Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1921-01-23
WHO ARE RESPONSIELE2

A municipality Ike a corporation or firm must
place responsibility ior certain duties, in the per
son or persons capable OF performing such tasks,
and after that, execution is expected When al
municipality is confronted with an important task.
embracing MI OF the elements OF an emergency,
as in the case OF the water shortage in Amarillo.
call is made TO the entire citizenry. in the initial
and after that may he rightly made assignments
OF different phases Of the work to various subdi-
visions OF population, according to their several
abilities
AT this time. the one definitely acknowledged
fact is that Amarillos water supply is inadequate
to the needs OF the people 1t may be said Of truth
that none arc denied the use OF water. but it is
equally fact that vast majority OF the people
would gladly u.s. more water. il it were available
at prices within The means Of the consumers a
story was told OF "Day Aboard One OF Uncle
Sans Fighting Ships" from the viewpoint OF
sailor. He stated among other facts that the wa.
ter supply OF an Individual per day. aboard ship
was one pailfu. From this quantity Of water was
10 be supplied all needed for shaving. bathing
laundrying and then the residue was taken onto
the decks and used for scrubbing None could say
that the boys on the ship did not have water. for
they did, but at the same time they could have
used instead OF two gallons or two and half gal
Ions. from fifty to two hundred gallons with pleas
ure and with profit.
In the same way. OF course with a different
quantitive limit. the people OF Amarillo have wa
ter. but with pleasure and profit, they could use
much more. Aboard ship the maximum measure
of sc tr, lac & al.
voyage. and in this respect. Amarillo is almost as
well fortified with advance information. The City
Light & Water company has submitted compre
hensive statement OF its ultimate possibilities in
production prices necessary for increase in service
aud also as TO the probability OF its ability TO give
relief and provide water for the ever increasing
needs OF the community. Water experts have ties
titled in s,ibstariiation Of the statements OF the
company supplying water to the city, and these
facts are az record, that none may have any ex-
cuse for ignorance concerning them, at least in a
broad. general way.
To solve this .itay important problem is a task
Of first magnitude il is problem which the City
Commission. with It's euhedgements-chiei among
which latter is the indifference OF citzenry that
needs 10 be stirred 10 a sense OF individual and col
leciive responsibility, has not solved, and unaided
by the ahleSt minds OF tho city, will not solve for
long time TO como. None will gainsay the fact
that the City Commission is the executive head OF
the city, no mere than that our Congressman is
our representative in Congress, but it is equally
true that the city representatives like those in the
state and national legislative bodies, il they are
WISE listen closely for expressions OF the desires
of the "whole people comprising their constitu-
encies.
When Amariilo's citizens speak their opinion,
regarding this water shortage the City Commits
sion, regardless of its personnel. will hear with
gladness and action will follow as inescapably a,
day the night Or the shadow the substance. The
great world war brought about feeling OF kin
ship between the people and the government, as
nothing hitherto had done. This was one OF the
rood results OF the awful tragedy about which the
heart OF the world centered--appeal was made to
alt above party or other dividing lines, TO the
nobest and highest in man. Today, Amaro's
need OF water becomes a crisis involving such pro.
portions to submerge petty personalities, and "a
bring forth recognition OF the relationship o:
the people to the city government. The City
Commission wants to know the views OF the peo-
ple-n courts suggestions. for il is merely small.
portion OF the ciizenry called through expression
nfsisfssse y DE ballot, to administer The az