Imperial Valley press., 1933-12-12
STRAW VOTE
ON THURSDAY
CALLED OFF
Expression Of Sentiment On
Force Account Abandoned By
Order OF Directors.
UNABLE TO OBTAIN BOND
District To Continue Cost Basis
Efforts Despite Inability To
Bid.

There will be no straw election
on Thursday to ascertain the val
1eys sentiment on constructing the
All-American canal by force ac-
count.
This information was received at
district headquarters today from
members of the district board, who,
with other district officials, are in
San Francisco.
The message was also sent to Di-
rector AL Kalin, of Brawley, who is
confined to his home as the result
of injuries received in fall several
weeks ago.
A telegram received at district
headquarters from Secretary Nc
liver, at San Francisco states: "Af-
ter thorough canvass here, directors
are convinced no performance bond
can be obtained for district, there
fore district cannot submit bid on
work and unofficial election called
for Thursday would serve no pur-
pose and therefore will not be held.
Effort already renewed to have dis
trict do work on cost basis. If sue
cessful in this prior to opening of
bids and it is found that bids are
not regarded as reasonable by dis
trict, campaign will be continued
for cost construction by district.
Give publicity"
Director Kalin advised that he
had conferred with Phil D. Swing
Sunday night on the ACCESSIBILITY of
holding the straw election on Thurs
day, the former congressman de-
claring that he is absolutely OPP
posed to the idea as being prejudi-
cial to the immediate construction
of the canal. Swing did not feel that
further relations with the reclama-
tiCn service on the canal project
should be ieopardized by antag-
onism resulting from inSistence on
the force account method of con-
struction. Kalin Immediately noti-
fled the district officials at San
Francisco and this morning was
told the election is off.
Bids on the first canal work are
scheduled to be opened on Deem
Der 20 at Yuma According to the
telegram from McIver, the district
hopes, between now and that time,
to convince the reclamation service
that force account is desirable. If
the bids submitted are not consid-
cred reasonable by the district, then
the campaign for a force account
will be continued.
Halt Preliminary Work
Following receipt of the telegram
here, district headquarters aband-
oned plans that had already been
made to hold the election on Thurs
day. Those in charge of the various
voting precincts which had been de-
signated as polling places, were no
titled that the election will not be
held and publicity and advertising
in various valley papers was can
celled.
Decision to hold the straw cleo
ton was reached Saturday follow
two days of discussion at district
headquarters between directors of
lIlP DOdTQ anu uclcSdOiOllo VI NdiiSy
residents supporting the force &C
count method of construction. Di-
rectors Rose and Aten upheld the
force account system, and Directors
HeWes and Young opposed it. The
two latter finally agreed to have the
matter submitted to the people for
an expression of sentiment.
The straw cleo IN would have had
no bearing on the matter of force
account, except to express the opin-
ion Of the Imperial Valley residents.
The reclamation service has already
declared that it will not agree to
force account construction, favoring
instead submission of bids by pri-
vate contractors. 1t had no objec-
ton to the district also submitting
a bid, but in view of the fact that q
satisfactory bond cannot be obtain
ed, as stated in MCIver'S telegram,
the district will not be able to bid
on the work.