Imperial Valley press., 1923-03-30

already; 1t should have done TINS
long while ago." who can criticize
them. They have no selfish inter
ests; they can't gain a single vote
by advocating our plight; their
people will have to pay the bill.
Their support will therefore carry
great weight. ...
Work Yet To Do
l say we have laid splendid
foundation, but we have laid only
a foundation; the building has yet
to be erected. The real work re-
mains yet to be done.
When Congress meets again we
must stage our big drive and in the
meantime we must make all prepa-
rations to make that drive Z sue
cess. During the war they learned
that preparation was very neces-
sary. Weeks and even months be-
fore the drive were spent in build
ing railroads, bringing up supplies,
and ammunition, building hospitals,
installing batteries etc.,-and all
this, maybe for months before Il
single shot was fired. About all
that we have done to date is to
send out a little party or two to
reconnoiter.
!, Here is what / have in mind
that we must do. We must organ
ize compact, fighting organiza-
tion, which will contribute the sin.
ews of war-money, brains, time
and effort. Southern California,
has the most wonderful asset to put
this power proposition over. it has
as these Congressman found, where
ever they went, former residents of
every state. in the union. Every
place the congressman went were
four or five fellows seeking them,
wanting to see "my Congressman. "
There are men here and in every
community in Southern California,
who know members Of Congress in
timately; went to school with them
cousins of some of them; played
marbles with some of them; and
have done worse than that with
some Of them.
Strong Appeal
They can say, "John Or Henry,
you know me, remember the old
swimming pool" These people can
make out a strong case for use
with congressman "back home -
"The people of Imperial Valley
have to have it, and they have
earned the right to have the con-
sideration of the Government. They
have fought the forces of nature
with their own hands, and their
own means; they have created and
developed n wonderful valley, but
they have reached their limit on ac-
count of supernatural forces, and
because you, the big United States,
have reserved for yourself certain
fields Of activity, interstate and
international in which individual
citizens cannot go, you, and you
alone, can act, and you must act to
save this great community"
That is what l call ammunition
and when the time comes I. l want
the ibarrage opened up on congress.
1 want not only recommendations
of Chambers of Commerce, but /
want personal letters to Congress
men from people who know them.
San Diego Busy
San Diego put on a program of
itsscwn. sFhe sNuypr-Df@San .Diego
John L. Bacon a fine fellow and a
good friend of Imperial valley went
to the Merchants Association, and
said, ~ want you all to agree that
you will write to every wholesale
house and manufacturer in the
East, from whom you buy merchan-
disc, and tell them about the Swing
johnson Bill, the Boulder Canyon
Dam and the All-American Canal
tell them why they should be for it
and tell them to write their Con-
gresham. don t know how many
did but l heard from at least thirty
congressman saying they wanted
to help out when the time came.
If one city acting by itself could
accomplish that much think of the
favorable results we could gain if
We could get every city in Arizona
and Nevada and Southern Califor-
MIA to write letters to the people
back east and stir them to action.
In my opinion it is the surest way
to make Congress sit up and take
notice. l believe it is our best bet.