The Key West Citizen

This Rock Of Ours
By Bill Gibb

From what I read in the paper and hear along the streets, the impression of the public is that our fair little Rock' is clean. Immorality, degeneracy, and vice in general exist only outside the City Limits! Wouldn't it be nice if this were true? Then all we'd have to do is take a big paddle, go down to the sheriff's office and say, "Johnny, my boy, you're fixing to get a tender part of your anatomy warmed up if you don't get out and improve the manners of our country cousins living beyond the confines of this island!"

Technically, I guess it might be true that our town is clean. On the surface, that is. But reports still pour into "This Rock" of unescorted ladies being insulted - of attempts being made by men to induce women into prostitution, (with the man, of course, acting as procurer).

There isn't much the police can do at the present time. Only the injured party can bring action against such rotters and the average decent woman or girl doesn't want to get involved in such an unpleasant case. She can't win for losing.

With another election not too far in the offing, we're going to have to be especially careful that the punks who are now lying low under cover, don't come out in the open. They get brave in an election year because - I'm sorry to say - too many political aspirants consider one vote as good as another, regardless of the source.

Key West can be cleaned up.

The major step has already been made since the police have driven our petty criminals into submerged rather than open activities. The same thing holds true for the County.

I'm not too familiar with County affairs. The only fairly reliable reports I have concerning vice outside of Key West have to do with gambling. People who should know have told me that there is both small-time and big-time gambling going on. Whether this is a vice or not, depends to a great extent on your personal ethics. BUT - as long as we have laws against such activities, it behooves our law enforcement agencies to do everything within their power to make arrests.

Generally speaking, I think Sheriff Spottswood is doing his best to live up to the oath of his office. He has done many things which deserve praise and have only reaped criticism. And until this column has more reliable information concerning any neglect of duty on the gambling situation, it is simply going to refrain from comment.