The Coral Gables Times

Thursday, October 25, 1962, page 4 (of 24)

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Coral Gables TIMES

Established Jan. 15, 1926 Second Class Postage Paid at Miami, Fla. Published at 364 Sevilla Ave., Coral Gables 34, Fla. JOHN T. WATTERS President ROLFE NEILL Editor & Publisher Subscriptions: $4.20 year by mail anywhere in the U.S.A.

Upon Listening and Then Looking into a Mirror

Casual acquaintance of ours stopped us on Ponce the other morning to talk about, of all things, newspapers. He has some pretty decided views, it turned out, perhaps qualifying him, if for nothing else, to be an editor. What moved us most was this very, "How do you think you'll ever be popular if you write things like that?" Later, in that reflective spot where editors think things through (the cluttered office, interrupted by phone calls, press agents, staff problems and the body public), we tried to put together a paragraph or two on just what we think a newspaper and its editors are, or at least should be. Herewith: A newspaper has only two jobs, to print the news in its news columns and to make vigorous, intelligent comment upon the news on its editorial page. It should not go about its task with the idea of making friends, although if its job is done well it will, inevitably, make many friends. A newspaper should listen patiently to all its critics, searching their comments, however bitter they may be, for the still, small messages of truth whereby even our enemies show us the higher way. We should be chary of praise for it is deadening to the soul, though pleasing to the ego. Discount much of what our friends tell us, though acknowledging their thoughtfulness. Always we must be uncomfortable with ourselves: Have we done our best? What have we left undone or incomplete? Whom have we slighted, by omission or commission? How can we give the reader a better paper than he received last issue? We must be guided by an affection for the community we serve. We must help to improve it. We must be sympathetic without allowing our tolerance to erode our judgment. We must dissent for reasons of principle but never for perverseness. We must be fair, which means the occasional eating of crow. As a business, we must be economically strong yet we must risk offense to some of our customers in order to do our job. Intimidation we cannot countenance. Courage we must have. Humility we must remind ourselves to have more of for the man with a printing press is pretty near to a supreme judge but with no more than his ordinary share of the brains meted out in the Natural distribution of matter. And with it all, a generous mixture of humor to laugh at ourselves. Serious business should never be conducted by humorless people.

With Mr. Kennedy

The Times is behind the action initiated by President Kennedy relative to Cuba, even if it means shooting. We are somewhat amused, however, at the comments about how the President's speech rallied the country around him. Plain spoken and dramatic as it was, the speech simply set forth what Congressional critics and other citizens have been saying for some time, comments often pooh-poohed until now by the President. It is not so much that the country has caught up with Mr. Kennedy as that Mr. Kennedy has caught up with the country. At any rate, from here out we proceed together.

About the Negro . . .

Instead, we see ourselves as nice people, who, if not pushed too hard, will give Negroes a bag of goodies now and then. We see ourselves graciously handing them little bits of their rights (which are not ours to hand), doing them out as we (or our grandfathers) used to dole out fat bacon and sweets and cornmeal at Christmas. We see ourselves shimmering in an aura of kindness; we feel good-hearted, and often gently tender as we give our little presents. But they are not ours to give — ah, this is what hurts; the Negroes are reminding us their rights are given them as human rights by God and as civil rights by the U.S. Constitution. — Lillian Smith in Saturday Review.

MAILBOX

EDITOR: This letter is with regard to the Coral Gables Municipal Court. Let me say, first, that the continuation of the Municipal Court or discontinuation has no effect on the operation of the office of City Attorney. Let me also state that the fact that you have not heard from any of your citizens with reference to the continuation or discontinuation of the Coral Gables Municipal Court is no proper criterion by which to judge the wishes, the rights and the desire of human beings, because, all persons dislike all courts in which they may be punished for violations of ordinances. How do you think the City of Coral Gables would operate if violations of its zoning ordinance of its building code (don't tell me that we operate under the South Florida Building Code, promulgated and made up in the greater part by the Dade County League of Municipalities — because we do not)? There are many requirements in connection with building which do not appear in the County Building Code but which, in order not to violate the sacrosanct provisions of the Dade County Building Code, we place in our Zoning Code under which we can seek enforcement. How do you think that the people of Coral Gables would like to be tried for violations such as those and such as many other I can name, in the Metro Court, even if it does save $3,000! Particularly if the case happens to be 83 or 103 and he will have to appear at 8:30 in the morning and wait until all other cases have been disposed of. This letter is long enough for a busy City Attorney but I would be glad to sit down and discuss this and some of the things you do not seem to understand, on our own time, say some Saturday or Sunday or some evening. EDWARD L. SEMPLE City Attorney * * * EDITOR: Future problems requiring exercise of the intelligence should not be directed in a shotgun manner to the general public, nor should be valuable time of the staff of First Federal Savings and Loan Association be assigned to a wasted and fruitless effort. The staff of Columbia Title of Florida was able to deduce a simple solution to the riddle posed in the October 18, 1962 edition of your paper during its thirty minute lunch period. It is not necessary to leave the environs of the Gables for a solution to your problems; an answer to the instant riddle is available at the Columbia Title of Florida. FRANCIS X. BRADLEY, President Columbia Title of Florida 2158 Ponce de Leon Blvd. (Editor's note: See also Everybody's Business on today's editorial pages and a story on page 1.)

