- tle as announced by Rev. Richard E. Coulter will be our Fears.” At the evening Ser- vice the series of studies on the Epistle to the Hebrews will be con- tinued. OMAHA CHURCHES HAVE UNUSUAL MEETING PLACES OMAHA (#—Omaha churches are holding services in a ballroom, cafe and night club. Members of Christ the King Cath- olic parish hold their current serv- ices in a ball room at an amuse- ment park, St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church members congregate at a cafe—a fried chicken establishment on week days. And the Underwood Presbyterian members meet in what used to be a gambling emporium. All three congregations are build- E their own edifices. CAMPAIGN GIFT RALEIGH, N.C. #—F ormer Gov. Kerr Scott, North Carolina Demo- cratic nominée for U.S. senator, included in/his official report of primary campaign contributions: “Hathaway Cross, Raleigh, one good cigar, 10 cents.” SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON HOSEA PLEADS WITH ‘ISRAEL. HOSEA 4:6 - 7:16 By RALPH ROGERS Today’s lesson continues to de- scribe the immoral conditions ex- isting in the northern kingdom. Amos has traveled northward and at Bethel deplored the wayward- ness of the people predicting that disaster would befall them. Today we have Hosea, a native son, pre- dicting the same catastrophe. It might help a bit if we try to place these prophets of door. Amos began his prophecies about 775 BC when Jereboam II was ruling in the north and Uzziah in the southern kingdom. He continued until 750 B. C. when he was join- ed in the northern kingdom by Hosea about 746 B. C. just a short time before the fall of the house of Jereboam II. Hosea continued to prophesy until 735 B. C. shortly before the outbreak of the Syro- Ephraimitish war. Perhaps both of these prophets influenced some- what the prophecies of Isaiah who began his prophecies about 738 and continued until 701 B. C. Pattern of Prophecy Hosea seems to have been in- fluenced in his prophecies by his own private life. It seems that he had married a beautiful and at- tractive woman who became the mother of his first child whom he ‘|}named Jezreel. Since the prophet was busy about his. calling the wife grew lonely and sought an- other lover, Two other’ -children were born named Lo-ruhamah and Lo-ammi, neither of which Hosea claimed as his own. Eventually Gomer, the wife and mother, de- serted her family and ran off with her lover. He soon tired of her and In the latter prophet there is love and hope for a prodigal nation. As Hosea forgave his wife who had sinned against God and her fam- ily, so did the prophet speaking for'God offer forgiveness and mer- eywto Israel as she reveled in her luxury and debauchery: However thié prodigal nation must pay for her riotous and degenerate living, Different people have different ideas about God. The Old Testa- ment writers pictured him as a God of vengeance and terror, one who destroyed cities such as So- dom and Gomorrah, one who suf- fered out the lives of all living things, save Noah and those in his Ark, with a terrific flood. We gen- erally picture him in the light of our knowledge of Him and that picture is growing progressively better. The New Testament shows us a God of love and truth, or mercy and forgiveness. Four cen- turies before Christ however, Ho- sea gave the Israelites the same picture as he predicted God’s faithfulness and love to his people in Israel. One should not be deceived how- ever. Even as God allowed Israel to be punished by the invading As- syrians, so will men continue to be punished individually and as a na- tion for the sins of the flesh. Arch- ibald Rutledge tells of a Negro min- ister who came to his plantation preaching a new religion. The young folk flocked to him in droves and Mr. Rutledge was very much interested in just what the draw- ing feature was. He called one of his faithful plantation sages to him and asked about the new min- ister and the squndness of his phil- osophy. The old colored sage said, sold her into slavery. Hosea does an unusual thing. He loved Gomer so much that he bought her back for fifteen silver shekels and a bushel and a half of wheat. He then kept her under surveillance as he tried to win back her love. It seems that Ho- sea could hardly believe his wife to be unfaithful and only gradually did he acknowledge her sin. Again it is unusual for a man to even forgive a woman such a crime let alone trying to win back her love. This painful experience however, helps the prophet as he begins his prophecies. Like Amos he could see the waywardness and immor- ality of the people and while he deplored their sins, he could see the love of God reaching out in that forgiveness which is extend- ed all mankind. Israel had proven unfaithful. to God even as Gomer had proven unfaithful to Hosea. Any transgression carries with it certain penalties, so as Gomer had suffered: must Israel suffer also and God in his redeeming l6ve sought to restore his people to their old position. “He hath smit- ten and he will bind up again.” (Hosea 6:1) God's Love While both Amos and Hosea pro- phesied the doom of Israel, Amos jacked the warm heart of Hosea. « : “Those young people don’t really want religion, What they love is to have somebody tell them how they can sin and be happy.” It seems that the cause of Israel’s spiritual breakdown was due to the failure of the moral and spirit- ual leaders. (4:6). Israel’s Fickleness Hosea likens Israel’s goodness to a morning cloud. (6:4) Any of our people who have started on the early morning trip to Miami know quite well and have appre- ciated and enjoyed much, the beauty of the skies. The early morning