Coral Gables Riviera

CORAL GABLES RIVIERA

AN INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER 17TH YEAR NO. 4 CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA, FEBRUARY 6, 1942 PRICE FIVE CENTS

Counter-Unit Plan Is Given Reeder By Shaw

Miami Mayor Reeder's County Unit plan went through a wringer before this week's meeting of the Coral Gables Lions Club. When the arguments had been hung and dried the box score was as follows: 1. Mayor Reeder saw the possibility of saving upwards of $200,000 by combining assessment and tax collection machinery in Dade County, argued that centralization of health control was advocated by a joint State-Federal survey of Dade County. 2. Coral Gables Finance Expert George Shaw countered the Reeder proposal with one that Coral Gables collect taxes and make assessments within the city limits and turn over required funds to the county, thereby restricting the county machinery to unincorporated areas and one duplication of activity. 3. Mayor Joe Whitley saw the subject as an "all-fired important" one, suggested ample and detailed study of the plan before "tinkering". Introduced as the "author" of the County Unit Plan, Mayor Reeder disclaimed authorship and declared he had just revived discussion of a long-talked-of proposal to consolidate tax collection and assessment machinery. No Debt Shifting "There is no proposal on anyone's part to pool public debt or to shift Miami's expenses to the county," Mayor Reeder said. "We don't want any governmental unit to pay for service that they do not actually receive. "It stands to reason, however, that if we were to have one tax assessor and one tax collector doing one job, there would undoubtedly be saving," the Miami Mayor said. Shaw saw danger in the "influence of a large voting power necessitating in Miami on the shunting of expense to the smaller cities in the county" and suggested an investment in a "paid study of plan to ascertain the actual saving, if any, in the proposal." "In effecting a plan like this it would merely mean, in most cases, a transfer of personnel from city to county rolls—there being the same amount of work to be done," Shaw said. "With regard to tax assessment and collection, the one-bill idea is fine, but, in that case, it would be a more feasible idea for the city to do the assessing and collecting and turn over the funds required by the county." Shaw told the Lions that the county is not assessing on a 100 per cent basis on homes. He added that if he were assured the county would tax on the 100 per cent basis he would look more favorably upon the plan. Commenting on Reeder's country-wide health program, Shaw said that it would work with everything except the sewer system, and pointed out that it was futile for Coral Gables to observe rigid health regulations when a "dirty little juke joint may operate across Red Road." Shaw compared the expense of operating the City Commission with that of taking the family to the movies once a year, and urged that, for this small sum the personal contact available to the public was worth it. Will B. Reynolds presided at the meeting.

JOE WHITLEY C. H. REEDER G. N. SHAW

Board 7 Sees Big Registration

2,000 Potential Draftees Expected; Will Use Schools Preparing to take care of the registration of 2,000 potential draftees on February 14, 15, 16, Draft Board 7 yesterday announced eight registration places for this district. The new registration, which will take in all men who have attained their 20th birthday on or before December 31, 1941 and who have not attained their 45th birthday on February 16, 1942 and who have not heretofore registered, will be held from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the three days. In Coral Gables registration headquarters will be the Coral Gables Elementary School, with Miss Abigail Gilday being sworn in as a deputy registrar. American Legion members will also assist. Registrations will also be taken at Tropical Park and provision has been made to send deputes to the University Hospital to register patients. Other registration places available to Board 7 registrants including the white and colored school buildings in South Miami, Homestead and Perrine.

Round Table Hears Mayor, Club Reports

An explanation of the city's position on the Reeder Plan by Mayor Joe Whitley and reports on club activities occupied members of the Civic Round Table at the monthly meeting Friday at the Century Club of Coral Gables. Whitley told the group that the city was now preparing statistics on the county-unit idea, and that they would be presented to the clubs when ready. Mrs. Jack Horseley of the Coral Gables Junior Woman's Club told plans to move the dental clinic from the second floor of the city hall to the small building in the patio just adjacent. Mrs. M. B. Garris reported on the Garden Club's participation in the Flower Show scheduled for Saturday. Mrs. Andrew Doleman stated that the Woman's Club had opened the clubhouse five days a week for defense projects. She also said that the club had donated money for a linen room in the new Crippled Children's Hospital. Miss Helen Warner of the Town and Gown Club revealed details of the party yesterday at the University Musical Workshop. Mrs. Lloyd Park reported on an address given by Dean Russell of Columbia University before the D.A.R. in which he stated that there were over 14,000 aliens living in the Miami area and only 433 studying to become citizens. Mrs. Harry Trafford of the Elementary P.-T.A. urged the group to do everything possible to promote the book drive for service men.