HAND CUT

Three-year-old Sean Doyle, 4380 SW 11th St., was treated at Doctors' Hospital Saturday afternoon for a cut hand sustained after he fell with a bottle at A & P Supermarket on LeJeune Road.

The Sound of Music!

Once again it's time for the University of Miami Symphony to fill the air with a new season of music. We are culturally blessed to have them among us, a fact Miami Mayor High took note of by proclaiming Symphony Week recently. The symphony, under Dr. Fabien Sevitzky, has about half of its some 80 members on scholarship. Opening concert was Sunday night at Miami Beach. The premiere of an Ode to Peace, in commemoration of the United Nations, was a delightful surprise in the way of commissioned works while visiting pianist Nikita Magaloff was superb in a Beethoven sonata. Let us all enjoy the sound of music from the University; the price is reasonable. Shown left to right are flutist Eugene Johnson; oboist Julien Balogh; and violist Victor Stern.

EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS by Rolfe Neill

FBI Two interesting pieces about the FBI crossed my desk last week, one from the Federal Bureau of Investigation itself and the other in the Wall Street Journal. From the Bureau came its annual report. Among the many statistics there was one that the turnover of FBI agents (there are 6,000 of them), is 4.8 per cent a year. It was lower than I had imagined for it seems that I rarely meet an FBI agent, only ex-FBI men. In the Wall Street Journal was a story entitled, "More Companies Find Management Talent Among Ex - FBI Agents." The sub title was: "Former G-Men Help Run Ford, Apeco; 'Alumni' Group Gets Growing Number Of Inquiries." The story's thesis was in this paragraph: "We've found the FBI, along with teaching its men to shoot straight, develops in them an unusual ability to solve problems quickly, react intelligently in emergencies and get along with all sorts of people," says an Illinois manufacturing president. The story tells about a number of American firms using ex-agents in their business. It leaves out one of the most notable examples in all these 50 states of ours, The Wackenhut Corp. right here in the Gables. If Wackenhut only had J. Edgar Hoover on the payroll he'd have a full-fledged FBI. * * * Are They Wrong? A national publication reports that "tourist traffic — to Florida is expected to be a bit lighter this winter." It quotes local people, particularly on the Beach, as blaming uncertain economic conditions and expense-accounting crackdown. It pooh-poohs the Communist build-up in Cuba with this anonymous quotation: "Nobody expects a Cuban gunboat to shell Miami Beach." I think this publication is misinformed. With college enrollments going up all over America, you can't explain a drop of 642 freshmen at the University of Miami with economics. And anybody who gets much farther north than Jacksonville finds that Miami (because of its closeness to Cuba) is rated a much riskier place to live by those who don't live here than by those who do. When in North Carolina a couple weeks ago I was surprised at the number of people who asked me, "What provisions have you made for your family?" Until now, the only person I've heard ask such questions are Coral Gables insurance agents. * * * The Answer(s) The answers were quick in coming on the puzzle last week which had stumped Ham Hayes, namely: You have 12 coins, one of which is of an unequal weight to the 11; you have a balance; and you get only three weighings to find the coin. First in was Harry Rath, who called by phone after the paper had been out only a few hours. (More about him in a moment.) Then came Mrs. John Lucas, 1528 Palermo Ave., Charles Finkelstein, 815 Catalonia Ave.; Maurice Hart Sr., 333 Cadima Ave., and Gerard Pucci. Those all worked it this way: 1. Place six coins on each side of the balance. The heavier six contains the odd coin. 2. Divide these 6 coins into groups of 3. Weigh again. The heavier threesome contains the coin. 3. Place two of the three on each side of the balance. If one of these is heavier, it's obvious. If both are equal, the one not on the scale is heavier. Mrs. Lucas, a woman of wit as well as logic, then twitted (Continued on Next Page)