davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-10
SOMETHING ABOUT
LOCKING A BARN DOOR

From the sidelines, we feel deep
sympathy both with the Ell Centre resi-
dents who Wednesday night protested
against lack of surfacing on city streets,
and with the city council which will have
to solve the financial problems attend
ant upon such surfacing, if it is to be
done
From here it seems to be stalemate,
with ways and means yet to be worked
out. We need surfaced streets. We need
economy in city government. The ques-
ton is, which do we need most? Or
should we compromise and have little
of both?
We admit we've got to leave the ques-
tions hanging up in the air. We don't
know.
One thing was demonstrated by the
protests, however, and by the considera-
tion given by councilmen to street sur
facing problems 1t is the thing that is
wrong with most of us in FL Centro.
We're 'last-minute men,
We think about surfacing our streets
only when they're so deep in mud an os-
trich couldn't wade across one and keep
his head unsoiled.
We get enthusiastic about storm drain
sewers only when the water is so deep in
the cutters that the U. S. battle fleet
might sail up any night in a dense fog.
We worry about our municipal popula
ton only when it is census taking time,
once every ten years.
AS whole, we never do anything to
make business better until it is so bad
that better" doesn't even mean good"
There is no excuse for not doing a lot
of things in Ell Centre, except that we
never get around to them until it is toe
late, anyway. And then, if conditions
improve bit, we decide we can take a
rest again. After that, we keep on rest
ing until something else that should have
been done comes up, cracks us an the
skull, and leaves us wondering why we
hadn't hired policeman.
The big trouble with us Ell Centrans
is that, as a group, we're mighty sturdy
individualists In our business and per-
sonal lives, we plan far ahead. In our
civic lives, we don't plan at all. We just
struggle with the moment at hand, and
let the days to come remain vague event.
ualitieS
Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-10
PART OF A
BROADER SCHEME

Ell Centro's forthcoming cleanup cam
paign has its place-and an important
place it is-in Imperial Valleys 1941
program to bring about better, more
lasting prosperity for this region.
In 1874 we want to bring more people
to live in Imperial Valley, both in farms
and in the cities We will find it a lot
easier to do if the county seat is a spick
and span community, clean and attrac-
tive.
We want more liberal credit for our
farmers. We can get it a lot easier if
we stop looking like a municipal hobo
who hasn't had bath in two months.
Appearance plays a part in credit rat
ings, you know.
We want to establish a morale among
ourselves that will hasten cooperation
toward completion of the All American
canal, the public power system, opening
of Eastside Mesa lands, refunding, and
numerous other objectives.
But a community is like woman-it
can't do its best work if it is wearing
dirty dress.
In a year dedicated to accomplish
things, we cannot afford to overlook
the matter of Frightening up Imperial
Valleys capital city.
Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-10
A CURIOUS WARNING
tThe Washington Starr

Most extraordinary in its implications
was the editorial statement" issued by
Verne Marshall, Iowa newspaper pub
Usher and chairman of the No Foreign
War committee. Mr. Marshall warned
President Roosevelt not to ''belittle" the
committee in his fireside radio chat last
Sunday night and coupled with this ad-
monition cryptic declaration that his
anti-war group might release document
relating to certain "conspiraces" and
''deceptions" which have forced nations
into war. Mr.. Marshall expressed the
opinion that the present war would not
have broken out last year but for ''un-
written foreign commitments made by
the American government. He threaten
ed to make public the committees secret
information IT attempts to Illustrate.
defeat or in any way injure" his organiZa-
ton are continued" and he said he would
demand radio time for an answer if the
President should "even family criticize
the objectives of the No Foreign War
committee"
This is a statement which plainly leaves
the impression that the price of suppress
sing the allegedly important data in his
possession is Presidential or administra-
tion silence on the subject of his COM
nnittee's activities. Under those circum-
stances, it may we'll be wondered why
this committee, which Mr.. Marshall as
serts is 100 per cent American" should
object to free and full discussion-and
criticism if deemed advisable-of any
public issue, or the partisans of any is
sue. Certainly, his committee to date has
not been loath to indulge in outspoken
criticism of those who espouse ideas op-
posed to it's own.
Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-10
So They! Say

Appeasement is simply another
word for suicide in the Axis die
tionary.
Joseph C.. Menendez, command
ant, Veterans of Foreign Wars
No nation, not even our own
abundantly supplied country, could
long fight a mechanical war with
out access TO foreign sources of
mineral supplies.
DR.. c. K. Leith. consultant on
metals, Defense Council.
Our people have proudly refused
TO yield to the temporary masters
of Norway.
Grown Prince Olaf.
The worth of a citizen depends
OH his ability to face the realities
of existence.
DIR. Alexis Carrel.
Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-10
by Willis Thornton
Turn Light on the War Committees

