The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-05-27
WILCOX EXPLAINS
BRIDGE MATTERS

reary that there were 12,OOO peo-
pie marooned in his district and
he wanted to enlist the sympathy
Of the president in heir behalf, on
the bridges.
''Too late" said Mr.. Mcintyre.
The matter has been turned down
he said.
Nevertheless, said Mr.. Wilcox,
II want to talk to the president
on this matter and would like to
have an interview with the presi-
dent and ask you to arrange it."
Mr.. Mcintyre arranged the re-
quested interview and Mr.. Will
cox placed the entire matter be-
fore the president who, after con-
ditions in Key West had been ex-
; planned, called conferences with
, the PWA and in short time the
matter of bridges was reopened,
from a purely sympathetic stand
point.
! Then followed a tedious and
. trying series of conferences with
every division OF the government
which had turned down the
proposition, and about three
weeks ago after the tortuous
mazes Of the legal division had
been gone through. approval Of
the engineering, financial and le-i
gal divisions had been secured.
He then pleaded and legged
that some of the legal red tape
would be cut through and the
matter concluded to the satistac-
ton of everybody and the people
of Key West made happy.
Given Assurance
| have the word OF the man
who has the last word in these
matters that everything will be
all right. | did not leave until
everything that could be done had
been, as 81 was really more in
terested in securing the presi-
dents approval than l was in my
campaign for congressman"
He told President Roosevelt
this and that he was determined
to remain to the last man until he
got the presidents assurances that
the matter was going through. The
president replied ''go on home
and attend to your campaign,
and everything is going to be all
right"
And with this he had to be con-
tent. 1t may be one week or it
may be one month, but he is salts
fled that the president meant just
what he said and it will be only
short time before Key Westers
will be told so.
| Mr.. Wilcox then explained the
modus operandi relative to the dis
| pOsal of the bonds for the bridges
by showing that the PWA has no
power to dispose of the bonds
other than to the Reconstruction
Finance Corporation and as he
understands it this is the plan.
The PWA will sell the bonds to
the RFC which will in turn dis
pose OF them to the public.
This requires the working out
OF certain details which must be
followed out according to routine.
! There are certain set rules to fol-
low, and it would be just as easy
to "have the sun rise in the west
and set in the east, or flowers
bloom in freezing Labrador as to
have the routine of these bodies.
changed"
Everything has been done that
can be by those who have been
endeavoring to have the bridges
decreed and the money allotted
and the matter now rests with
God almighty and Franklin D.
Roosevelt"
The development of this high
way will be of incalculable bene-
fit, not only to Key West and the
Floride Keys, but to all of South
Florida, and afford additional rec
ceation and travel facilities to
! tens of thousands of visitors each
year and I am satisfied you are
! going to have these bridges.
Mr.. Wilcox said 81 have been
faithful to my duties and my con-
stituency. have done all possible
I for the people of Key West and
! the rest OF nv district" and be-
lieves he is justified in asking for
their vote in the coming primary
, on June 2.
Touches On Townsend Plan
The congressman then began on
the second of the two subjects in
his discussion by saying that there
was always somebody who was
bringing forth some new idea to
make everybody rich and there
was now being an attempt made
to foist on the public the most
iniquitous scheme ever devised.
! A highly dangerous idea to give
everybody 5000 monthly. This