The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-20
VISIT OF OUR PRESIDENT

Under our democratic form of gov
eminent the nations chief executive has
no power to legislate laws or to ap-
propriate money for any purpose unless
authorized by Congress. .gOf lateyears the
Congress has given the country's greatest
personality, Franklin Delano Roosevelt,
wide powers in the expenditure of huge
sums for relief and for public works prof
ects of all kind. His signature is suffi-
cient, within the limits fixed by Congress,
to make possible such projects as Over
seas highway.
Saturday President Roosevelt spent
approximately 80 minutes within the city
limits of Key West. Perhaps Is minutes
of that visit was spent travelling from the
head of the island, through two of our
main streets on the way to the naval sta
ton. Having arrived ahead of schedule.
the President sat in his car and chattedl
pleasantly and informally with wide
variety of persons, several of them Key
Westers while waiting to make broad
casts opening San Francisco and Tampa
fairs.
Within range of his voice all the time
the President was in Key West was Mayor
Willard M. Albury, who joined Mr.. 'Roose-
welt in his car by invitation. All the way
down Roosevelt boulevard and even while
he was waving his hat and smiling broadly
at the applauding populace, the President
fired literally hundreds of questions at the
mayor. The mayor, fortunately, is not
only the city's chief executive, but a men,
Der of the Overseas Road and Toll Bridge
district and entirely familiar with num-
Der of problems confronting Key West.
Therefore, he was able to supply the an
swers to those rapid-fire questions.
From what the mayor was able to re-
veal, without violating condolences and
the proprietes, the President was inter-
ested in the proposed extension of Over
seas highway on the railroad yiaducts and
roadbed, because he thought the COM
pleted section sis magnificent" in the
plan to bring fresh water from the main
land and in possible uses for Key West
naval station.
The President questioned not only
Mayor Albury, but Lieut.. Fort Callahan,
officer in charge Of the naval station, and
Lee Pierce, aide to Lieut.. Callahan, re-
garding the naval station and submarine
base. Mr.. Roosevelt seemingly was sur
prised when informed that vessels, mean
ing all naval craft except battleships and
airplane carriers, with a draft up to 25
feet could move in and out of the naval
base and could be moored there. The
President took a deep interest in charts
shown him to substantiate this fact.
Coming down the boulevard, Presi-
dent Roosevelt also inquired about the
navy seaplanes anchored off Trumbo Sec
ton. The mayor pointed out the good
anchorage available for seaplanes and
stressed the availability of Trumbo as a
navy air base, the unexcelled flying con-
ditions and other facts.
This city has dome to life since was
here some years ago." the President COM
mented. II am familiar with some of the
problems confronting the city,. I am glad
came down over. the beautiful highway
and saw what you are doing to brighten up
this fine little CITY,"
Mayor Albury and others got the def
mite impression that President Roosevelt
is interested in the future of Key West. If
that is the fact, Key West may expect some
developments which will benefit not only
this city, but the nation as well, for no city
=
any scheme of national defense that may
be developed by this administration.