If 1t be true that one mans
meat is another mans poison. it is
equally true that one mans truth
is another mans propaganda.
A half-dozen committees are now
deluging the country with mater
ial aimed at influencing United
States foreign policy in one way or
another.
There are the Committee to De-
fend America by Aiding the Allies,
the America First Committee, the
No Foreign War Committee, to
name only the most vocal.
Let it be said at the start that
no particular good will come of
trying TO dismiss any of these COM
mittees with an epithet 'Pro-Na-
"a or "Pro-British" is not good
enough. So far as we know every
one of these committees is a purely
American committee, actuated by
the single desire to lead this coun-
try in the path that will prove
best 1t is true that one group tends
TO advocate policies which one pre-
sumes the Germans would like; an
other, policies which would bring
cheers in England. But they are not
to be dismissed by calling names.
They are too important for that
and it is essential that we know
exactly and in detail what is rep
resented by each.
The u. S. Department of State
registers and requires such infor-
nation from representatives of for
cign governments. And that is good.
We know, for instance, when Sir
Wilmott Lewis, Washington cores
pondent of the London Times, is
sues a weekly newsletter called
Foreign Correspondence" that this
is British propaganda. and it may
be read as such. Sir Wilmott is
duly registered with the Depart
ment of State as a British repre-
sentative. You can take what he
says, or leave it.
But the domestic committees,
while they certainly WELD more
power in molding American des-
tiny than foreign propagandists.
perhaps even more than political
Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-10

campaigns, make no such ac-
counting.
These committees, naturally, wish
the people to trust them. Their
purpose is to- crystalline public
opinion. There is nothing wrong
in that. 1t is part of our democrat
iC process. Citizens with pronounc-
ed opinions have not only the right
but the duty to advocate those
opinions. Modern technique de-
mands organization in such advo-
cacy.
But already there have been de-
mands for congressional investiga-
ton of such committees. This seems
scarcely necessary. A policy Of COM
plete and utter frankness as to
sources of support and objectives
sought by all organizations seeking
to influence public opinion is the
answer. and the only answer which
will inspire public confidence in
what they have to say.
Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-10
SINISTER PROMISES
FROM HERR HITLER
Christian Science MOnitor)

(ChrlStlan Science Monltor)
Assurances oft repeated rouse suspi-
cion that the speaker doth protest too
much" Particularly is this true when
numerous previous assurances have been
followed by actions which flatly belied
the words.
Hence when Reichsfuhrer Hitler calls
it an infamous lie" to charge that Ger
many aims at conquest of the world, his
words are chiefly interesting for the
memories they evoke.
On May 21, 1885, he said, Germany
has neither the wish nor the intention :.
to annex or unite with Austria" In early
1888 Austria was annexed.
In his Sportpalast speech of Septem-
ber 26, 1888, demanding the Sudetenland
of Czechoslovakia he said, This is the
last territorial demand | have to make
in Europe pe'-incdentally echoing almost
the words he had used before in connec-
ton with the reoccupation of the Rhine
land In March, 1889, the German army
occupied what was left of CZechoslova-
kia after the Sudetenland had been alb
sorbed.
After the invasion of Poland in the
Autumn 1889 Herr Hitler announced that
Germany had concluded non-aggression
pacts with her neighbor states on the
Baltic The following April German
troops occupied Denmark and attacked
Norway.
The only assurance America can have
that it does not lie within the orbit of
their ambitions is the assurance it can
make for itself
Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-10
by Bruce Cation :.
The Inside Track in wasIinqton
By esibraith

j. Houdry, q well-to-do expert on
Oil cracking processes, and presi-
dent of the Houdry Process Corp.
of Delaware. Houdry served with
the French tank corps in the first
World War and came to the Unit
ed States in the early 20's at the
invitation of the Vacuum Oil Co.
4 chevalier of the Legion of Honor
and holder of the croix de guerre,
he has drawn together number
of engineers and production experts
for the groups service.
SHORT-WAVE PROGRAMS
FOR FRANCE
So far the public appeals of
France Forever have been aimed
largely at French citizens living in
this country. No recruiting of
troops is done: that would violate
U. S. laws, and France Forever is
being scrupulous. Nevertheless, any
Frenchman in America who wants
to get overseas and join the de
Gaulle army is likely to find his
way smoothed considerably.
One Of the groups big jobs is
the sending of short-wave radio
programs to France, to keep
Frenchmen informed of the course
of the war and to keep alive the
spirit of resistance. Right now, two
programs are sent weekly, broad
casting being done in Boston. Be-
fore long these will become daily
programs.
You'll be hearing good deal
more about France Forever soon,
as an American sponsoring COM
mittee is being formed. This or
ganization will operate much as the
Committee to Defend America by
Aiding the Allies operates, propa-
gandizing this country in support
of the de Gaulle movement. 1t will
include a number of Americans
who have been prominent in the
Defend America Committees work,
although it will have no affiliation
with that body.
Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-10

