Imperial Valley Press

Ruling Permits Yule Lighting In Business Area

"To do or not to do—and if so, how?"

That is the question relating to Christmas lighting in the business district over which the Chamber of Commerce is busy scratching its head.

With the announcement obtained by the Post-Press Friday, that outdoor Christmas lighting is permissible along Main street under certain technical conditions, El Centro business men find themselves up against a tough problem.

Lights can be put up in the retail area IF—and here's the War Production Board rule—IF erection or construction of same is not done by a public utility. And heretofore, the beautiful red, white, green and yellow lights owned by the El Centro Chamber have been placed by the power company, the district, or professional concerns not now in business.

Because the city of Brawley used the city firemen for putting up their lights, that was permissible. But in El Centro . . . that's something else.

"The El Centro chamber has complied with the spirit and the letter of the war board directive," explained William G. Duflock, chamber secretary, "by not erecting its Yuletide decorations. We can, however, have our lights even at this late date if sufficient laymen workers with necessary skill can be found to erect the lights."

So, whether to seek the workers and erect the lights at this late date becomes the question of the hour, at least for the committee of the Chamber of Commerce which is busily engaged in trying to unravel the situation.