New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-11-22
COMMUNICATED
OUR NATIONAL RESOURCES.
Undeveloped Water Power Here
Sufficient to Turn Every Indus
trial Wheel in the Nation.

To the Editor Of the Herald:
The great war in which our nation
is engaged will be won not alone by
food and men, but by mechanical
power as we'll. Without mechanical
power we could not make or move the
weapons with which we f1ght-guns,
ammunition Ships and supplies. Our
national resources of power, whether
from coal, oil, or water power, are ma
tional war necessities. We need them
to win the war.
In this gigantic struggle our secur-
ity requires US to use all these great
resources, and to use them wisely and
we'll. The people of the United States
own some 100000 undeveloped wa
ter horsepower, or about enough to
run every train, trolley factory. mill,
mine and electrical power plant we
have.
For 10 years the friends of conser-
walton have urged the development OF
public water powers in the public in
terest. But development has been held
back by little group of water pow
er magnates and their friends IN con-
gress who have blocked all legislation
which would not give them these val
liable properties forever and for MOTH
ing.
Today, when the nation needs all
it's resources, the same men who nave
been blocking reasonable water pow
err legislation own and are holding
millions of water horsepower unde-
ing for more.
The time has come when such OBJ
struction threatens the nations safe
70
ment of these powers III war even
more than in peace. At the coming
session Of congress sound water pow
err legislation should be enacted as a
war measure, based upon principles
fair to all ideas. These principles be-
lieve to be briefly as follows:
Cd The thing to do with water
power is to develop it. Whatever re-
tards or restricts the development of
public water powers on terms fair to
the public Is against public policy and
hostile to the general welfare.
ca Water power belongs to the
people. The sites where 1T is pro-
duced shotlld always be held in pub
lie hands, for only so can effective
control in the general interest be Sc
cured.
(3) Where public development is
not desired, the right to use water
power sites should be leased for pc
RODS long enough to permit sound,
attractive, and profitable investment,
but never longer than so years. At
the end of each lease all rights should
return to the people who gave them.
(4 In order to protect the con-
sumner against extortion, rates and
service should be regulated by fed
eral authority when state or local
authorities fail to do SO.
co Reasonably prompt and COM
plete development and continuous
operation, subject to market condl-
tons, should be required. Already
millions Of water horsepower are held
out of use to further monopoly by
private corporations.
(6) Corporations or individuals who
make money out of rights granted by
the people should share their profits
with the people.
~ The public has a right to COM
plete information about every bust
ness based on the use of public prop
erty.
These are the principles for which
the friends Of conservation have been
contending. Many water power men
believe them to be fair and sound.
They will, I hope, commend them
selves to you as wise and reasonable,
I am writing to ask your support for
immediate legislation, based upon
them. when congress meets.
This is no time to give away pub
lie assets necessary for the welfare
Of our people both in the war and
after the war; and we should no long
er tolerate the selflshness of private
interests which take the dog-in-the-
Manager position that they must have
these water powers on their own
terms, or no one shall use them at all.
AS the president has said: "The SUI
irene test of the nation has come. We
must all speak, act, and serve to-
gether."
Sincerely yours,
CLIFFORD PINCHOT