Imperial Valley press., 1930-05-10

rassment when we extended hand at
our introduction was laughed off and we
were put at our ease with the statement
They all get a surprise out of my
hands He lost them in battlue during
World War
Through the vocational training given
by the government, Charlie is able to
make his s,eei hook do all that his hands
could do for him, but it did not come cas-
lily. There were .ong hard days and
nights of careful and conscientious prac
tice, not altogether free from pain. There
was the harder struggle to keep from
feeling sorry for himself that he had
come out of the war so terribly handi-
capped.
One would think that anyone calling
himself an American would be only too
proud to do anything for Charlie Me-
CONCEAL, especially when he has refused
to be bowed beneath the sacrifice he
made. He could, if he were like many
others, sit himself down on the curb with
cap and few pencils and beg for
living. Instead he determined to make
his way in the world, if the government
would only give him the start to which
he was entitled.
That start given and good use made
of it, he has not asked odds Of anyone.
He drives a car and an airplane, some
thing many normal persons never accom-
plish AS an Inspector for the state de-
partment of professional and vocational
standards, he has held up his end Of the
work
Ambitious for further advancement,
he became a candidate for the postmas-
ter's office at Bell One would think
that mere application by veteran VINO
had done SO much for his country, would
be all that would be required. But such
is mans selfishness that one obstacle af-
ter another was thrown in Charlie Nc
GonegaPs way.
Even if ne were only able to be no1n-
inal postmaster, and hire somebody else
to do the actual work. that job should
have been his without struggle. He
didn't ask this. He asked only to be put
on the same plane as other applicants,
with the usual recognition for veterans
precedence He proved that he could
take care of the clerical work himself,
but that did not satisfy the heartless,
narrow-minded .and d selfish persons
who opposed him. They had the colossal
gall to bring in technicalty in their eff
forts to beat him. He is getting govern
ment compensation (and who will say he
is not entitled to it, and could not, they
argued, be legally entitled to his salary
as postmaster. If not, there are few
more laws that need changing.
Thanks to the staunch support given
him. by comrades in congress and other
branches of the government. as we'll as a
group of men VINO can recognize man
when they see one, Charlie McGonegal
has received his appointment and will be
postmaster at Bell, where he should re-
main without molestation until he feels
he wants to go after something better.
As an example to the rest Of US, in ac-
cepting the breaks of the game and re-
fusing to be beaten by them, Charlie Nc
CONCEAL stands in the front ranks,
though he still considers himself "buck
private in the rear ranks" There is moth
ing of the braggart about him nor does
he ask for anyone's sympathy, for he
doesn't need it. He certainly doesn't
get ours, for we admire the man so that
sympathy trails far in the background
He gave us a lesson that we hope will not
he foruo+ten for o lonC time