Imperial Valley press., 1924-04-29
HOW ABOUT 1T, FOLKS?

According to stories carried in the Calexlco
paper,>a definite move is ON to again open the line
at the border
President N j. Sleem of the Merchants Associa-
ton, in a recent speech before the Chamber of Com
in that city, made the assertion that the early
closing order is resulting in serious loss to business
According to Sleem a majority of the business
men in Calexco are in favor of having the closing ord
recalled, now that gambling in Mexico has ceased
so long as it was necessary protection for
Americans against gambling in Mexico, the merchants
here had accepted their loss without complaint
Sleem asserted; "but since gambling has been stopped
permanently by order from Mexico City, there is no
reason why the line closing handicap should remain
operative"
It is to laugh! Poor merchants-martyrs to the
cause of humanity!
w care at total loss to understand how the mer-
chants in particular should be affected by the
o'clock closing except that it prompter payment
of their bills by purchasers who now have money to
apply legitimate debts instead of squanderlng it
wine and gambling across the line.
With very few exceptions, the merchants of Ca
leXico all close their places of business at o'clock
And certainly the fewwho remain open after that
should be ready to quit and call it day by the time
the border Bertha blows the hour of nine.
Wherefore all this talk about accepting their loss
without complaint? Why pose in the role of heroes?
The Press is certainly vigorously opposed to any
toward re-openng the line--not because we are
prudsh but because feel that it is for the welfare
and decency of the entire community that we do
Too much energy has been expended, both here
and by congressman back in Washington, to get
this order into effect to sit idly by and let small
group defy the wishes of the people and put back
into the same place where few months ago.
1le Press, in an editorial weeks ago anent
the closing Of the border and supposed elimination
of gambling warned the people to be their guard
and prophesied that some sort OF an effort would be
made by the big interests to rescind the movement
Evidently right This is "the niger in the
woodpile," that put tremendous gambling interests in
sufficiently pacific mood to be willing to be closed
up. There probably tacit understandings at that
time among the powers that be across the line, that
if they would submit to having open gambling elimi-
mated, in turn the lire would again be opened to all
night revelry.
Eliminating open gambling in Mexca does not
make it chemically pure by long ways Vice is still
rampant in the shape Of drugs, liquor and brotheis
which in themselves constitute grave menace as
the gambling did Perhaps they do not make quite
such imposing array of figures when figured up
economically, but morally and physically they are
evils even more nsidious that the gambling.
How about our young folks if the line'is reopened
now? It chiefly to safeguard them that this
movement inaugurated in the first place The
probation officer has been discharged under the 8
O'Clock closing regulations and if the line were reop
ened now there is nothing in the way of check pro-
lection to these boys and girls of tender years
from the greedy Of vice of every description in
MeXicali