Imperial Valley press., 1937-06-13
LET'S GET BACK
TO THE ISSUE IN HAND

Next Wednesday the people of the In
perial Irrigation District will go to the
polls to vote on PWA and REA con-
tracts with the f ederal government
through which will be financed the con-
struction of one power plant, main dis
tribution system and 600 miles of rural
distribution lines of the AL! American
canal power system.
In speeches, IN newspapers and through
other mediums there have been thou
sands of words written and spoken about
the election and the things it entails.
Because the matter is vital. this has be-
come one of the hottest political cam
paigns of recent years. On one side stand
the people of Imperial Valley, represent
ed by the Imperial Irrigation District.
On the other side is the Nevada-Califor-
MIA Electric corporation, representing
private interests determined to keep
their monopoly of power in the valley.
The very heat of the campaign has
brought in personalities and side issues
which, we feel, have done nothing but
becloud the real issue in hand.
There is only one issue before the
people. Will we, the voters and taxpay-
ers, keep in our own hands control of
There has been much said about the
power company's offer to purchase pow
er from the All American canal. Remem-
Der this: Eyes" vote on June Is will
not alter by one iota the status of the
power company's offer. 1t will merely
entrench the people more firmly in a
bargaining position.
Words and Side-iSsueS cannot obscure
this fact: that the people will not have
anything to sell unless they vote Eyes"
on June 16. Furthermore, there is no
way in the world they could, if they wish
ed, hold the Nev-Cal company to its
present offer. One minority stockholder
in the power company, holding only one
share of stock, could go to court and
prevent the company from making good
its offer.
Suppose, for moment, that the REA
and PWA contracts were defeated next
Wednesday. This is what might happen:
The power company might be forced
by some stockholder to withdraw its Of
fer. The people would then have turned
down government financing. 1t is more
than probable they would never be given
another opportunity to accept 1t. The
government has too many other places
it can place its funds to bother with
someone who doesn't want them. The
result would be that neither the people
nor the power company would develop
power on the All American canal-and
the consumers would go on paying the
rates set by the power company for
hydro-electric energy brought in over
the longest transmission line in the world
from the Mono basin.
1t is evident to anyone who thinks the
matter through that there is only one
course open to the people of Imperial
Valley. 1t is the course they have follow
ed for the last 81 years. 1t is develop
ment and distribution of the peoples
power by the people and in the peoples
interests.
1t would be the heighth of foolishness
for us to turn our greatest asset over
to somebody else even before it has be-
come an asset. We would be giving our
enemy the gun we have used to fight
him-and there is no assurance that he
would not turn it against us the minute
he had it in his hands.
The people, we believe, will not be mis-
led by irrelevant issues. They will not
be deceived by issues which have moth
ing to do with the matter up for con-
sideration.
There is only one thing to do, and we
believe Imperial Valley will do it next
Wednesday. That is:
Vote Eyes" on PWA and REA con-
tracts.