clouds change in shape and color as they roll through the eastern skies and then later dis- appear in the heat of the morning sun. Israel’s goodness was beau- tiful to look at. The temples were filled. People gave of their tithes and special offerings, generously. Under Jeroboam II there was Prosperity and with it came luxury and debauchery. The thin veneer of religion-could not withstand the temptations of the world ami the flesh. God is not mocked. Israel raised a solemn and pious face to heaven but her beauty, like Gom- er’s, was black and loathsome. A great old missionary in the slums of New York wrote a book |in which he pictured the situation ‘ (Continued on Page Five) “Overcoming | sign will be placed on the new pro- |. GRAND JURY’S REPORT ON OVERSEAS ROAD & TOLL DISTRICT PROBE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY. SPRING TERM, 1954 @ INTERIM REPORT — OVERSEAS ROAD AND TOLL BRIDGE IN- VESTIGATION We who compose the present Grand Jury wish to report the re- sults of our investigation into the affairs of the Overseas Road and Toll Bridge District. In December, 1945, the State Road Department and the Com- missioners of the District executed a leasg-purchase agreement under which the Road Department: was to take over and operate the Dis- trict Roads and Bridges so that the bonds might be refunded and upon full payment of the bonds, the Road Department was to take full title to the property. In May, 1946, by an operating agreement, the Commissioners of the District as agents of the Road Department undertook to operate the roads and bridges. The agreement states clearly that the Commissioners would perform all the details of op- erating and maintaining the toll bridges and highways and collect- ing all the tolls thereafter trans- mitting all the moneys to the Road Department which would in turn deliver them to the State Board of Administration for payment of bonds but with the understanding that funds for payment of budget- ted items would be returned to the District. The agreement further states that the Road Department should supervise and direct the activities of the District. After the annual budget was prepared by the District, it was to be approved by the Road Department and the Board of Administration, the Road Department reserving the right to disapprove any expenditure and could cancel the operating agree- ment at anytime, Despite these agreements, we found most of ewitnesses ap- pearing before us from the Dis- trict and the Road Department did not wish to admit any responsi- bility and wanted to blame the other or “pass the buck.” How- ever, ave find that the State Road Department wag the principal and the Road and Toll Bridge District Commissioners were the agents and the responsibility for mistakes, bad judgment or neglect should be placed in that same manner. Whether the operating agreement was a good or bad method need not be discussed for the fact re- mains it continued into effect until March, 1954 when the District Commissioners were suspended and we feel it was the responsibili- ty of Road Department personnel dealing with the District as well as District Commissioners to know and understand their duties and obligations and that they should not escape criticism on a plea of ignorance. The District was created in 1933, the Commissioners being appointed by the Governor and either con- tinued or revlaced by each new Governor. Although the Act did not require the employment of a quali- fied engineer to manage the Dis-| never any lost time for political perogative of Governors to fill positions of importance with men of their choice, we do not ap- Prove the selection of Mr. Bate- man for this position nor the man- ner in which it appeared to have been handled especially when it meant losing a good engineer who had stuck diligently through the lean days of constructing the roads and bridges. Objections were raised to Mr, Bateman’s appointment. Ob- jections to lack of restraint on him were also made to former Gover- nor Fuller Warren without effect. It also appears that Road Board Chairman Alfred McKethan offer- ed to dismiss the District Com- missioners if they did not approve the Governor’s choice or words to that effect. Subsequent develop- ment seem to have shown that the ones who objected to Bateman were right. ‘ Mr. Bateman has been operating almost as he desired. For his ser- vices he received a salary of $550.- 00 per month, unlimited use of excellent cars, a home with the finest of equipment, and the best kind of food for himself and fam- ily. His release did not come soon enough however and to avoid the shame brought upon the District. Now who else should have de- tected the administration errors in the District? In the first place we say that the Road Department through its engineers, auditors and its super- vising staff should have been much closer to the situation. It is “re- ported to us‘now that an estimated $1,400,000.00 should be spent to get the Roads and Bridges in good shape, Why wasn’t this being done before the tolls were lifted? It serves no useful ‘purpose to budget an item and then not follow through to see if the money is properly spent. Notice the failure in the fill project at Toms Har- bor and failure to finish painting Bahia Honda Bridge. It does no good for the Chief Engineer, Sam Turnbull, to merely report a need for certain repairs in February, 1952, and not get them done dur- ing the two years that follow. It did no good for an assistant engin- eer, Carlton, to make recommenda- tions which are not acted on. We believe that Mr. Sam Turnbull failed in his responsibility as chief engineer of the Road Department