Imperial Valley press., 1922-05-04
PATRIOTISM
IN PEACE AS in
WAR TIMES

A stirring plea for the same patriot
ism in peace that the American people
displayed in time of war, formed the
keynote Of an inspiring address de-
livered by Judge Rex B. Goodcell, col
lector of internal revenue for the sixth
district Of California, to members of
the Ell Centric chamber of commerce at
their dinner in the Barbara Worth hotel
Tuesday. The speaker also asked
the cooperation Of every citizen in his
district to improve internal revenue
service.
Judge Goodcell stated that when he
assumed office he laid down three fun
damental rules for the members of his
force to observe: they must be honest,
courteous and loyal. Only with the aid
of these three qualities would it be pos
sibe to render 100 per cent service to
the government and to the public, he
contended. The speaker asked for
closer relationship between the tax col
lector's office and the public, saying
any thinking man would readily see that
practically everything of value which
he possesses is made possible through
taxation, whether it be federal, state or
municipal.
what TaXaC1On frOV1OeS
Taxation provides roads, the sanitary
system which prevents pestilence and
disease, and supplies police and fire pro-
lection and the modern system OF edu-
cation, which is the greatest blessing
which the people of the United States
enjoy today, Judge Goodlell declared.
Taxation also provides courts for the
administration Of justice, means of ade-
uuate defense in time of war, and makes
it possible for people to live in peace
and prosperity. The average business
man does not pay in federal, county,
municipal or any other kind of tax, a
sufficient amount of money to educate
one child in private school, the judge
argued, and in spite of the tendency to
raise strenuous objections when mention
| is made of taxes, the citizen gets more
| return for every cent spent in taxes
than for any other money he spends.
The speaker referred to the necessity
of every citizen taking a thought for
| his country as a whole, and not being
interested in the conditions of his par
ticular community alone. Any part OF
the country is dependent upon the sue
cess and prosperity Of all, and when one
section refuses to do its share, the en-
tire country suffers. As with the COM
munity, so with the individual, he said.
No man is absolutely independent, nor
can he succeed without the help of
others.
Judge Goodcell asked for the revenue
| service, continuation of the loyal sup
port given it in the past. The revenue
service reaches the people better than
any other federal department except the
postal service, as it deals with all
classes, he explained. Last year one
out Of every l6 people in Imperial
county filed an income tax return, and
in the sixth district, $l,500,000 in de-
linquent taxes were collected with cur
rent taxes of over $2,000,000, the aver
age cost for collecting each dollar be-
ing two and one-half cents.
Major Reynolds Entertains
| Judge Goodcell was introduced by his
chief field deputy. Major Frank r.
McReynolds, WHO told some witty
stories, stating that most people looked
upon the tax collector as lieutenant of
Beelzebub, and accorded him similar
treatment. Speaking of his chief, Judge
| Goodcell the ma. .or remarked that when
the new collector was sworn i'll, he told
| IHe revenue IOIcc tlldI tlty ulu Hot HdNc
new boss, but that they had 100000
600 bosses in the people of the, United
States, whom they were to serve to the
| best of their ability.
| President Cooper of the chamber Of
commerce presided and thanked the
speakers in the name of the chamber,
for profitable evening. Manager Con-
way served his usual excellent dinner,
and Fred Nebel-Thau once more demon
stratcd his ability as rapid fire writer
of parodies, giving the diners an excel
lent one on cone goes into two,"
touching the high points of Judge Good
cells speech.
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The number 13 is never used by the