Full Text of Christian Science Lecture On Page 7

Coral Gables Elementary Graduates 35 Students to Ponce de Leon High

Mid-year term of the Coral Gables Elementary School graduated 35 boys and girls, and for the first time the 35, as a class, chose to enter Ponce de Leon High School for their pre-college education. Heretofore Miami Senior High and Shenandoah have lured some students. With 35 seniors leaving, Coral Gables Elementary has not lost its record of hovering around the 1,000 enrollment mark, as 21 new first graders and 18 pupils other than first graders entered the mid-term semester. Some of the new students have come from as far as Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and one, Francis English, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Byrnes English, is from Lulihua, T. H. Those students completing their elementary schooling and entering Ponce de Leon are Eleanor Blanton, Bill Gobat, Jimmy Harrison, Mike Knowles, Bill Kerdyk, Bobby Lanigan, Charles Linersedge, Charles Lloyd, Harry Purcell, Glenn Smith, Edwin Witmer, Sarah Alderson, Jean Albury, Rose Mary Cacco, Joyce Cully, Doris Edwards, Barbara Evans, Rita Goldweber, Ava Nell Gordon, Patricia Grimes, Audrey Harris, Gay Liddell, Virginia Mathews, Hazel Neville, Betty Pulty, Patricia Reese, Dorothy Stamm, Jean Switzer, Libby Walker, Eleanor Wardlow, Mary Jane Warner, Dorothy Williams, Helen Wotton and Lillian Pieper.

Masked Bandit Stages Hold-Up

Gables Goes All-Out For Bonds

Residents Spend $41,906.25 in Month of January Coral Gables residents went all out for defense during January, purchasing $41,906.25 in Defense Savings Bonds, according to Post Office officials. The January figure shows an amazing increase over that of December, when the Gables branch rang up $16,218.75 in Defense sales. The scale of sales through the past several months gives a picture of human nature. Sales dropped from $5,500.00 in August to $4,275.00 in September, to $3,131.25 in November. Then along came Pearl Harbor and the war. December sales jumped to $16,218.75, an increase of about five times. Postal receipts for January show but a slight increase over the same month of last year, with $10,602.48 for January, 1942, as compared to $10,119.47 for January, 1941.

Woman's Club Asks Dismissal Of Law Suit

The Coral Gables Woman's Club Monday, through its attorney, Clifton D. Benson, filed a motion to dismiss the suit of the City of Coral Gables against the Club. The suit is in response to a complaint of the W.P.A. that the property was illegally conveyed by the city for the Club five years ago. The motion to dismiss claims the City is without standing in Court to attack its own transaction, which Benson claims was entirely valid and "fully authorized by the City's charter and executed in the sound discretion of the then city commission in entire good faith on part of both the City and the Club and beneficial to the City in securing a property which would not otherwise have been possible." The motion further maintains that there have been no violations of the public purposes for which the property was constructed and hence the W.P.A. has no ground for complaint or right to demand that the City recapture the title and that there have been shown no rules or regulations of the W.P.A. that have been violated. "The next move is up to the City," said Mr. Benson. "Its counsel will probably ask that the case be set for hearing on the law of the matter to test out the legal sufficiency of the City's bill of complaint. This would be only a preliminary legal skirmish. The Club has not yet disclosed its full case."

Where's the Starch?

