Imperial Valley press., 1937-05-10
Views Behind the News
Who'll Gail the Boards Bluff? III
Won't Be an Outsider Supervisors
Hare Many and DeriOus Practices
BY EVALYS BOMAN WESTERFIELD

One of these days, Imperial comtys board
of supervisors is going TO run up against some
one who will call their bluff-but the someone
will have 10 be from Imperial county. The
Frolicking Five have developed a technique for
dispoSing of embarrassing cases that is without
parallel. Result is. city slickers with hot ideas
that would defrost the supervisors usually leave
the board room without the lower half of their
suits only they don't know it until they get home
The board combines ancient frailties and
modern science in black magic of political by
play that will dispose painlessly OF all but the
most persistent wanters OF things. II the An
cient Art of Anger fails TO do its duty then the
modern telephone is sure TO oblige. If ever you
go before the board. remember the procedure.
The board listens politely until the members
get the giSt of your idea. II they like it. all
right. If they don't they'll start talking about
il. Andy Preble has very distinct idea OF now
it ought TO be done. Ike SchIatter has another.
They don't agree. In fact they disagree very
heartily. Ike gets mad. Andy gets mad Then
Slim Graham gets mad because the other two
are mad, and everybodys mad. Andy invites
Slim outside. Dave Vencil tries to intervene,
but unsuccessfully. If anyone had a gun, it
looks like they'd use it.
BY this time. the poor petitioner usually has
boted for safer quarters leaving muttered lit
don't matter" in his wake.
II anger doesn't work, that is-if the petit
toner still persists in hanging around with his
embarrassig requests-the board has system
that no one has yet found method OF beating
FIRST, Hugh Osborne is called 10 the telephone
1t must be a lengthy discussion, for he stays
out quite a while. Before he comes back another
telephone summons is delivered for Graham
They follow in rapid sequence for Schlatter and
Preble And when those lads once get on the
phone il seems they hang up everything
but the receiver.
The remaining member of the board if there
is a remaining member usually entertainS the
petitioner with stories he has heard 50 many
+ha+ ba'c
self preservation.
If everything else fails, the board usually says
NO"
You can't beat the system.
No one has yet settled responsibility for re-
cent rumors that county employees were about to
join a union-what for, nobody seems to know
as was pointed out at recent meeting OF the
county workers Thought Of a sit-down strike
might appeal to some. For instance, there's
Leona Jacobs. assistant probation officer. she
runs hither and yon SO much, gathering In JuVe-
niles that her feet would welcome the rest.
Dozer Dawson who sits all day, anyway, at the
court house switchboard, is said TO oppose the
idea.
For once, every employe but one in the court
house is agreed on a desirable addtion-a prl-
yate office for Purchasing Agent Rance BAKER
This is serious. First step Rance takes toward
chiseng down the various statesmen he deals
with every day is to lead the unwary pedder to
the soft drink dispenser in the lobby-and there
they carry the heavy business OF the day CD
lection is that the hotter the deal, the more
soft drinks are consumed, leaving the dispenser
empty and the remaining court house thirsts
unslaked In the interest of efficiency the
county needs either a private office for Rance
or a larger soft drink machine.
Private reports in official circles indicates
that Deputy Sheriff Frank Raney may be eX-
pected at almost any time to take up mile run
before breakfast each day, or at least daily
dozen. Behind the report is an interesting story.
Assigned TO duty in Winterhaven recently,
Deputy Raney discovered that the workers were
all set TO take the toWn-and didn't think much
of the law. They told him so, and kept on
telling him. Raney passed it off with Wry
grin finally stepping outside one establishment
for breath Of air. Two OF the toughest fol-
lowed him, and proved that mule skinners
heritage has been passed on to the men VINO
work with draglines and piledrivers. Their
opinion of Raney, he gathered was not laudable.
minute later, neither had an opinion. They
knew only that Raney had exploded suddenly
and they lit long way off
Back in El Centro, Raney whispered to
Sheriff Ware: Next time you send me 10 Win
terhaven, give me ten days notice. so can go
in training Those bows are TOUGHl"