to have regular and frequent in- spections of the District Roads and Bridges made and then follow through to see that the work was done, Underwater pier inspections we believe should have been made also and necessary work done: On April 7, 1951 the District en- tered into a contract for Fill Pro- tection with Alonzo Cothron which was to last for a period of a year and to cover a distance of ap- proximately four miles. It was for with Road Department rules gov- erning the District and the trict had paid out $536,386.56 without anyone apparently suspicious despite the fact that size of the invoices varied slightly each week and there wa: ent trict, there was a capable engin-| breakdown. From the information eer and manager on the job until he was replaced in 1949 by Mr. | we have before us, the deposited fill cost the District appro%imately Brooks Bateman who was not an | $5.00 per cubic yard. The evidence rt tract there was an overcharge of at least ten hours per week for each week for all the equipment on the contract for two men for 1953 and 1954 which should be re- covered and we urge that appro- priate law suits be filed immed- iately against Alonzo Cothron, Brooks Bateman and all other in- dividuals or organizations which have shared in this overcharge so that the thousands of dollars may be recovered. We approve the criminal charges filed against Cothron and Bate- man in this connection and do not believe it necessary to prepare indictment to cover these same of- fences. Part of the responsibility of the Road Department was to audit the District’s accounts. This was dele- gated to the State Auditing De- partment and Mr. A. J. Henry, Assistant State Auditor, did the work. He made no audit in 1952 which is regrettable. He was here in 1951 and late 1953. He did not ask to see the Fill Contract but merely checked the invoices, There were no supporting work sheets, plans or time checks submitted to him and none in existence. Al- though he made certain recom- mendations, which ineidently were not completely followed, we do not believe he did a good job or the Fill Contract would have been investigated then. He did not even ask to see the Fill Contract when he did the audit in 1953, and did not ask how long it should run. Now ‘as for the Commissioners of the District. Each was ap- Pointed by a Governor for a four year term for which they were paid $50.00 per month. Some of them admittedly did nothing ex- cépt attend meetings which were held about six or seven times yearly. All claimed that they had no responsibility except to make up a budget and submit it te: the Road Department and few of them had read the lease-purchase or operating agreement. Under these ci and based upon their statements to us we must concur with Mr. Robert M. Mor- gan, the private certified public accountant. They served no useful up to the Chairman, Anthony De- meritt, or their attorney, William V. Albury, to furnish them with an explanation. We find no serious effort on the part of Anthony De- wmeritt, Sam Pinder, Sr., Ralph Betancourt, Isabel Fle: boat now owned by the District be» cause it is suitable primarily #P fishing rather than work or fir® prevention. Far too much enter aa was permitted on Pigeos ey. From the records, it appears that the Commissioners who held office in March, 1953 and the State to Claude A. Gandolfo and Paul E. Sawyer. The Road Department should investigate the legality of these transactions. - During 1953, the evidence before us indicates that there was a re- commendation that the duties of the District be taken over by the Road Department but that the local Representative, B. C. Papy, intervened and urged that it not be done because he said the peo- ple of Monroe County ob; Consequently the Commissioners continued in office and Bateman remained on the job at his request. We have learned also that Mr. Lee Shield was supplying laundry service to the 1952 and. 1953 lie dealt with the steward, Joe that he was en was very expensive es received. co econ Ww al jateman line at retail prices in Mara‘ with pumps available on Key just two miles away was bad and should not have been mitted. ditt: } per tunity of manipulation. In effect there was lack of cap- able and from the top all the way down. We were very favorably impressed with the efforts of Mr. Tom Manuel to get the affairs of the District in good order. It goes almost with- out saying that the frequent com: plete changes of Road Board Mem- bers and Chairmen causes confus- ion particularly in situations like this. We hope’ our legislature ‘will use this as an example and pass proper laws to cortect it’ so that © there will be an overlap of Road Department ard members ig part each time the administration changes and that employees and career men be given Civil Service protection. ~ There are outstanding bills owed to local merchants by the District which should be paid; there ‘are items of equipment to be sold, re- paired, cared for, or delivered to proper authorities; there is th question of title to the handled by the District; we believe that there is a necessity for ap- Pointment of Commissioners for OUR JURY ARE: ts 1. That the Acting County So- licitor John Marsh proceed with the prosecution of the cases now Pending in‘ the Criminal Court of Record against Brooks Bateman and Alonzo Cothron. 2. That the State of Florida file etsseacnyaipts suits immediate against all persons or organiza- tions who shared in the proceeds from the Fill Contract with Al- onzo Cothron for the purpose of recovering any overcharge (or oth- er improper payments) and the Board so that all terms will not expire simultaneously leaving