The Coolidge examiner., 1935-01-25

- - 49, ~~ -
Ing fields and scaplanc docks. froni
Cuba. Haiti. Puerto Rico. Nassau.
Panama. and South America ccmc
and go The big three motored cabin
ships. Customs men are at the air
ports 20 inspect bags and ask for
duties. whlle immigration officials
examine passports
Restless absorbing America
Land ~ magic economic change
that fatbsred Florida You sense
Us fiue aggressive spirit when. rid
lns ln from sea. you watch Miami
and Miami Beach silhouette their
towering architectural masses
agalns, q sunset sky. Amazing they
are in their effect ~ stark sim.
plIcity end power. lifted by puuy
men from The sand pits aud man.
grove swaiups ~ yesterday.
Always the contrast persists
Ten miles wesf. the Everglades. a
crane xuipinE down wrisElinz
snake; gator pulling under a
slid duck hom.ue Seminole. 81
leat. waiehfui ln bis dueout abgs.
msl waste solitude. fascinating 10
tie naturalist
Yet n sou think IN time and not
suace alone. SOU can vision what
Florida's population must some day
b. n Is the way Of sub;roplc
lands. where living Is easy. as 10
the West Indies.
Life here has a different tempo.
sort of troplc rhythm sun. sand.
the blue sparkling waters ot the
Gulf Stream. blossoms OF every hue.
and waving palms bring a sense ot
luxury even 10 the maSses They
are among the states intangible as
sets and quicken mans interest In
cosmlc things
Tobacco and Tourists
West OF Tallahassee one rides
past many tobacco fields where
plants are grown under shades.
These shades are made By stretch.
INK thin cotton cloth over frames
of poles and wire. for farmers have
found they may best grow certain
vegetables under the same proper.
~ tempered conditions In an sea
sons. Tobacco seed. Tor planting IN
Virginia and elsewhere. Is often
grown In Florida. since better seed
develops where plants enjoy the
longest periods OF daily sunshine.
or course. sharp clashes % ideas,
10 make conversation an adventure.
are rare among tourist groups here.
They have too much In common.
one intellectual oasis. however.
Is the open forum" at 81. Peters
burg. In a park there. after the
hand concerts. crowds OF many hun.
dreds remain for organized debate
and good-natured harangue. Argu-
ment Is rife on any theme from egg.
laying contests 20 whether the In.
fluence % Ibsen Is permanent or
eyAnescent.
Socially speaking. In Florida the
whole is not equal 10 the sum of
the parts. Yon cannot add 81. Pc
tersburg. for example. TO Palm
Beach or Miami. because you can
no, add unlike things
Life among the Idle weIi-to-do at
east coast resorts. as pictured In
Sunday rotogravures. is a familiar
theme. Sunburned beauties sprawl
Ing under beach umbrellas: self
anoinied social queens In ralment
that would discount Josephs coat
OF many colors. being trundled
along under the palms In an "afro-
mobile: fleets q private yachts
and comfortable houseboats M an
chor: gay race crowds or dancing
groups under moonllt palms-all
these are well-advertised aspects Of
Florida winter-vlsitor life among
those who. with many servants and
mountains OF baggage. move leisure
ly north each year. following the
march OF spring from resort to re
sort, up and down the Atlantic
coast. Just the same, one finds at
the principal resort centers Ike
Miami and Palm Beach the finest
sort Of concerts and lecture series
made up OF world-famous artists
and cultural speakers. and there Is
an overflawIng attendance.
Euj in all America there is prob
ably no group just Ike the 10000
or 29O.0d fine type OF farmers and
small-town folk who visit 81. Pc
tersburE. II is an amazing sociolog-
teal phenomenon. peculiar to thls
unusual state II Is worth contem
plating.
Here flourish 81 different clubs
and societies. formed among tour
lists from various cities and states.
There are even clubs of Canadians
and Scandinayians, half a world
away from their homes. There are
dance. dramatic, and sunshine card
clubs; clubs OF rogue. croquet. and
Switchboard players and a Three
Quarter Century club. all OF whose
members are more than seyenty-fve
years Of age