The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-04-28
TOO LATE TO
CLASSIFY
BY RUSSELL KAY



Leaving the political front
where the din and thunder of
battle grows daily more intense,
it was a genuine relief to spend
a day or so with the newspaper
folks at the mid-year convention
of the Florida State Press Asso-
citation held this year at Ocala.
On the trail of candidates, dur
ing the heat of a political cam
paign, one is apt to gather the
erroneous impression that the
bowling winds and menacing
storm clouds that envelope him
also blanket the states entire
area. And it is refreshing to find
that the fury of the political ele-
ments are really but local dis
turbances, with Individual storm
centerS confined to the limited
territory where the candidates at
the moment are working.
In spite of the fact that five
senatorial candidates have been
tramping about the state for days,
believing like swarm of angry
bulls, waving their arms, thump-
ing their manly chests and tear
ing their hair in an effort to i'm
press and alarm the populace,
here for two days a group of sew
eral hundred we'll informed and
intelligent citizens gather to talk
calmly of such trivial and petty
problems as collections, job work
and newspaper makeup.
] Totally ignoring the fact that
the lash of the selfish tyrant is
poised above their ragged backs,
that heavier burdens than they
now sweat and strain under are
about to be imposed on them,
that their weak and aged parents
are about to be driven from their
homes and the nation itself rests
on the brink of chaos-these folks
refuse to lend their ears and even
have the effrontry, between their
business sessions, to cavort in
unseemly fashion in an effort to
master the big Apple" or gath
er in rooms to exercise a cork
screw and inquire as to whether
or not you have heard the one
about the two chorus girls and
the stenographer".
And as one journeys from the
sullen atmosphere Of political
turmoil into the sunshine of such
sanity and fellowship it serves to
restore his faith and drive away
his fears, for so long as Americans
as a people possess the ability to
so lightly cast aside the fright
full and alarming bugaboos of po-
litical agitatorS, to see so clearly
through the fog and smoke
/ screen that despite it they can go
calmly about their business OF
living normal life, there is real
~ little 10 worry about
II is not that the question Of Sc
lecting a United States senator is
a matter of little import. for it is
problem that should deeply con-
Germ every Floridian. But in
reaching a decision it is well that
we do SO with intelligent judg
ment and after calm deliberation
After all it is a good thing TO
remember that candidates in the
end are but human beings like
you and | They are not divine
nor are they necessarily devils
all possessing good and bad quail
ties. And the problem of the vot-
or is TO pick the man that in his
judgment possesses more of the
good than the bad.
Fundamentally. there are two
types of men in public life. those
who in their hearts want TO serve
the people, and those who put
their own personal interests and
the selfish desires Of the priv
ileged few above everything else
True democracy is concerned
with the welfare of ALL the peo.
pie and its practice demands that
a government, while respecting
liberty and freedom. does moi
license any selfish group or in.
tereSt with special privileges that
are unfair and detrimental to the
best interests of all.
This policy should apply as
much to labor as il does 10 capt
tai. and as equally 10 youth as tc
age For sclfiShneSS. int0lcrane
and greed is found in the hearts
az little men as we'll as big --in
the old as well as the young
among laborers as well as en-.
ployers. Any advantage gained
by one group at the expense oil
@st@eaaSA N4AeF NFA We ~ sAf@NN AAtt
welfare and advancement 81 all
A good citizen who would cas-
his vote unseifsshiy with the in.
tercSt Of the Nation as a w-ho!C
al heart Will not blindly vote FOL
the candidate wh0 makes ex.
travagant promises as TO how
much he will DO and whai hs
viii GIVE but will take steps ic
definitely find out HOW he vii