The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-12-07

Key West Womans Club was
held Tuesday afternoon at the
clubhouse on Division street,
with many members and guests
in attendance.
Program for the day was un-
der direction of the American
Citizenship Department. Mrs.
Harvey Eagan, chairman, intro
duced William V. Little, Rotary
Club president, who addressed
the members on American Citi-
zenship'' He spoke, in part, as
follows:
''The genius of America lies in
this: that men and women of all
races and creeds, and of all
shades of political opinion, can
and will work, side by side, to
maintain the American form of
government, not merely as a
form. but as pulsating force.
"What is this form? We call it
a constitutional democracy, and
it has been in existence, under
various names, in this country
and England, for the past 724
years. Our form of government
is founded upon principles that
were first set forth, that long
ago, when, in England, the
Magma Charta, a charter of lib
critics, signed by King John,
marked the beginning of consti-
tutional government as we now
understand it.
'The citizen who seeks to pre-
serve free and effective self-gov-
eminent from the streamlined
absolutismS of today does well to
center affirmatively on freedom
of thought and speech. Thought
excited by bogeys, limited by
labels, imprisoned by prejudice,
or governed by hate has already
surrendered freedom. Speech
which cannot tolerate contrary
views is only one step from the
violence which Isl the earmark of
dictatorship.
How can we, you and l, best
practice, uphold and defend the
principles of Democracy, as we
understand them? We can make
of this community a shining ex-
ample of true Democracy: a true
outpost sentinel on guard against
all those elements which contri-
butte to the breakdown of Demo
cratic principles.
ITO this end, each one of us
should decide that his first task
is to make of himself or her
self. as an Individual, one of
goodwill toward others, one who
seeks within the skills of his own
mind and muscles his place in
society, one who will scorn to i'm
pose upon others, and will be as
free to grant to others access to
opportunity as he is eager to find
il himself. We should care
enough about the distressed, the
unfortunate and the underpriv-
LEGGED to try to help them-and
10 help them to help themselves.
This has always been the Ameri-
can way; the way of true De-
mocracy''.
Mrs. Stephen w. Douglass,
president, was in the chair. The
meeting was opened by the re-
citing of the Club Prayer, follow
ed by the Pledge of Allegiance
TO the Flag of the United States
and the singing of America, the
Beautiful.
Mrs. Mario Calleja read the
minutes of the November meet
ing, and Mrs. j. ]. Trevor, in the
absence of Miss Minnie Porter
Harris, treasurer, read the finan-
cial report of the club. It was
very gratifying to learn that Mrs.
William White, recording secre-
tary. who has been i'll, will prob
ably be able to resume her du-
ties at the January meeting.
Reports of the standing COM
mittees and department heads
were heard Mrs. Norberg
Thompson asked that any MEM
bers having recent books to dis
pose of kindly donate them to the
Library. Mrs. Louis Pierce an
nounced five new members had
been admitted to the club, Mrs
Mary H. Barker, Mrs. William ].
Lee, Mrs. d. E. Boney, Mrs. Allen
Cleare, Jr., and Mrs. Charles E.
Roberts. A hearty welcome was
extended to these new members
Mrs j. ]. Trevor announced
several events that will be spon-
sored by the club during the com
ing months, including a tropical
luncheon and an oyster supper
It was agreed that the date of the
club meeting in January will
be changed from the End to the
9th and that the reception fol