The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-09
formal DEMAND
FOR REMOVAL Of
newell F.W.U.:
Western Farmers Request
Resignation Of Reclama-
ton Director.
WANT BUREAU CLEANUP
Service Is Butt Of Westerners' In.
vective and New Personnel
Is Asked.
WANT BUREAU CLEANUP

Removal of Frederick n. Newell. d.
rector Of the Reclamation SeOvice as
| forecasted In The Washington Herald,
| was definitely requested of Secretary Of
| the Interior Lane at the afternoon hear
ing OF the water users yesterday. This
| request will be repeated as one OF a
| number of recommendations which are to
be submitted by the National Fedora
ton of Water Users Associations at the
close Of the hearings
| I'VE feel that his hand is still at our
throat as long as he remains in the serv-
| ice,' said II. E. Culver. representative
1 Of the Sun River project. who made
| the request.
| Mr.. Culver charged that Director
Newell was directly responsible for
| many policies of the service that have
| caused widespread discomfort among the
| farmers. He stated that apparently Mr.
Newell does not believe that the best in
| terests of the settlers coincide with the
| best interests of the service. He con-
| cluded that the farmers despair of OBJ
! tanning satisfactory conditions as long
as Mr.. Newell is continued in the service
Mr.. Newell stated in an interview that
| the feeling back of the attack on him
was largely due to economic troubles
| over which the service could not exer-
| else control. The present distribution of
| payments to the government in some
cases claimed to work hardship on the
| settlers. Mr.. Newell stated. is a matter
| ordered by law. He concluded that 1,
was hard for the, farmers to understand
! that he acted merely as a trustee OF the
vast government investments in recla-
nation work for the Secretary of the
| Interior.
VIII Ask for Cleanup.
| Members of the Federation OF Waite,
| Users Associations have decided 20 ask
| for complete reorganization of he serv-
| ice. Officers of the federation say they
believe the testimony being given be-
| fore Secretary Lane justifies this recon-
mendation. Among the complaints and
recommendations which they will submit
! to Secretary Lane are:
]. The Reclamation Service has not
generally recognized the water users as
ISOLATION The service answers that il
has done this in so far as the law and
departmental regulations permit.
2 Business methods of the service
have been lax, creating chaotic conditions
in various projects. In answer to this.
the service refers to the report of the
efficiency board on its purchasing and
accounting systems.
3. Definite information as to the char
| acter of new constructions and the de-
tails of their cost have been withheld
from the farmers. This the service de-
MES.
T. Items entering into the cost of
maintenance and operation of the pro-
jects are withheld. The services answer
TO this is that the farmers idea of book
keeping does not always suit the Comp
troller of the Treasury.
The "users" expect to recommend that
an association be organized on each
NV hot ha hnSi Of
and maintenance be placed under the
control of these associations, and that
Mr.. Newell and such other officers of
the service. as the testimony requires,
shall be removed from the service
which shall be completely reorganized
%. z. Farnham. secretary of the fedora
ton states that this will be the sub
stance of the reforms urged upon the
Secretary at the close of the hearings.
Senator Walsh for Farmers.
Several Montana projects were dis
cussed at the afternoon hearing. The
greater part of the time was taken up
with hearing the complaints of farmers
on the Huntley projects and the answer
ing statement of II. n. Savage super
vising engineer of the northern district.
Mr.. Cox represented the water users in
this discussion
In a cross-examination of Mr.. Savage,
Senator Walsh of Montana endeavored to
show that the farmers are given no def
mite ideas of how their money is spent
He stated that the reports made by the
service upon the costs for operation and
maintenance we're too meager to convey
any information to the business done
Mr.. Savage admitted that the reports
were inadequate, but stated that the
farmers were welcome to go over the
books of the service. which are kept on
each project He agreed with Senate
Walsh that more publicity Should be
given to the affairs of the service.
Mr.. Cox complained of the system o.
furnishing water to the farmers on a
rotation system, of the high cost of some
items of construction, and of the incom-
potency of men sent to judge whether the
farmers crops needed water or not
These objections were answered freely
by Mr.. Savage.
In the discussion of the Milk River
project which followed. Senator Walsh
again endeavored to satisfy the Secre-
, tary that regular itemized statements OF
the cost of maintenance and operation
should DE given to the farmers.
I The taking of testimony was inter-
rupted during the consideration Of the
Lower Yellowstone project, while Sem
ator Walsh, Representative Burgess of
Texas and Secretary Lane held three