Imperial Valley press., 1925-09-12
RETAIN AMERICAN
CANAL PROVISION
IN POST PROGRAM
Heated Meeting of Pasa-
dena Veterans De-
bates Issue
HEALD HURLS Def
Challenges Contentious
Made BY Opponents
OF S. J. Bill
HEALD HURLS Def

At a heated meeting of the Pasa.
dena American Legion post Thurs
day night, Burlingame Johnson.
state senator from Pasadena, lost
out in his attempt to have the ALI
american canal feature of the
Swing Johnson bill read out of the
legion platform in a resolution cp-
POSING it.
Elmer Hcald. Calipatria attorney
and iegionaire, active in cspousal of
the SwingJohnson bill. made ring
ing address before the Pasadena
legion post in which he challenged
statements of Senator Burlingame
johnson. When Heald asked the
state senator point blank what his
interests in the Imperial Valley
were, Mr.. Johnson retortcd angrilv
that the question was Il personal
one. The reason for the question,
Mr. ieald explained today in an
interview, was To bring out the fact
that Mr.. Johnson is allcgcdly inter
ested with his son-iu Jaw in more
than a thousand acufs of land in
the Mexican Imperial Valley.
Among the assertions challenged
bv Mr. .Iicald was Il statement by
the senator that the east side mes:l
lands of the Imperial Valley are
owned by private interests who are
the chief advocates Of the passage
of the Swing..Iohu>on hill and the
All-Amcrican caaal fcatu~t. He
told legiOnaircS that the cN.scrviee
men were being made the dupeS OF
these private interests on promises
of government lands.
Government Lands
Calling upon the records to sar
him out. Mr.. IIeald declared that
the mesa lands referred To in the
Swing -JhonSuIl bill FOR settlement
10y cx service men are government
lands and that they will be- made
irrigablc hy the All American canal.
Another point enlarged upon hv
senator Buriiugamr johnson wis
'hat the Swing johnson bill has
met with greatest opposition IN
Washington because - the All
American canal feature M. llcald.
who was himself trc 81 the dclc.
gates from the valley tu testify be-.
fore congressional committee. in be-.
half of the bin, rrc6unied the state.
mrnt~ of committee mrnhrIs IN
washington. all of which he dc.
ciarcd showed tha, the oue thing
thHt concerned them most wa~ tn,
fact that the American Imperial
Valley must depend upon the die.
tdtes of 90 foreign country for it,
water supply
The United States congressman
aud senators would AWAY, heroine
tremendously interested iu the pro
lect the moment they were made
aware ~ that situation. NJ
Head declared.
Senator Ruriigame johnson hal
tuid the Pasadena lcgionaircs that
the people Of Imperial Valley were
f"r the most part opposed to the
All-Amcrican canal. Mr.. licald said
He had further declared thar the
coast cities did not want the All
American canal aud that they want
the Imperial Valley 10 forget that
part of the project aud hc content
WIN u ddW az Boulder canyon.
5000 support Bill
Mr.. Heald disabused the Pasa
deha post of this view by showing
that out of possible 70Ug land
owners in the valley. 5000 had sign
ed their names To- a clnra,ivn sup
porting the Swing. bin. lie
recited the landslide in Los An
gelcs elections recently ia which
the Swing.Johnson bill WAS the
chief platform Of the adiniuistra
tion placed in power.
We feel that the Pasadena post
has been given the truth IN the
matter, now, aud we have no fears
as to what that post will do In re
gard 10 the Swing PohnSon hill. Mr..
Head said today.
Senator Burlingame Johnson, who
led opposition To the Finny reso
luton in the state nrgislainre hast
session, has made several attacks
on the proponents Of the Swing
johnson bill. II was w., who de.
clarcd in that connection that resi-
dents of the valley did not look up.
on this as "a fit place TO live aud
none of them planned 10 make their
permanent homes here. To him j.
attributed the statement that the
farmers are undecided mud nuarf.I