The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-04-28
Many Speakers Heard AT
Meeting Of Key Citizens
Organization Last Night
Shown That Many Prob
lens Will Soon Be Fac
ing City; Employment
Was Main Issue

An earnest appeal was made
last night at BaYview Park TO the
citizens of Key West for solidar-
itY. cooperation and unity in
meeting the problems. which are
now facing the city and which
will mean success or failure. ac-
cording TO the attitudes of the
people. all of whom will be af-
fected in one way or the other.
1t is estimated there were be-
tween 1900 and 1000 people as
sembled at the park to hear the
speakers for the Key Citizens
which is now facing the workers
lens which are now appearing on
the horizon of Key West and
which must be met fairly and
squarely by the concerted atti-
tude of the citizenry. each of
whom will bear a share of the
burden.
Work Problem
This problem was very clearly
set toItn In the talks OF Fred U.
Eberhardt, general tImekeeper for
the WpA, and chairman of the
organization; Paul o. Laid, one
of the foremen of WPA; Mrs.
Stephen Douglas, president of the
.Woman's CluD, all of whom spoke
in English, and DR.. Julio De Poo
and Enrique ESquinaldo, who
made their addresses in Spanish.
Both MIR. Eberhardt and MIR.
Ladd gave clear outline of the
work of the government in Key
West and Monroe county, ex-
planning in detail the situation,
which Is Low facing the workers
of Key West, and their depend
entS and explained the steps that
must be taken TO overcome the
gloomy future.
Cite Expenditures
They cited the amounts which
have been expended by the gov
eminent in the activities of the
WPA In this section, and explain
ed that approximately $1,000, 900,
exclusive of the several millions
spent on the construction of the
bridges had been expended in
Key West, but this was coming
to close and very rapidly, Mr..
Eberhardt saying that Within the
next three months there would
be no activity of the WPAl Is In
Key West, unless there were
funds TO be expended for spon-
sorship.
1t was the necessity of securing
funds from the people as whole
for carrying on the work in this
section, that the meeting was
held, and to bring the people face
to face with the issue in order
that they may be given time to
decide whether this sponsorship
money could be secured or not.
During the course of his talk,
Mr.. Eberhardt said that all per-
sons had been invited to attend
the meeting and stressed the
point that the merchants had
been asked to attend. He then
asked every merchant in the
audience to raise his hand. and
there was one hand raised.
Explains Purpose
Enrique Esquinaldo, Jra was
next introduced and said that Mr..
Eberhardt has organized the Key
Citizens Committee with the sole
purpose of having them present
a solid front, and I'VE Key West
ers will be the sole beneficiaries :.
Since the first of the year there
have been dropped from the
WPA rolls approximately 400.
and 200 others have suffered ma
terial reductions in pay, and
many children have been kept
from school for lack of either
proper punishment or clothing.
DO not feel that I paint the
picture too darby, MIR. EsquIn-
aldo said, ssthis is stark reality.
What viii happen if all Federal
activities should cease, and they
viii soon illness there is some
thing done to prevent il. Let us
forget our petty grievances, let
US criticize with constructive crit
lcism, let US all act and act now.