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Newspaper
Shafter Press
Location
Shafter, California, United States of America
Date
Mar 19, 1942
Page
2
A court hearing set for April 17 reviews whether last November’s vote to dissolve the Shafter Waseo Irrigation District was legally valid. If upheld the district may dissolve. if not legal, it continues, potentially sparking a broader legal fight over costs borne by local property owners.
Organizing rural fire squads around Shafter and across Kern County aims to bolster civilian defense. Volunteers will form area crews with roughly six to fifteen members, stationed every two to three miles, to fight fires and salvage property during war. Training and equipment setup are underway in cooperation with county and state forestry divisions.
The program aims to secure and station resources at central points to meet a definite need. Farmers in Shafter are urged to visit the forestry station on Santa Fe Way to learn their role and volunteer if not already.
The article notes listening posts across Kern and adjacent counties maintain over 95 percent efficiency. Cooperation among observers and filter stations allows tracking of aircraft, aiding Pacific coast defense. Volunteers and monitors are praised, though staffing remains tight as volunteers shoulder four hour shifts or biweekly watches.
R L Adams of the University of California suggests aligning school vacation periods with peak harvests to utilize high school and junior college students for farm labor. He notes three months of breakout breaks could cover harvest time, reducing shortages if no school time is lost and no other labor is available.
The average farm spanned 174 acres with an assessed value of 851 dollars at the 1940 census. Land was priced at 3809.30 dollars total or 18.02 per acre, buildings valued at 1707 dollars, and farm machinery and implements at 502 dollars.
The world’s largest telescope formerly at Harvard Observatory in Cambridge Massachusetts departs for Cholula Mexico to be housed in the national observatory there. The transfer marks a major shift in astronomical equipment placement and research potential for Mexico.
The western theatre of operations includes Shafter and extends to all United States territory and Alaska west of the Rocky Mountains. This area covers military activity and geographic scope as defined for defense purposes.
In a light moment during a street ride, Mayor Phil Channeson quips that the incident hasn’t thrown him yet. Bill Rodgers notes the remark as onlookers witness a calm municipal leader amid the event.
A whimsical note on city county jurisdiction over resident chickens crossing the county line to scratch yards, followed by brief wartime quips from Pacific Rural Press and others. The column pokes fun at authority and defense attitudes during 1942. It includes satirical letters from officials and light commentary on home front challenges and resource conservation.
A brief, unspecified quote attributed to PRIVATE FLOYD: WALTER, U. S. Army, formerly a San Francisco base ball writer, asserting that a ball player should not play for less money than he earns in shipyards. The snippet presents a strong wage stance from a military figure with sports journalism roots.
Bartley C. Crumm, a San Francisco lawyer, warns against repeating postwar isolationism while urging readiness to win the peace. Louis R. Lurie, a capitalist, announces a 1 875 000 dollar purchase of US business property, marking his second such deal since December 7. He calls this an answer to war hysteria and to bombing, Nazis and fascists.
Senator Sheridan Downey warns that forest fires threaten California and urges a statewide prevention campaign. He advocates enrolling every schoolboy to mobilize protection before the dry season begins.
Archibishop John J Mit declares in a public statement that if world material destitution is great, the spiritual tragedy is far greater. He frames Americas role as a last arsenal of charity amid widespread need and urges action from faith communities.
Local notes report a major Sunday baseball clash at Shafter diamond between the Shafter Merchants and Malcolm Brock All Stars with G J Reiker and L E Sage managing. The season opener lineup features Otto Zimmelman and other Shafter players as April Fool events spark community activity including a Women's Club masquerade dance and Legion meetings.
Prof. C. C. Hill of Wasco gave a lecture on Japan illustrated by over 100 slides showing cherry blossoms and Oriental scenes. Mrs. Woods Stone presided at the business session with Mrs. J. C. Channeson serving as secretary in the absence of Mrs.
Civic Commercial association warns Kern County Farm Bureau members to plant cotton only in areas with a productive record of at least one bale per acre. The vote stems from a report that 62 000 bales were produced last year on 52 000 harvested acres, equating to about 600 pounds per acre.
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