Evening star., 1914-07-14
Conference Called at White
House to Consider Pending
Conservation Measure.
EFFORT TO HARMONIZE
VIEWS NOW IN CONFLICT
Proposed Permits to Private Con-
Germs for Construction of Dams
in Shoal Streams.

Conservationists in Congress are
looking forward with interest to the
conference scheduled to be held at the
White House tonight. when efforts are
to be made to smooth out differences
over pending conservation legislation.
President Wilson. members of the cab
met and members of the House
planned to consider the pending Adam
son general dam bill.
The bill is designed to boom naviga-
ton on what are now. in the aggre-
gate. thousands of miles of shoal
streams with possibilities of power de-
velopment attractive to private capi-
tai. but practically -prohibitive to the
government if undertaken to promote
navigation only.
The plan is to grant permits for
nfty-year periods for private construc-
tion of dams and locks. so as to pro-
vide heads OF water for generation of
power and hydro-electricity for power
purposes for communities needing
light. fuel and power for manufactur-
ing and other purposes.
President Interested.
President Wilson is taking consider
able interest in the Adamson bill, ano
SO are Secretaries Lane of the Interior
Department and Garrison of the Wal
Department. both of which depart
ments would have jurisdiction over re.
spective details of the projects under
the bill Those who are expected tc
confer with them include Democrati.
Leader Underwood, Representatives Fer
rts Of Oklahoma and Lenroot of Wis.
consin. representing the public landi
committee. and Representatives Adam
son of Georgia and Stevens of Mime
merce committee.
Under the provision of the bill fo
permits for building dams. the Wa,
Department after fifty years. ma,
terminate all right by giving thu
taking over the property for tn,
United States. and the ffty.year tern
would continue until compensation
shall be paid to the owner to tn,
amount of the fair value of his property
View Of the Opponents.
Representative Ferris and other op
ponents of the bill in its present shape
with whom Secretary Lane Is under
stood to be aligned. say the bill NIGH
leave loophole for grants of perpet
ual rights to private capital The,
say that section IT of the bill appar
emily repeals the existing laws unde
which the great irrigation works hav,
been built up. and they furthermor,
urge that the jurisdiction of the Wa
and Interior departments should b,
clearly defined.
At the conference tonight Represent
ative Lenroot undoubtedly will call at.
tention to his views that the Adamson
bill Is written for the benefit of specia
waferpower interests and that it gives
too much to waterpower concerns and
too little to the general public Repre-.
sentatives Lenroot and Ferris both be.
lieve that waterpower grabs will result,
as the passage Of the bill, and that i,
gives away too much public land at toe
low rental.
Representative Lenroot believes tina,
the provision which allows the govern.
ment to buy back waterpower plants a
the end Of fifty years simply gives the
government the right to pay a high fig.
ure for a franchise which it gave away
in the first instance. and that this SHOULD
be changed SO that the waterpower con
Germs which get franchises on public
lands should not have 80 much of 9
good thing