Local merchants, residents and home owners seem to have joined hands and voices in a long, solemn wail. They are throwing up the sponge, expending their energies at the wailing wall instead of whipping a little life blood into business. There are tales of woe told under the hat, behind the hand, sotto voce, and "for your information only." Let's look at the picture: There's a war in progress. Everyone who can turn a wheel in the national defense machine has been called to turn that wheel. Vacations are something to be taken when the job is done. Therefore, there are fewer people in our vacationland than we have had in prior years. Is that a good reason for giving up the ghost? Is the present situation an excuse for spreading stories of pessimism and rumors of evil still to come? There has been, among other rumors which have no foundation, a story that Tropical Park will not open for the second half of its meeting. This rumor, like others which are being spread, is entirely without foundation. Tropical will open for the second meeting. Let's do what the rest of the country is doing—make the best of what we have. And let's heave-to, sharpen up our sales talk and our products. Then, if there still is a loss to be sustained, charge it to our vast effort to keep the Democratic form of government and our peace-time land of free and unhampered enterprise.

Literature Institute Opens Monday at University

The first week of the University of Miami's tenth annual Winter Institute of Literature, which begins Monday features several writers well-known to Miamians in many walks of life. Monday afternoon Hervey Allen discusses "The Beginnings of the New Movement in Southern Letters". On Tuesday evening Marjorie Stoneman Douglas talks about "The Rise and Fall of the Short Story", Wednesday afternoon and evening, John Gould Fletcher talks about "The Southern Poet and His Background", and "The American Poetry Renaissance of 1912-1927." On Thursday afternoon, Virgil Barker, Miami art critic and historian talks about "The Painter in the South", and on Friday afternoon Dr. John Oliver La Gorce, noted editor of the National Geographic Magazine is discussing National Geographic Society and its Magazine and is showing sound color films of South America in connection with his talk. The "Institute", as it is known on the University of Miami campus, will present during its second and third weeks, according to Walter Scott Mason, director, Harry Hansen, editor of the O. Henry Prize Stories; Roark Bradford, creator of "Old Man Adam and his Chillun", and Mary Rose Bradford, literary agent, editor, and publisher. Mr. Fletcher will also participate in the second and third weeks sessions. "The Winter Institute of Literature is one of the University of Miami's three notable efforts to serve a highly cosmopolitan winter-time community," Director Mason states. "Each season the University engages the finest musicians to appear as guest artists with the student (Please turn to Page 4)

Three Courses For Adults Are Announced

Announcement is made of three distinctly new courses to be offered by the adult division of the University of Miami. The first two are air navigation and meteorology, to be taught by Mr. Samuel Rhea Mathis and Mr. Benjamin Hinton, both of the staff of Pan American Airways, and the third course is conversational Spanish, to be taught by Dr. Donald F. Fogelquist, assistant professor at the University. The course in air navigation will be offered on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and will include the theory and application of position findings by dead reckoning, piloting and radio navigation and its related basic principles. The course in meteorology will be a study of atmosphere, observations, the use of necessary instruments, clouds, physics of the air, temperature, wind systems, air masses, cyclones and anti-cyclones, weather analysis and weather forecasting procedure, climatology and the history of meteorology. The course in conversational Spanish is designed for those primarily interested in acquiring a speaking knowledge of Spanish without undue emphasis on (Please turn to Page 4)

Books Open In Gables Precincts

Deadline Mar. 2! Registration Seen Heavy This Year Registration books for the state and county elections were opened Monday, with five registration places being named for Coral Gables. The books will remain open in the precincts until Monday, March 2, when they will be returned to the office of Carl Holmer, supervisor of registration in the courthouse, where they will be available until midnight, April 18. Because registration is being required this year as proof of residence in the filing of homestead exemption applications, it is anticipated that an unusually large number of names will be inscribed on the books. All naturalized citizens of the United States must present their naturalization papers when registering. The first primary will be held May 5, with the second following on May 26. Offices which will be filled at the election include County Solicitor, Purchasing Agent, School Board for Districts 1, 2 and 3, County Commissioners, Judge of the Court of Crimes, Judge of the Criminal Court of Records, members of the State House of Representatives, members of Congress for the Fourth Congressional District, members of Congress-at-Large, State Democratic Executive Committee, State Congressional Democratic Committee, State's Attorney, Precinct Committeemen and Women. Registration places in Coral Gables include. Precinct 87—Brown's Grocery Store, 5102 Southwest Eighth Street—Mae E. Brown. Precinct 88—County Club of Coral Gables, 997 N. Greenway Drive—Dora B. Thomas, Karl Schmitz. Precinct 89—219 Coral Way, Gables Apothecary. Precinct 106—Paul Ward, 2410 Ponce de Leon Boulevard. Precinct 107—Miami Biltmore Country Club—S. M. Paxton.

