The Coral Gables Times

4 CORAL GABLES TIMES Thursday, May 17, 1962 Coral Gables THE TIMES

Let's Not Be Robbing Graves Now

Mayor Bob Searle, whose administration can number several major projects among its accomplishments after a year in office, wants to see more commercial development in the Gables. In this he is joined by many another interested citizen. The mayor has some pronounced views on how to go about getting these white-collar industries to locate here. For some reason, he thinks the City can do this better than the specialized agency created with this as one of its chief goals. We refer, of course, to the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce. Nevertheless, the Mayor pushed ahead with a City-backed development group a few months back. However, he— RAN INTO OPPOSITION —and this newspaper was among those opposing him. To his credit, he sought a compromise and now comes forth with a plan which would balance representation between four City appointees and four Chamber appointees. Those eight would add a ninth. Then that Big Nine would draw up a body of 30 specialists for more help. The Times believes the plan out of place. We suggest the mayor leave industry hunting to the group best suited for it, the 580-member Chamber of Commerce. There are several reasons we don't like the Mayor's plan. Here are some of them: 1. It would put responsibility on a group which has no authority, only advisory powers. We're still living with the shambles brought on by that same city policy with the Advisory Advertising Board. 2. It would expand the City's advertising department by one more employe in order to make advertising consultant Bert Burris the part-time staff man. 3. By having Burris as that man, inevitably the orientation of this commercial group would be toward the City which pays the salary of Burris. The Times doesn't object to Burris for the job; he is, in our opinion, a good man. However, we— OBJECT TO THE LINES of authority should he be used. There might also be raised the question of whether that office is to become, subtly, more of a propaganda outlet for the incumbent Mayor and City Commission and less of a professional advertising service. The latter is the sole purpose for which the office was created. 4. The chief objection, of course, is that we are taking from the Chamber one of the functions it is uniquely qualified to undertake and bringing in government whose role is not primary in this area. Admittedly, the Chamber has been slack jawed about its responsibilities in this field in past years; the new administration there is pledged to an active program. The Mayor's industrial committee died a dignified death a few months ago. Let's not go robbing graves now.

A Noose By Any Other Name . . .

In an era which puts such value on the unified front and in an age which men can grow rich under the shingle of public relations by simply merchandising the Golden Rule, we are not greatly surprised at a move made over in the center of town. The move is by the University of Miami. Quite simply it is a new UM administration policy designed to cut off faculty and student contact with newspapers unless that contact bears the explicit approval of the University. This is to be supplied through UM's Office of Public Informatinn. We sympathize with the University in its concern over occasional irresponsible statements from campus sources, student or faculty. But that's what a university is all about anyway—the opportunity to speak for oneself; the opportunity, if you please, even to make an ass of oneself. That a university will periodically suffer a bit unnecessarily is in the nature of the yeasting process. Curious, that this new dictum should break in the midst of Know Your University Week. Sort of dulls our appreciation at a time when we were encouraged by the academic integrity being developed there. It is without contradiction: There is no great university in the world which has as one of its policies censorship, mild or strict. Think again, Dr. Johns.

Life's Good, Very Good, She Finds

By ELVA CHARLTON Correspondent "This traffic along Dixie Highway is a snail's pace," said the visitor from Dallas. "Oldsters and youngsters travel this, you know," I said. "Anything faster, we would have to eliminate the oldsters." "Your growth problems seem infantile to ours in Dallas," he continued, and went on to explain. "We are beginning to plan to raze five whole city blocks and build towers into the sky." "Sounds like a fairy-tale," I answered. "It didn't seem very long since I told fairy tales to him. While I was musing over this fact, the conversation continued in the car. "Shopping and parking facilities?" "Dallas is way ahead." Nobody shops in the center of the city. There are five separate, completely air-conditioned malls. Stores on the outside, air-conditioned gardens in the center." "Climate and outside activities?" I asked. "Ah!," he confessed. "You have us there and no growth can ever change that. But, I can't feel like I am coming home," he stated with regret. "That's as it should be. Your business and family are there," I told him, trying to hide the sadness in my voice. Over dinner at the Top of the Columbus, our three married children and their separate spouses, my husband and myself gathered together the problems, conflicts and possible solution for their very different lives. The talk swirled around me, I could not keep up with it. Business, finance, ethics, etc. I felt sorry for my husband who was trying to give advice which they were graciously asking for, but did not really need. I gazed out over the city of Miami, happily realizing for the first time, that now, I could bask in the sunshine of fulfillment of a mother's heart. I thought of my eight grandchildren — three girls in Dallas, five boys in Coral Gables and South Miami, tucked safely in bed at this time. The aroma from the coffee and the smoke from our various types of cigarettes served to lift me out of this world into one of my own. Life was good, I thought, so very, very good.