HOLLYWOOD, Jan. 10. Nothing
is more fleeting than mood in
HOLLYWOOD, where this morning S
avowal of young love is this after
moons bitter battle in divorce court
for the custody of an 8-year-olo'
son: where the gaunt, turnlp-gnaW-
ing Testers of Tobacco Road trek
over to the Cafe de Paris to grumble
because there are no frogs legs on
the 85-cent lunch.
It's the place, too. where only
yesterday Barbara Stanwyck and
Henry Fonda went into a romantic
clinch in The Lady Ewes" dainty
boudoir. To-Day the sect is decorated
with hay and saddles. Exactly
where the stars played their poig-
nant scene. jackass is sitting
on a comedian.
suppose he's still sitting there,
anyway. There never was any
trouble with the docile jackass
but when left they were still
trying to convince Lillian Cornell
and Virginia Dale the long-eared
actor wouldn't hurt 'em II they
pulled at his halter. The person
who more reasonably might have
been worried was Alvin Wheeler,
on whose torso the donkey con-
tentedly was rocking his $50 pounds.
But it turned out that Wheeler
was used to it. The beast has been
sitting on him for Is years.
UNO'S ORIGINAL
COSTS
BY this time, many will have
guessed the donkey is Uno. q
veteran of % years Of vaudeville.
And his boss, with whom he plays
pancake eating scene, is Red
Donahue.
BY ordinary stan d IS, Uno
should have been in the glue fac
tory long ago. He's jug-headed
runt, and it was lucky for him that
one day back in 1912 Donahue
spotted him III the yards of a
New York mule dealer and bought
him for So for comedy bit in a
vaudeville horse and-dog act.
For eight years, Uno trotted a
round hundreds of stages as an
extra in the mob. In 1920. Donahue
happened to be passing a corner
on Manhattan's Fifth avenue when
a Model-T flivver, coaxed along by
an Italian fruit vendor, broke down.
The ensuing scene between the
huckster and a traffic cop became
the vehicle for Uno's career. Dona-
hue turned the automobile into a
donkey, and the italian into q
Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-10
LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT
RESOLUTION NO. 200

RESOLUTION NO. 800
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF Ell
CT'"RO DECLARING THE IN.
.n.HIICN OF SAID COUNCIL
TO ORDER THE CLOSING AND
ABANDONMENT OF A GER
TAIN PUBLIC STREET.
1T is HEREBY RESOLVED bJ
the City Council of the City of Fl
Centre that the public interest anC
public convenience require the clos,
ing up of a certain public street ir
the said City of Ell Centro, furthe,
described as follows, to-wit
That portion of Olive Street Iy-
ing West of a line drawn from
the northeast corner of Lot 3,
Block 43, Townsite, to tn
Southeast corner of Lot 7, Block
80, Townsite,
and it is the intention of said Coun-
Gil to order that said public street
be closed up and abandoned pur-
suant to the provisions of an Act
of the Legislature of the State of
California, entitled IAN ACT TO
PROVIDE FOR LAYING OUT,
OPENING, EXTENDING, WIDEN
ING, STRENGTHENING, OR CLOS
ING UP IN WHOLE OR IN PART
ANY STREET, SQUARE, LANE,
ALLEY, COURT, OR PLACE
WITHIN MUNICIPALITIES, AND
TO CONDEMN AND ACQUIRE
ANY AND ALL LAND AND PROP
ERTY NECESSARY OR CONVEN-
lent FOR THAT PURPOSE" ap-
proved March 6, 1889 and any
amendments thereto.
1T IS FURTHER RESOLVED
that the Street Superintendent of
said City of Ell Centre shall and
is hereby directed to give notice
of the adoption of this Resolution
by the posting and publication
thereof as required by law and Sec
ton Three of said Act hereinbefore
described, and more particularly
as follows, to-wit
Said Notice shall be headed NO
tice of Public Work. in letters not
less than one inch I'm length, and
shall be in legible characters; state
the fact OF passage or adoption of
this resolution; its date and briefly,
the work or improvement proposed,
and refer to the resolution for fur
ther particulars: and he shall also
cause similar notice to be pub
lished for period of ten days in
the Imperial Valley Press, a daily
newspaper, published and circulat-
ed in said City of Ell Centre and
hereby designated for such publica-
ton.
ROBERT w. HATTON,
MAYOR of Said City of
Ell Centre
ATTEST:
NEAL II. GAVIN,
City Clerk.
Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-10
LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT

RESOLUTION NO. 1877
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF TEE CITY OF Ell
CENTRIC DECLARING THE IN
TENTION OF SAID COUNCIL
TO ORDER THE CLOSING AND
ABANDONMENT OF A GER
TAIN PUBLIC ALLEY.
1T is HEREBY RESOLVED by
the City Council of the City of
Ell Centre that the public interest
and public convenience require the
closing up of a certain public alley
in the said City of Ell Centro, fur
ther described as follows, to-wit:
That certain 10 foot alley be-
tween Blocks ID and Is, Second
Addition, City of Ell Centre,
and it is the intention of said Coun-
Gil to order that said public alley
be closed UP and abandoned pur-
suant to the provisions of an Act
of the Legislature of the State of
California, entitled IAN Act to Pro-
vide for Laying Out, Opening, Ex-
tending, Widening, Strengthening,
or Closing Up in whole or in part
any street, square, 1ane, alley, court,
or place within municipalities, and
to condemn and acquire any and
all land and property necessary or
convenient for that purpose" Ap-
proved March 6, 1889 and any
amendments thereto
1T is FURTHER RESOLVED
that the Street Superintendent OF
said City of Ell Centro shall and
is hereby directed to give notice
of the adoption of this Resolution
by the posting and publication
thereof as required by law and
Section Three of said Act herein
before described, and more parti-
cularly as follows, to-wit:
Said Notice shall be headed "No-
tice of Public Work." in letters not
less than one inch in length, and
shall be in legible characters; state
the fact of passage or adoption of
this resolution; its date and brief
ly, the work or improvement pro-
posed, and refer to the resolution
for further particulars; and he
shall also cause a similar notice to
be published for a period of ten
days in the Imperial Valley Press,
daily newspaper, published and
circulated in said City of Ell. Centre
and hereby designated for such
publication.
ROBERT w. HATTON,
Mayor of said City of
Ell Centre.
ATTEST:
NEAL II. GAVIN,
City Clerk.
Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-10

WASHINGTON. Jan, 10. - Men
and munitions for the free France"
forces OF Gen Charles de Gaulle
are beginning to flow from the
United States in a steady stream
which is likely TO grow lot bigger
in the near future.
The work is being organized hr
de Gaulles Organization in the
United States, group called
France Forever. Made up. largely OF
eXpatriate Frenchmen, OF of Am-
orleans of French descent, France
Forever is bending every effort to
build up the de Gaulle movement
into a formidable weapon against
Hitler.
France Forever SO far has been
short on. propaganda activities and
long on direct action.
A sample of the kind of work
being done is the presence on Jer-
sey piers OF 20 ambulance planes.
Grated and ready to ship to de
Gaulle.
A sample of the job that is about
to be undertaken is the drafting
of a program for mass production
of military planes. This is being
worked out by expert technicians
in the group, who believe they can
soon get large numbers of planes
built.
ONLY SOURCE
FOR DE GAULLF
The Importance of this sort of
work lies in the fact that the de
Gaulle military forces approxi-
mately $4,000 troops, mostly in
equatorial Africa-have no real
base OF supplies. They are cut off
from France, of course and the
British have little materiel to
spare. The belief is that if steady
source can be developed in the
United States, the de Gaulle troops
can become an important factor in
the war.
Moving spirit in the France For
ever group is its president, Eugene
Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-10

IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF
IMPERIAL.
Notice of Time and Place Appointed
for Proving Will and Hearing
Application for Letters
Testamentary
In the Matter Of the Estate of
JULIA II. GRANT, Deceased
Notice is hereby given that a
petition for probate OF the will OF
JULIA II. GRANT, deceased. and for
the issuance to BERT p. HAST
INGS of letters teStamentary, has
been filed in this court, and
that Friday the oath day Of
January, 194l, at O'Clock pm.
of said day, at the courtroom, Dept.
2 of said court, in the City OF Ell
Centre, County of Imperial, State
of California, has been set for the
hearing Of said petition, when and
where any person interested may
appear and contest the same, and
show cause, if any they have, why
said petition should not be granted.
as prayed for.
Dated January 6, 1941.
w. j. McCLELLAND,
County Clerk.
BY MAXINE CONSOLE,
Deputy Clerk.
(J8-19 incl)
Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-10
LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT

NOTICE BY TAX COLLECTOR OF
COUNTY OF IMPERIAL, STATE
OF CALIFORNIA THAT THE
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF
SAID COUNTY OF IMPERIAL
HAS ENTERED INTO A WRIT
TEN AGREEMENT WITH THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF Ell CENTRIC UNDER THE
PROVISI IONS OF WHICH
AGREEMENT SAID CITY COUN-
GIL OF THE CITY OF Ell CEN
TRO WILL PURCHASE THE
REAL PROPERTY HEREINAF-
TER DESCRIBED, WHICH REAL
PROPERTY HAS BEEN DECIDED
TO THE STATE OF CaLIFOR-
MIA FOR DELINQUENT TAXES.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN
that the Board of Supervisors OF
the County of Imperial, State of
California, and the City Council of
the City of Ell Centre, did by Agree
ment dated December 8, 1910, enter
into written Agreement under
the provisions of Section 3897d
Political Code, under which Agree
ment said City Council agreed to
purchase on behalf of said City of
Ell Centre, and said Board of Super
visors agreed to sell the real prop
erty hereinafter described; that
said real property had heretofore
been decided to the State of Cali
fornia by the Tax Collector of said
County of Imperial for delinquent
taxes, and that the same remains
delinquent and unpaid; that the
name of the person to whom said
real property was assessed, or the
various persons to whom the prop
erty or any portions thereof were
assessed for each year in which
there may be delinquent State and
County taxes against said property
or any part or parts thereof, and
the consideration to be paid by
said City of Ell Centro for each
parcel of said real property is as
hereinafter set forth under each
parcel; that the State Controller
of the State of California approved
said Agreement on December 10,
1910 and by written authorization
dated December 49, 1940 directed
the undersigned Tax Collector to
cause notice in writing of the max
ing of said Agreement to be gwen
as herein provided.
Notice is further given that if the
said delinquent State and County
taxes outstanding against each par
eel of land are not redeemed as
provided by Section 3897d Political
Code of the State of California, the
undersigned Tax Collector will make,
execute and deliver to said City of
FL Centro a deed to said property,
or such portion thereof as to which
the terms of said Agreement shall
have been complied with, and that
on the execution of said deed, all
rights to redeem said property as
provided by the said Political Code,
shall be terminated
PARCEL
Description of Property
Lot IL in Block 25 of He'll villa
Tract, City of Ell Centre.
Years Delinquent
1892 81 l933-34 & 193637
g. 1878; 1938-39 to 1940-41
inclusive.
Assessed to-:
Carol He'll Mcconnell
State of California
To be sold to City of Ell Centre
for 1920
DATED: FL entro, California,
January 3, 194l.
DAN w. WEST,
Tax Collector and Tax
Assessor of the County OF
Imperial, State OF Califor-
mia.
(Jl0-l7-24
Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-10
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF IMPERIAL } SIS.
TTrrU OH EFT CEhJrrDN

STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF IMPERIAL } SIS.
CITY OF Ell CENTRIC }
I, NEAL H. GAVIN, City Clerk of
the City of Ell Centre do hereby GER
tify that the foregoing is a true
and correct copy of a resolution
duly and regularly introduced and
adopted by the City Council of the
City of Ell Centre at regular meet
ing held on November 20, 1910, by
the following vote:
AYES: Bratton, FaWcett, He'll,
Moore, Hatton.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, l have
hereunto set my hand and affixed
the official seal of the City of FL
Centre this 9th day of January,
194l.
NEAL II. GAVIN,
fSeaD City Clerk.
81 9-20 incl0
Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-10
by Paul Harrison -.
hoHywoods Fads, Fancies and FoibIes

Negro, with himself in the black
face role. He sold his dogs and
horses, hired a comic for a cop.
and. went into rehearsal.
Uno, ridden by Donahue, was
taught to balk in the middle of
an imaginary street. A policeman
appeared and began to raise Cain.
Uno learned to bite the cop, kick
him in the britches, rear up and
box him, and then knock him over
and sit on him.
Wheeler, who has been the cop
since 1925, obviously is really fond
of Uno because he sneaks sugar
and carrots and pancakes to the
gray-headed donkey. He and Dona-
hue are confident Uno will live
another 20 or 25 years. In all the
time the jackass has booted him
around and sat on him, Wheeler
has been injured only once. Crack
ed a vertebrae," explained tn e
stooge. But it wasn't the old boys
fault. He felt awful about it,
Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-10

EDITORS NOTE: The fOlIOUing
editorials are presented as interesting
opinions C0iced by editors elsewhere.
They do not necessarily reflect the
opinion of this paper.