The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-06-21
NAVY WOULD HAVE
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NAVY WOULD HAVE
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of the Navy Department in discon-
tinuing the bus service.
MANY thanks and best wishes.
Sincerely yours,
GEORGE SMATHERS
Omitted States Senator"
AdmirsI's Letter
The letter from Adm. Good,
dated June IS, to Smathers fol-
lows:
my dear Senator Smathers:
"This will acknowledge your let
ter of June 10, 1854, enclosing q
telegram from Mrs. Mary Lee
Graham, President, Key West
Chamber of Commerce, in which
she protested the discontinuance of
Naval bus tours, Key West Naval
Base
This matter was carefully
considered in connection with
your letter to Mr.. C.. w. Mont
gomery, Key West, copy of which
was forwarded to the Navy with
your request for such comments
as might be consistent.
Decision to discontinue the
Navy bus tours of the Key West
Naval Base was made because
such use of Naval buses is clear
ly in contravention of the policy
of the SECRETARY of the Navy to
refrain from competition with priv.
ate enterprise unless it is neces-
sary for the government itself
to perform the particular service.
l am informed that there are
commercial facilities which can
provide a similar service. The
Commander of the Naval Base,
Key West, has been authorized
to arrange schedule when COM
mercial sightseeing buses can
enter the Base with appropriate
security restrictions. He has been
further authorized to use Navy
buses for sightseeing tours
within the Base on special occa-
sions such as the observance of
Armed Forces Week or in SIM
liar circumstances when the best
interests of both the government
and the public would be served
thereby.
Il must therefore advise you
that l cannot re-establish Navy
bus tours of the Key West Naval
Base except as outlined above.
Il trust the foregoing informa,
ton is satisfactory. If l can be
OF further assistance, please do
not hesitate to call on me.
Sincerely yours,
"R. F. GOOD,
"Vice Admiral, USN."
Smafhers To Mrs. Graham
The letter from Smathers, dated
June 10, to Mrs. Graham fol.
lows:
Dear Mrs. Graham:
Confirming information given
in telephone conversation with you
and Mr.. Peek, my Assistant today,
l am enclosing the reply from Ad-
miral Good of the Office of Naval
Operations in response to my re-
quest that the protest from the
Chamber of Commerce to the dis
continuance Of the Navy bus tours
receive every consideration.
"AS stated-with particular ref
erence to the letter from Mr.. c. w.
Montgomery-it is our general
policy to forward to appropriate
sources of the Government any
communication sent US from any
constituents, for official replies.
Mr.. Montgomery had written a let.
ter to the Secretary of the Navy
and a copy was sent to my office.
"In addition to the information
in Admiral Goods letter we were
advised in telephone conversation
with him that the bus tours had
been arranged on the local level
that is, by the Key West Naval
Base, and had not received ap-
prevail of the Department of the
Navy in Washington. 1t was the
determination of the Secretary of
the Navy, Mr.. Thomas, to suspend
such tours as soon as he had learn
ed of the situation. We were ad.
vised that had the suspension not
taken place the Navy Department
ran the risk of losing appropria-
tons for their Navy buses, as
these appropriations are for offic.
ial purposes and needs of the Navy
and funds could not be appropria-
ted for buses to be used in an
unofficial way. You viii note the
further point made that the Sec
rotary of the Navy desires to ad.
here to his policy to refrain from
competing with private enterprise
unless it is necessary for the
Government itself to perform the
particular service.