Imperial Valley press., 1915-09-24
by Dean Halliday


Bethlehem. Pa. Srpl. p The iii
lie town Of Bethlehem" banned -
years aeo after lhc birthplace If Je-
ruN Christ has noW become HE birth
place If death!
Founded in l5ii by a group Of
eNan2elisls seckn" Ia spread the
Teaching, uf Chrisl in The seN World
II has. in 1913. brcome a lalyn doomed
by death for here The ercal Beth
Ie1cm etcel mills. owned by Charles
NJ. ~thN1b. are busy. day and nghl.
Iurnns ouI millions Of dollars worth
.of shells and gun, for ho Niles.
H. founders, as They approached The
south bank Of The Lehigh river were
as il Is written in lIIe history Of the
town 81 charmed 10y the "saiully soil
ludr' Of the lille valley HAT they
decided to found a settlement there.
To-day if one takes almost the same
pathway down into The valley one
comes upon Bethlehem through the
Catholic cemetery. and then. looking
down through a vista of white lime
stone crosses, one can see part of
The Town and The great ~rhWab works.
heir TALL Smokeslacko bclching forth
fire that forgco dralh-d'aling instm-
meuts
II Is really South Bethlehem that
has had success, thrust upon il by
slrlpnel, for lhe Lchieh divides the
ioWn-Whch, for a town Of lis size.
IS the most cosmopolitan IN HE United
States.
II, voice IS made III of % tongues.
bnl inst noW South Bethlehem does
mol talk much of war Of lis $4,000
people 10000 and more are Auslrians
III" men Ambassador Dumba Is
charged with irving Ia inclte To strike
III order 10 tie up the Nhes' war or
ders. They do not care To talk much
of war; nor doe, the sleel company
Wanr them to.
These are prosperous days in Beth
lehrm Third street, which hugs close
mp against the ten-foot hick brick
wall enclosing the plant as though
II knew enough 10 stick 10 good
thing Is busy by day and eaY-a sort
of dirty, grimy gaynrss-bY night
Folks work hard and play hard.
The town is prosperous, but II is
the solid, sort Of forced. prosperity
that comes of hard labor and good
pay.
orr work the men rush for the sa-
looms Worn out, they want their beer.
Big british fellows. mosl Of them, their
animal natures call for tun-bolster-
Gus, furious fun before lhey sleep
and then 90 back 10 lh" mills.
And 50 they Gel ii in the quickest
way possible by buying whisky.
Drinking il because il is also The
cheapest in HE long run. With Ill
tie whiskcy lhry gel quicker results -.
and although they haNr plenty Of mon
ey in their pockets lhey are trying Ia
save a little.
"Afler the war What lhen?' they
say to Themselves.
But al that. HE money, although
il comes only by hard work, goes
easy.
Rents are mp. too "lIunNes,' as
the speaking say here, are
paving SIG 10 S1s a month rent where
before the var they paid St2 and Sli.|
But they are making Si60 day and
can work seven days week If they
wish. And they are eating meat
twice a day, whereas in the old coun-
try they were lucky 10 taste ii once
a week-so they are satisfied.
South Bethlehem is the Bethlehem
Steel Company. Schwab's works en-
velop the daily routine and life of the
people just a. the town itself is
wrapped in the clouds of SCOT and
smoke from the tall stacks of the
plant "Hunkies," when They talk of
ihr works, talk with respect in their
voices.
II cut through the heart of the town