Hialeah Charity Day To Draw Gableites

Hialeah Park again expects to play host to a large throng this Friday because of Widener Charity Club Day. This time it will be local and Florida institutions which will benefit. Officers of the Widener Charty Inc. which is a nonprofit organization, are Joseph E. Widener, president; Edward C. Romfh, vice president, and Sam H. McCormick, secretary-treasurer. Directors include the aforementioned, John C. Clark and Peter A. B. Widener. All proceeds of the day will go to local charities. Because of the local aspect of the Widener Charity Chest, plans for luncheon parties are already being formulated by society notables of Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, and other towns in the greater Miami area.

Visitor Has Largest Library On Abe Lincoln

Coral Gables Kiwanians heard of some little known episodes in Abraham Lincoln's life Tuesday when Dr. Louis A. Warren addressed the group. Dr. Warren, who was the guest of Louie Lanford, owns the largest collection of literature ever gathered together about one man. He has written several books on the subject. He has addressed all of the larger civic clubs in the United States.

Violinist Will Appear Monday With Symphony

Ruggiero Ricci, twenty-year-old genius of the violin, will be the third artist to appear with the University of Miami Symphony Orchestra, conducted by John Bitter, in their fourteenth subscription season. The American composition which will be featured in the Monday concert played by the symphony is to be the Scherzo "With Humor," by Paul Creston. Creston, who was born in New York City in 1906, showed an interest in music at an early age and received his first piano lessons when he was eight years old. Among his teachers in piano were G. Aldo Randegger and Gaston Dethier. In harmony, counterpoint and composition he is entirely self-taught. At present Mr. Creston is organist and choirmaster of St. Malachy's Church in New York and he also teaches piano and composition and concertizes. The Symphony Orchestra and Mr. Ricci will appear in Fort Lauderdale on February 10, making this the second concert in the Fort Lauderdale series this season.

Mrs. Huguelet Dies in Michigan

Funeral services were held Saturday in Grosse Point, Mich., for Mrs. Ida Huguelet of 3727 Harlano Street, who passed away suddenly while in the northern city. Mrs. Huguelet was stricken as she waited in the railway station with her sister, who was to accompany her on the return trip to Coral Gables. She had gone to Michigan about two weeks ago to attend the funeral of her sister, Mrs. Max Etling. Mrs. Huguelet was a member of the First Christian Church and the Coral Gables Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star. She came here several years ago with her husband, Edward J. Huguelet, who survives her. She also leaves a son, Jack Huguelet, of Baltimore. Mr. Huguelet left by plane for Grosse Point and is expected to return to Coral Gables this week.

COUNTRY CLUB PLANS HUGE VALENTINE BRIDGE

Plans are going forward nicely for the huge Valentine bridge the woman's committee of the country Club of Coral Gables is giving Tuesday. More than 100 tables will be in play. Decorations are in the Valentine mood and there will be door prizes. Defense Stamps will be table prizes.

Victim Is Locked Up In Cupboard

Thief Pulls Gun When Discovered Looting Home Coral Gables is seeking a masked white bandit who Tuesday afternoon held up J. R. English at his home, 1333 Blue Road, and escaped with $10 in cash. According to police reports, English returned to his home about 5:30 P. M. and discovered the man in his house. The bandit, wearing a handkerchief, stuck a gun in his ribs and forced him to march upstairs. After forcing English to hand over $10 in cash and his car keys, the robber locked him in the cupboard and escaped. English finally managed to break the door down and phoned police. English said the man was about 40, tall and slender, and wore blue dungarees. Monday evening a burglar attempted to enter Tanner's Grocery Store by cutting a hole in the roof, but escaped when he was noticed and the police called. Mrs. John W. Crittendon, 215 Avenue Navarre, noticed the man on the roof and called headquarters. By the time police arrived, however, the burglar got frightened and made his getaway. He had started to cut a hole 2 feet square on the roof and an auger and saw were discovered on the Lovett store roof, adjoining. A. W. Lummis, 311 Avenue Navarre, told police Tuesday that a burglar had entered his home by cutting a screen door and escaped with $5. Mrs. L. Garrett, 251 Avenue Sidonia, returned home Tuesday afternoon to discover the screen door cut, but entry not affected. F. C. James, 760 Avenue Valencia, reported that gas thieves had drained the tank of his automobile Monday night.

