The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1947-01-01

Dear Friends:
On December 9 and 10, | spent
two most interesting days visiting
in West Palm Beach conferrlng
with public officials and private
citizens about matters of interest
to them. On the 10th, ! had the
privilege of addressing a large
meeting of the West Palm Beach
Rotary Club, where ! discussed
my efforts TO bring about a bet
ter understanding between the
United States and Russia and; all
other countries, in order that we
might look upon a future OF peace
and not have 10 go through the
agonies and anguish of another
war.
I stated that it would be my
policy in the new Congress to re-
gard all legislation strictly on
merit. When the Republicans
propose good legislation, | would
support it, and if they offer leg
islation detrimental to the peace
and security and well-belng OF
the people, oppose it. / also VOC
ed my hope that the Republicans
would not allow this country to
drop into the abyss of another
depression, but if a depression
began TO appear upon the horizon,
would set in motion, through the
government, forces that would
tend to prevent it or TO soften its
blow.
|, The afternoon of the 10th, / at
tended, with some 1000 citizens
Ealong the east coast, a public
Hearing before the Army Engi-
|neers in behalf of the opening OF
the San Sebastian Inlet. This In
let certainly should be opened.
The 11ih and 18th, l spent in
Jacksonville. There I met with
the city commission, with the
Chamber of Commerce Board of
Directors and saw, many delega-
tons of citizens. Among the, dele
cations calling on me was a large
delegation representing the veter-
ans. ] told them that / would try
to prevent handicapped veterans
from being let out of work, IN
case employees had TO be laid off,
that was going to demand an in
vestigation of the whole veterans
housing program when Congress
convenes and that l did not favor
at the present time the removal
of all controls on rent. did state
publicly, however, that there
were cases where rent adjustments
could fairly be made in favor of
the landlord and / wanted the
local rent authorities, aided by
local citizens committees. to have
authority to make such adjust
ments. tt = 1
The Board of Directors of the
Chamber of Commerce wanted to
know whether l favored removal
of federal controls on business. /
stated I did favor removal of all
wartime controls on business and
/ wanted to see our economy be-
come free again to the fullest pos
sible extent. said, however, that
l did not feel that we could re-
move controls on commercial con-
struction until the home building
particularly for veter-
ans, got further along. I told the
board, however, that l did feel it
proper for home construction of
any sort to be permitted, that is,
If veteran could either himself
build or get somebody else to
build for him, other than the gov
home costing more
than $4,000, he should be per-
to do so.
/ advised the chamber that /
was against Communistic infiltra-
ton IN the government, that l IA
vor. as far as possible, the balanc-
ing OF the federal budget and also
the reduction of income taxes, but
added that we have big ma
.ional debt and we must begin TO
>educe that and T do not want tho