Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-27
CITY CLUB URGES
HARBOR DEFENCES
Resolutions Emphasize Necessity
of Forts for Protection in
Event of Invasion
MAYOR OF RIVERSIDE SPEAKS
Change of Laws That Govern I'M
provement of Streets Is
Strongly Advocated
MAYOR OF RIVERSIDE SPEAKS

Resolutions calling on the mayor
and city council to appoint a commits
sion to investigate the necessity OF
coast defenses for Southern California
with view of presenting the commits
sion's findings to the federal govern
ment, were adopted by the City cluf
yesterday. The resolutions were intro
duced by Gen. Homer Lea, who re.
Gently delivered an address before the
club, showing how Los Angeles would
be at the mercy of hostile demon
stration ON the Pacific. The resolutions
follow:
To the Honorable Mayor and
Council of the City of Los Angeles:
Whereas, the first and principal
duty devolving upon public officials
is the protection of the lives and
property of the people and to Sc
cure to them, during peace, ade-
uuate defense in times of war, and.
Whereas, investigation has shown
us that Southern California, with
a large population and improve
ments to the value of several bill
lions of dollars, is, in the event of
war, devoid of defense, and
Whereas, the city of Los Angeles,
constituting more than 30 per cent
of the population and more than so
per cent of the wealth of Southern
California, is the commercial, politl-
cal and strategic center of this
portion of the state; and
Whereas, should the city of Los -
Angeles, during war, fall into the
hands of a hostile force, the whole
of Southern California must fall
simultaneously, while on the other
hand if the city of Los Angeles re-
mains immune to attack or seizure,
the whole of Southern California
likewise remains secure, it becomes
incumbent on the city of Los An
geles to assume the leadership in
preparing for, during peace, the de-
fense of the south; therefore, 1t Is
Resolved by the City club of Los
Angeles, That they urgently petition
the honorable mayor and council
OF the city of Los Angeles to ap-
point a commission to investigate
and report the existing conditions,
that suitable action may be taken
and the attention of the federal
authorities called to the defense
lessness OF Southern California.
PRESERVATION OF MISSIONS
S. c. Evans, mayor of Riverside, was
the speaker at the clubs regular
luncheon yesterday. He chose the
"Province of City, as the subject OF
his address. Among other things ir
the province of a city Mr.. Evans ad-
vocated the preservation of the mis-
sions, the landmarks and large trees
and the development of the artistic
spirit in the city. He said he waS
not crank on municipal ownership
but that he believed in such matters
as it's public utilities the city should
have the last word on the question OF
rates and service. He advocated a
change in the laws that govern Cali
fornia in street improvements so thai
nonresident owners of vacant proper
ty, who hold their land merely for
speculation, could not retard the i'm
provement of streets by majority peti-
tions.
"Boards of charity should be largely
eliminated" said Mr.. evans. Charity
is like pouring water into a sieve. We
must eliminate the conditions that
make the boards of charity neces-
sary."
When the elimination of such con-
ditions is accomplished, Mr.. Evans be-
Iieves, each citizen will have larger
sense of his civic responsibility and
clean government win be the result
But as long as a man must struggle
from the time he leaves his bed in the
morning until he returns to it at night
for bare existence IOF MS ldlllly
he has not the time nor the inclination
to turn his mind to thoughts of gov
ernment.
MUNICIPAL NEWSPAPER URGED
In thanking Mr.. Evans for his ad-
dress President Finlayson, who Is
also member of the charter@revision
commission, said that Former Mayor
Dunlop of Hollywood had suggested
to the commission that one of the
amendments to the charter provide
for a municipal newspaper, and the
idea appeared to strike responsive
chord in the audience.
Such a newspaper, said Mr. Finlay-
son, would have for it's object strict
record of public affairs, uncolored by
prejudice 1t is estimated that the
money the city spends every year in
official advertising would about pay
the cost of such a paper.