EVERYBODY'S Business

By Rolfe Neill Interesting Sitting beside Mrs. Mitzi E. Daly at the Gables Legal Secretaries' banquet Tuesday night I learned some interesting things. She and husband C.C. live at 51 Montilla Ave. and she's secretary to Andrew Healy. Her daughter is Mrs. Jacques L. Clarke of 625 Altara Ave. Mrs. Daly is proud of the Clarkes' five children and the fact that son-in-law Jacques is commander this year of the Miami power squadron, civilian helper to the Coast Guard in overseeing sane driving on the area's waterways. What caught my fancy was the invocation she gave, borrowed Mrs. Daly said, from Robert Louis Stevenson's "Evening Prayer": Lord, receive our supplication for this gathering. Protect the innocent, restrain the greedy and the treacherous. Lead us out of tribulation into quiet land. Look down upon ourselves and help us. Give us health, food, bright weather and light hearts. In what we mediate of evil, frustrate our will; In what of good, further our endeavors. Cause injuries to be forgot and benefits to be remembered. Let us lie down without fear and awake and arise with exultation. For His sake, in whose word we now conclude. * * * Murphy's Words At the same meeting, guest speaker Joe Murphy innocently said: "And we want to honor our legal secretaries, who we hold very close." * * * Post-Election From my observation, judging by the number of posters in windows, Dante Fascell had more friends with empty store buildings than David Eldredge. Insuranceman and Kiwanian Charlie Cox performed one of the campaign's most gallant acts. When he handed a lady at Westchester an Eldredge bumper sticker and asked her to put it on her car, she said: "I wouldn't run my car over an Eldredge sign. Now, if you had one for Fascell . . ." Cox obligingly went to his auto and returned with a Fascell bumper strip! A friend happened to have given him one as a gag but that startled lady will never know . . . Only in America, and never in Russia. And finallly . . . I never saw the "Join the American Revolution" bumper sign along side a Fascell sticker, only with Eldredge's. * * * Bad Manners A lady called the other day to complain about the rude treatment she'd received over the phone when she called our local bus terminal for information. We get some crank calls here at the office among those from well-informed citizens. This could have been categorized either way had I not had some personal experiences to corroborate the lady's complaint. She tells the truth. Several times I've been at the terminal in person and several times talked there on the phone. I've received anything but gruff, unfriendly words from the man behind the window. Sometimes he ignores you as he talks to a lounging driver. Other times he's insulfing, as if you're stupid not to know all he does. It's a shame our City's fine transit system has to suffer because of the thoughtlessness of one employe.

Editor's Mailbox

EDITOR: Your article in last week's Times was interesting as well as constructive as far as shedding light on a traffic problem. I certainly hope that our police officers will accept your suggestions and eagerly try them. The destruction of the beautiful trees on Coral Way would be a sad blow to the City of Coral Gables whre the "City Beautiful" image has long been forgotten by the powers that be. One wonders why when certain people are elected or appointed to City or County offices they immediately develop a hate for trees syndrome which seems to prompt a wanton destruction of our trees as a panacea for most all traffic problems. A prime example of this is the recent devastation on Miracle Mile where so many of the lovely large ficus trees were ruthlessly mowed down to better traffic problems. The corner of Alhambra Circle and Le Jeune Road is another area in the Gables that has a frightful traffic hazard problem and is the site of many accidents and much wracking of nerves of we who live here. Much expense over the years has been incurred to the tax payers toward eliminating the danger to motorists who drive along here to no avail. There is a very simple solution to the particular problem here. All in the world that is needed is a lead arrow on the traffic light for the left turning south bound cars or better still simply eliminating left turns on this corner. The officers invariably turn deaf ears to our suggestions for such. One wonders why. I trust and hope that you are successful in putting over your editorial point as far as the Coral Way-Red Road idea is concerned for the good of the community as well as for the preservation of the beauty of the city is concerned. MRS. OTTO C. ELLISON 415 Alhambra Cir.

CHAS SKILES WALL STREET JOURNAL "Yesterday he caught a table lamp this big!"

Something Missing In Approach to Students?

By PHILLIPS RUSSELL Correspondent Despite organized efforts in certain schools and communities in this country, do foreign students still miss something? This question lately came up when the Association of Land Grant Colleges was told that there is some risk that anti-Americanism may arise among the 50,000 foreign students now to be found in our colleges and universities. This number is growing all the time and is likely to pass the 100,000 mark in the near future. If so many students return to their own countries in a dissatisfied mood, the eventual effect on the United States will be far from favorable. Few foreign students admit any rise of anti-Americanism in their ranks, but not many will deny that sources of misunderstanding or resentment exist. Foremost among these is the reported lack of interest shown by Americans in the countries from which these students come. It must be admitted that geography and national customs and cultures have not always received attention in our collegiate curricula, but this defect, if it exists, ought to be easy to remedy. Another objection concerns race relations and questions of complexion. This is an old plague that afflicts restaurants, hotels, motels, and places of public resort, and the sooner we get rid of it the better. A third source of misunderstanding lies in the realm of relations between the sexes. To many foreign students the American system of "dating" is complicated and bewildering, and has no parallel in countries where social customs are separating and rigid. Early instruction in this respect would save much embarrassment and create good-will.