Imperial Valley press., 1923-07-03
READ THE DECLARATION

Ask a grown-up on the Fourth July what the day
commentaries and he will probably say it was the
throwing off of the British yoke. Ask small boy
and he will say it's the day to shoot firecrackers-f
he lives in community not yet blessed with the sane
pendence. He'll probably know more about the lad
who shouted to his grandfather to ring for Liberty
than he will know ABOUT the declaration document
itself
Ii there 10 minutes to spare before the family
starts to park country club to picnic in the cou
try wouldn't spoil the day at all to gather them
together to read aloud the first two and the last para
graphs of the Declaration of Independence What lies
between is concise statement of specific wrongs ana
is of less Importance today than it when writer
But the rest is clear presentation OF the funda.
mental ideals of the United States of America and OF
any freedom-lovng democracy, that its mere reading
renews ones faith in ourselves nation: 1t should
also inspire to work out todays problems IN ac-
cordance with the principles of that Declaration
There are tyrannies today as bad as anything the
British government of the 18th century inflicted on
its American colonies There injustice within our
own borders and denials OF the right to life liberty
and the pursuit of happiness. They are harder to
throw off than was George III, but when they are
gone will have achieved higher degree of ndepend-
than heretofore.
Year by year the Fourth grows and safer.
The trend is unmstakabe, such increase noted
in destruction from fireworks, firecrackerS, etc. in
1921 being attributable to the accident of or two
large fires rather than to general falling from
grace on the part of the public Community celebra-
tions prearranged and orderly and properly super
intended, have displaced to large extent the prom
iscuous noise-making which, took place in an earlier
day.
Nevertheless, all is not safe yet; in those
cities which have wisely banned the old-fashioned
fireworks nsdious of danger to life and
property remain One of these is the socaled electric
sparkler, which has achieved an unwholesome popul-
arity 1t is especially hazardous for the reason
that it is deemed harmless by the unthinkng and
therefore is permitted to children whose elders would
deny firecracker and skyrocket Although its dane
ing sparks themselves may not cause ignition, the
wire which holds the sputtering material quickly be-
ncandescent and in that condition will set fire
to inflammable material. Four little girls, partici-
pants in Mardi Gras held in Mnden, Louisiana, this
year, burned to death when their flismsy cos
tunes ignited by sparklers Five others of the
group survived but were horribly disfgured
The other dangerous toy is the paper balloon whic
uses lighted, kerosene-soaked waste to heat the air
it contains and it to rise. Frequently, these
pretty affairs DROP blazing upon inflammable roofs
and other combustible surfaces and thus cause dam
age
Let the Fourth" be kept safe and sane again this
year. The character Of the celebration should be in
keeping with the sublime event that it commentaries.
That does not imply heavy, joy-killing solemnty,
which is to be desired than witless and
purpoSeleSS license.