The Coral Gables Times

THE Coral Gables TIMES

Established Jan. 15, 1926 Second Class Postage Published at Paid at Miami, Fla. 364 Sevilla Ave., Coral Gables 34, Fla. JOHN T. WATTERS | President ROLFE NEILL | Editor & Publisher Robert Collins | Advertising Manager Murry Evans | Circulation Manager Maurice Lebelle, Raymond Lang | Reporters Mrs. Kay Squires | Classified Manager Miss Helen Reynolds | Society Editor Mrs. Dorothy McCreary | Office Manager Subscriptions: $4.20 year by mail anywhere

Move on Up A Little Higher, McNayr

We are pleased with the Metro Commission's decision this week to spend $10,000 to study methods of drawing up effective pollution controls relative to the proposed oil refinery near Homestead. In our opinion, however, the commissioners only approached half the problem. The county manager, Mr. McNayr, seems to presuppose that an oil refinery can be made compatible with Dade County's marine life and tourist economy. We don't know that it can't. But neither do we believe Mr. McNayr knows for sure that it can. And that's just our point. It behooves us to study the operating experience of a dozen major oil communities to find out the realities of pollution there today. We were reminded of this just this morning as we drove to work. Passing the City of Coral Gables' sewage disposal plant at the University we were greeted with a highly disagreeable odor, an odor that comes from there fairly frequently. Yet, this was a guaranteed smell-proof installation. Less than a mile to the north, we passed the City of Miami's incinerator, nestled in Coconut Grove and spewing half-burned garbage and fallout over expensive Gables homes and whatever else happened to get in the way. And this, too, was a fool-proof installation. The Times believes that Metro should widen the focus of its inquiry to look beyond merely how to control such oil industrial waste. Let's find out if in the everyday living of it all, oil refineries can be shown to be entirely free of unpleasant after effects. And while we're at it, what about sulphur plants and the other allied petro-chemical firms that will congregate in South Dade once a refinery locates there? Let us also ascertain their record of livability and desirability elsewhere in the nation.

We're Loco for Coco

The figures were halfway down in a story on page 5 in last week's Times. Possibly you didn't see them. We were impressed, though, as we read a little history of the Coco Plum Woman's Club. What caught our eye was a land transaction in which the ladies were involved some decades back. They bought five acres for $100 — a total of $100 — in 1912. The land was on Sunset Drive where their clubhouse now stands, near Riviera Presbyterian Church. Fourteen years later they sold four of the five acres to Gables promoter George Merrick for $25,000 an acre — a total of $100,000. The bulk of the proceeds went to construct their clubhouse. Just goes to show you that the Coco Plum-ers have an eye for the fiscal side of things as well as civic projects. And while we're at it, in behalf of us book-starved folks in the southern part of town we'd like to say thank you to Coco Plum for its excellent lending library. The vitality of that organization would never suggest that milady's just returned a golden fifty. Many happy returns.

Makes Our Point

On this page last week, we suggested that our Chamber of Commerce become self-respecting by paying its own way and not require a subsidy from the City of Coral Gables. A recent news item in our town is a good example of what we mean. When the idea of an unusual Christmas display for Merrick Park was advanced last fall, the finance committee for the project obtained $500 from the City on the $8,500 goal. Then they went out door knocking. Raising money is no pleasant task. Yet, the committee pushed on well into 1962 to get donations. Instead of writing off the City's donation, the committee worked until it could return that money to its donor. The whole affair was self-supporting. That's self-respect.

EDITOR:

My congratulations to Maurice Labelle for his most competent series of articles on Gables slum clearance and like congratulations to The Times for its editorial comment in the March 1 issue. I am also greatly pleased with what appears to be a unanimous decision on the part of our City Commission to get the job done. A crusading newspaper and a sincere legislative body make an unbeatable combination. It should be remembered that Mayor Searle originally sponsored this program and his strong leadership at this time should be very helpful. If our citizenry and local banks will add their support, there can be no question of success. Coral Gables was the first city in Florida to establish a Minimum Housing Standards Code. It retains its leadership in this area by doing a complete clean up job. The subject and attending problems are lengthy. It would serve no useful purpose to belabor it by further comment at this time. My sincerest wishes for success in this important economic and humanitarian project. If the powers that be feel that I can be of any assistance in any capacity, I stand ready to help to the limit of my capacity. CHARLES FINKELSTEIN 815 Catalonia Ave.

