The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-01-11
PEOPLES FORUM
URGES VISITORS BE
SHOWN MORE RESPECT

For a year and a half the Key
West Administration has had as
one of its major detectives that
of bringing tourists into Key
West-and that has been accom-
plished with more than reasonable
success. Today, Miss Ileen Will
liams, head of the housing de-
partment, will tell you that there
are more winter residents here
now, and have been for the past
several weeks, than there were
even at the peak of the season
last year. 1t seems to me that
it behooves Key West citizens to
treat these winter residents with
courtesy and respect.
Reference is made particularly
to the actions of laborers on the
various WPA projects under way
in Key West now.
Key West, the world has been
told, has a tropical climate, and
it is both novel and pleasant,
tourists say, to step out of the
wintry blasts of a northern biz
card into this sun-swept island
where the temperature is so per-
feet, and don a pair of shorts, a
light, summary dress, Or similar
attire. This is distinctly part of
Key Vests appeal. :
It is not pleasant, however, to
be the object of whistling, cat
calls, and near, if not open, in
suits. This is being written spe-
officially relative to women >yisi-
tors who. are harassed. by these
men of the streets who apparehtl
ly have as little respect for woint
anhood as human beings can
have. At the present time. lab
orers on WPA projects are scat
tered throughout the city: in front
of the postoffice; on Duval street;
on the Boulevard, and on other
streets and avenues. There is no
reason, as far as this writer can
see, why an attractive woman
wearing shorts shouldn't be able
to step out of her car and into
the pOstoffice, or into store,
without being made the center of
attraction and comment by a
group of laborers whose race and
blood range from the Caucasian
to- negroid.
Every crew on these WPA pro-
jects, the writer understands, is
supervised by a foreman whose
chief duty is that of seeing that
the men keep at their tasks. It
seems that they might also include
in their duties that of keeping the
attention, at least, of their work
ers on their jobs, and let winter
visitors go their way, enjoying the
delight of the warm, sunny days
in Key West.
Key West is shown the world
over for its hospitality, but cour-
tesy most assuredly should go hand
in hand with it. If treated with
the courtesy and respect to which
every human being is entitled,
these visitors will return to their
northern homes singing the prais
es of Key West; and more will
come next season, although this
consideration should be a secon-
Diary one.
1t is the privilege of every win
ter visitor and every Key Wester
to dress as he or she sees fit as
long as properly clad, and it most
assuredly is every ones privilege
to be as attractive as possible
without being harassed with the
thought that some uncouth man
probably will flaunt unappreciat-
ed remarks to the high winds if
one goes on the street fittingIy at
tired for this tropical climate.
Tourists and winter residents
who are here have come, hurdling
the natural barriers that are be-:
tween here and the mainland now
since the train is no longer OPP
Grating. They are welcome in this
community and it is hoped that
they by now feel at home. Ger
tainly, discourtesy is not condu-
Give to such a feeling.
May assure you that this. has
been written in a spirit Of help
full criticism in the hope that our
visitors will return again and
again to Key West.
A Comparatively new) KEY
WEST CITIZEN.
Key West, Fla,
January 10, 1886.