The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-09-11
NOTES FROM THE
CAPITOL
OUR UNITED EFFORT"
By ALBERT C. ROBERTS
Washington. D. c.

devastated the northern part of
our county, and wrought the
greatest property damage and life
toll in the history of our state.
Soon after winds subsidized
went to that area and witnessed
the almost unbelievable loss.
The railroad was completely de-
stroyed, and the highway severed
in many places.
Key West had begun to suffer
in 1892 when, in the name of
economy, the government closed
the Navy Yard. The storm was
the second effort to annihilate
our community. The next major
blow was the destruction of one
of four long wooden spans.
At the moment when our fu-
ture was most perilous, a great
ray of hope was given. The Pres
ident signed a bill allocating
several millions of dollars for re-
facilitating the destroyed spans
and the creation of new ones.
No other people in the State of
Florida have a greater determina-
ton to remove overwhelming OBJ
stacles, than the people of Key
West. Several years ago they
cheerfully gave over a million
hours of free labor to assist in
enhancing the beauty and sani-
tary conditions of the city.
Today our community has been
revived We have countless i'm
provementS; and one of the out
standing is the water and sewer
age. The mains have been laid,
all that remains is to convince
Washington that even in the light
of national defense this money
must be made available.
No other paper possesses a
more public-spirited citizen than
the editor of The Key West Citi-
zen, L. P. Artman. For years he
maintained the highest principles
of public-spirited cooperation
and accepted every challenge to
present both sides with imparti-
atty.
In former articles, l have re-
ferred to our Naval Base and
Fort Taylor My predictions have
come true-the yard is reopen
ed and a seaplane base is being
built. Key West is one of the
most important vital links of de-
Tense of the western hemisphere.
No one can dispute our accessible
ity to the Panama Canal and the
harassing of hostile forces at
! tempting to enter the Gulf of
Mexico. England's mighty battle
fleet is mute evidence of the new
weapons of war.
Key West is within easy plane
range of South America; our de-
fined naval area places us as a
legal area for aerial lombard
ment. We hope the present Ad-
ministration or any other will not
leave us unprepared and unde-
Tended without adequate anti
aircraft and aerial defenses.
/ Our stored munitions, and our
naval oil reserves would soon, if
bombed, not only devaState the
armed areas, but the entire COM
munity.
/ Your nations capitol is feverish
with activity of national defense.
The new War Department is be-
ing pushed, and another story is
being added to the condemned
munitions building.
Today l listened to the address
of the President of the American
Federation of Labor, William
Green On Labor Day he pledged
labor to national defense but he
condemned the Wadsworth con-
scription bill. He stated if we
could prove voluntary enlist
ment had failed he would support
this measure. / think many mil
lions of Americans join with
him.
Sen. Wheeler stated we were
creating military machine
which may in itself destroy its
benefactor. I stand opposed to
CONSUMPTION because it is not the
American Way. l firmly believe
that patriotic young America
would rally to the defense of the
nation if they were given some
definition of the peril which con-
fronts our government.
We stand behind the National
Defense program, and we pray
that, like England. we will not
have to sacrifice our Democratic
institutions. Once we have sur
rendered the liberties for which
we fought, we san no longer hope
to regain them.
This nation engaged in a great
Civil War, because the people OF
one section believed their iber-
ties were endangered by govern
mental policies that were un:
American. That scar has never
entirely healed, as is sometimes
evidenced by partisan demon
strations in Congress,
Let us look to Almighty GOD