Letters to Editor

★ ★ ★ EDITOR: I sincerely hope you will allow me space to give my views about God, as Ella Charlton did a few weeks ago in her article, "God May Not Be Where They Say!" My idea is quite the opposite — where Miss Charlton's "church" seems to sadden her, make her think of death, and feel so removed from God, my church makes me rejoice and through the Holy Spirit working in the church, I feel close to my Heavenly Father and look forward to the glorious day when I will enter into His Heavenly Family. Far too many times we are convicted of taking part of a scripture verse and implying it to something — misinterpreting its full value. In Christ's Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5-7) He speaks to us saying, "Wherefore, if God so clothed the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" Thus we see we could not take solely "O ye of little faith" and get the same meaning Christ wanted us to, because He is speaking to us of our physical death and like the grass dies and new grows in its place, so when we die a new body shall be born into eternal life. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." When we believe the Bible as the Word of God and the only infallible rule, we know that we are sinners. Whenever I think of death, I know full well that from the day of birth I walk to death of my mortal body, but my soul will not die. And so when I think of death it only means to be with my Lord and Savior and all loved ones gone before. My belief is summed up in three points: 1. My chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. 2. I am a sinner and know that when I confess my many sins before God, he is faithful and just to forgive them. (1st John 1:9) 3. Accepting the first two points a. I must be ready and willing to take God at His word and not be self-righteous. b. Know God is no respector of persons. (Chronicles 19:7) c. Because I except salvation through Christ's shed blood on the cross, I can go, even boldly, right to the Throne of God. (Romans 10: 9-13). I too, as Miss Charlton does, can see God in nature — but I also can talk to Him personally through Christ as the only Mediator between God and man and I see my Lord in everything I do and in everyplace I go. In order to find God in church we must open the door of our heart to Him for he says, "Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me", (Revelation 3:20). ROBIN LOVETT 425 Vila Bella Ave.

We're Now Chasing Hungrily What Shortly Ago We Eschewed for Our Community

(Editor's Note: Because of the interest in the proposed oil refinery for the Homestead area we are reprinting the following. The material is from "Economic Survey of Metropolitan Miami," a comprehensive volume produced by the Dade County Development Department in January, 1959. The book was intended to be the "Bible" for industrial development here. (The refinery itself would produce aviation gasoline and represent an investment of $40 million and employ 700 people. Satellite industries might employ another 5,000 and bring $250 million more investment in 10 years, according to economic studies for the refinery owners. (Opposition to the refinery centers around danger to marine life and pollution of the atmosphere. The refinery says its treatment devices assure that nothing will be disturbed.) South Florida is far removed from the sources of raw material of most "heavy industries." It is also far removed from the markets for the products of such industries. Transportation costs would destroy any opportunity for profit. Since smoke and soot are products of combustion they come from plants which are using fuel for thermal or galvanic transformations of product materials. Miami is too far removed from the source of fuels for fusion operations to be accomplished on a profitable basis. In the system of free enterprise such plants could not exist competitively. Thus there should be no worry that the community will become an area of steel mills and foundries rather than one of sunny skies and vacationers . . . It is obvious that South Florida cannot support "heavy" industries such as steel mills or even auto assembly plants — enterprises which would not be compatible with the magnificent resort installations — so in view of this, what industry can and should Metropolitan Miami have? To answer this question the yardstick of corporate profit potential again must be applied. Industry goes only where it can make a profit. Miami can attract only those industries which can profit best in South Florida with its extreme geographic location. It is this extremity in location, oddly enough, which becomes the area's greatest asset. Because of it, industries can be attracted which are not only compatible but beneficial to the resort economy. The American standard of living is daily requiring more and more products in which the element of labor is the dominant factor in product cost analysis. In the day of Ben Franklin a cast-iron bathtub was the height of luxury. To make such an item a high percentage of cost went to raw materials and transportation of the heavy, bulky finished product. The cost of labor was very little. Today the reverse is true. Today a television set is not a luxury but a necessity as those who have children will affirm. In the manufacture of its component parts the cost of raw materials is small and infinitesimal as related to the dollar value of the components. Five hundred dollars worth of transistors can be shipped by air for 35c. The major portion of the manufacturing cost is in labor. Labor that is highly skilled. Labor that is becoming increasingly scarce. Today the national consumption of skilled and professional labor is exceeding the nation's present abilities to replenish this labor supply. We are now utilizing skilled labor at a rate 25% greater than the rate of supply of such labor through education and training. If we do not nationally increase our educational output, within 10 years we will have close to 60% greater skilled labor demand than supply. Education changes slowly. It is doubtful that it can be accelerated enough to prevent this increasing disparity of labor supply and demand in the immediate future. Where then will American industry get its needed supply of highly skilled, highly paid labor? It will establish its plants in the few places where such labor seems to be abundant — and where it is most abundant: in South Florida with Metropolitan Miami its nucleus.

WALL STREET JOURNAL LEO GAREL "Try this prescription—the worst thing that can happen is that you waste $8.50."

Blood Drive

A special blood bank drive will be sponsored by the Warren Zinsmaster Chapter of the Woman's Cancer Association of the University of Miami March 9 from 4 to 8 p.m. It will be held at the South Miami Branch of the blood bank, 5946 SW 73rd St. An Italian dinner will be offered free to the blood donors at Dante's Italian Kitchen on South Dixie Highway in South Miami. The blood is being used for cancer patients in the cancer research of the University.