MRS. COLE TO BE HOSTESS

Mrs. J. Kenneth Cole, 3801 Durango Street, will be hostess Monday at 12 noon for the members of the Lions Auxiliary. covered dish luncheon.

Memo:

This is just a little reminder for all you folks that Valentine's Day isn't far off this isn't leap year, the sun is shining, and better times are on the way. (See Page 5.) But that isn't all we want to remind you of. Make a note on the margin of this page to read Jimmy Moore's piece on the garden three stories up in the air; to keep pace with the social whirl with Helen Reynolds on Page 3; to see our character portrait of Dumbo in Mr. Daniels' ad on Page 8; to see bargains in food in the Dowling and Coal Gables Grocery ads in this issue. And that ain't all! We want to remind you that we are trying hard to give you the kind of paper you want. With Valentine's Day so near don't you think you should drop us a card telling how you like us? We like you! THE RIVIERA

Lippmann Lauds Nelson Appointment; Asks Additional Competent Aides

By WALTER LIPPMANN There has been some progress in making the government better fitted to conduct the war. But we shall be making a very serious error if we now relax and assume that the appointment of Mr. Nelson is anything more than the beginning of the conversion of the government itself from a peacetime to a war-time basis. For the moment let us assume that the establishment of the Nelson office by the executive order is sufficient. For the moment let us choose not to make too much of the fact, noted on Monday by Mr. Ernest Lindley, that Mr. Knudsen's appointment in the War Department was made not by Mr. Nelson but by the President in a separate action. For even if Mr. Nelson's authority is really final and comprehensive in the field of production and procurement of munitions, there remain large and vitally important fields of government which cannot be left as they are now organized. Mr. Nelson's field is the supplying of the armed forces. But there is a lot more to total war than that, and when we look beyond Mr. Nelson's province at all great things that must be done, it is difficult, because on the one hand the Japanese successes have deeply injured our internal economy, and on the other hand because it is now evident that the President is still carrying a burden of responsibility which is beyond the capacity of any human being to do well. Mr. Roosevelt is the Commander in Chief, which means that he must make the great strategic decisions, military, political and diplomatic, in continual consultation with our Allies. In the whole history of mankind, there has never before been a war that was actually world-wide, with so many theatres of war, with such immense and complicated coalitions on both sides. This is a responsibility which in the last analysis the President cannot delegate: he alone can make the final choice of the commanders in the field and he alone can make the momentous agreements which have to be made with Churchill, Stalin and Chiang Kai-shek. But Mr. Roosevelt is also the Chief Executive, which means that the immensely difficult domestic problems of the nation in war time come up to him through many regular departments—the Treasury, Commerce, Labor, Justice—and through many emergency agencies which deal with Civilian Defense, social security, price control, transportation, housing, and the like. The problems here are not routine. On the contrary, they are novel and (Please turn to Page 6)

'U' Playmakers Do Well With Bernard Shaw Comedy

One of what George Bernard Shaw calls his pleasant plays, the three-act comedy, "Candida," was given a pleasant performance last night at the University of Miami Theatre by the University's Playmakers, opening a three-day run. Shirley Haimes Goldston ably fills the best woman's role Shaw ever wrote, the part of Candida for which Katherine Cornell is famous in America. Director Charles Philhour did a smooth piece of work, preserving the light touch required for the presentation of the story of a "natural woman". The wife of an English minister, adored by her husband and by a young poet, Candida is placed in the position of choosing between them. Lloyd Symansky played the Reverend Morell and William Reich was Marchbanks, the two who were rivals for Candida's love. Natalie Allen as Proserpine Garnett, William Diamant as Lexy Mills, and Manuel Roth as Mr. Burgess show ability in handling their roles. The play was first produced in 1904 in New York by Daly, whose collection of theatre prints decorate the bare walls of the University theatre.