The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-11-10
THE souREsT STORY EVER TOLD

Kew West is a relatively small city
among the group of communities dottlng
the United States; yet it has approximately
8 1000 of her population of 10000 depend
ing wholly or in part on direct relief, old
age pensions or employment provided by
the Works Progress Administration and
other federal agencies. In greater or a
lesser degree the same situation prevails in
virtually every community in this obounti-
fully endowed country-some4 ID 0, 00O;0 900
are unemployed in land capabletof pro-
viding independent work for many times
that number.
In their search for the underlying rea-
sons for this sorry and saddening situation,
the economists, theorists, industrialists,
businessmen, social agencies and others
have delved into nearly every govern
mental, political and physical fact they
could find on or off the records. They
have blamed the continuing unemployment
on the war, the capitalistic system, over
production, underproduction, consumer
strikes, the machine age, taxation, too
much credit, not enough credit and eco.
nomic hiccoughs.
They seemingly have overlooked en-
! tirely or given scant consideration to one
important factor, though it has been re-
--VeaIed in all it's naked reality to certain in
-dustries, including the Everglades sugar
industry. T. That is the unemployment di-
reetly traceable to and created by some of
the trade agreements within recent years
entered into with various foreign countries.
developing foreign trade, the agreements
contain some of the sourest, most fantastic
restrictions AGAINST American industry
and the American workmen ever accepted
by an American government.
Consider the agreements restricting
the production of sugar in the United States
and permitting the importation of cane pro-
ducts from foreign countries and such off
shore areas as Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the
Philippines while millions of our own AM
erican citizens are dependent upon charity,
pensions and relief work.
In brief, the sugar agreements restrict
Florida production to a maximum of 3d.
600 tons annually. The Everglades area
alone on 10000 available acres could be
made to produce 100000 tons of sugar.
with an annual capital investment of $10,-
100000 and with an eventual annual pay
roll of $25, 100000 to thousands of we'll
paid, well-housed workers, now largely
unemployed. 1t is estimated that $4,000
workmen would be empoyed either direct
ly in this industry or indirectly in lines or
activity serving the sugar industry. fake
$4,000 men off the relief rolls and Florida
would have the unemployment problem
pretty nearly whipped.
It is sad condition when the Florida
sugar industry is not permitted to produce
even enough sugar to supply the demands
of the consumers of this state. When it is
realized Floridians are forced to eat sugar
produced in foreign countries and offshore
areas by low-paid, poorly housed laborers
Under questionable sanitary conditions and
thatkhe citizens of this state are compelled
toisiige down into their pockets to help feed
and clothe the unemployed who might be
working in the EvergladeAin the produc-
''tion of cane and its products, then the full,
fatal and factual fallacy of such trade
agreements is apparent.
Let's call upon our governmental Off
Gals to end such foolishness. let the Amer
lean sugar industry produce all it can to
meet the American demand, import only
enough to supply any shortage of produe-
ton in this country and give our American
workmen chance to make an honest liv-
ing on American land under the American
system of freedom and independence.
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