New-York tribune., 1918-01-30
The New Water Power Bill
Publishers Ask for a Suspension Of
Judgment on 1t
From q bulletin of tho Aesocidtion's
on P1pcf1

water power legislation.
It is the opinion Of the committee ;iat
while this bill marks long stride IN n.
direction of legislation which viii remedy
the present deplorable situation that keeps
the vast water power resources tied up arso.,
in perpctuity, it By means fully meet.
the present situation. Certain features a.
the bill require modification if adequate loo
slation is TO result.
Mr.. Clifford Pnchot has addressed 70 va..
Gus editors another Of his characteristic farm
letters urging that thca indorsc what he
calls tho administration bill" Nh Piacho.
may have so named this bill through a mis-
understanding Of the facts. There appoars
to be no foundation for calling il an Admin
istration bill beyond the fact that the hin
originated in the departments of the Sccre-
tarics Of Agriculture. Interior and War. and
vas by them transmitted to the President
who, in turn, handed the same to the House
committee to which water power lcrislation
goes in the regular order; and at the time
of handing this departmental bill to these
committee the President accompanied !. By .
the letter Of transmittal to him from the
Secretaries. which recommended "somo such
legislation.'' At the same time he requested
that the special committee be formed for
the purpose OF water power legislation. There
does not appear to be any record Of this
departmental bill being presented by tie
President as an Admins tration bill.
1t IS obvious to any one the least familiar
with the situation at Washington that If
water power legislation is enacted ut this
session that the factonal differences between
the House and the Senate, which have here
/ toff oj in,
ton. must, in large measure be composed
An Adjustment Hoped For
One o. the most hopeful factors n the
present situation is the apparent effort 70
avoid a repetition OF past differences, which
there seems to be every disposition on the
part Of the members of Congress to adjust
1t is the opinion of your committee tha-
any questioning OF the motives of those who
honestly entertain different views and any
demand that the departmental any other
bill be passed without modification care
ful consideration caa only result in i renewal
of the old deadlock and repetition os all
the needless controversies OF the old-fash-
ionod strife. Therefore, the action Of Mr.
pinchot at this time in seeking to secure the
Endorsement Of the departmental bill before
by the special committee in Congress is. to
say the least, unfortunate, and his letter
appears 10 be so worded as to convey an
impression that does not appear 20 be
rantcd by the facts. This is particularly TO
time to inauguratc by innuendo an attack
such as appears to be contained in Mr.. Pin
chot's letter referring TO the Shields bill and
the Senator'S who supported and voted for
the passage Of the bill
The House q Representatives and the
Senate have for long time been dcadlccked
On the details OF water power legislation.
and this has been the real cause of the
delay in securing amendmen. under WHICH
the wasting water powers could be developed.
Thc leaders Of the House OF Representatives
are, in many cases. net in accord with all q
the details of The Shields bill. special
committee has been appointed in The House
for the consideration Of all VA r power leg
isIation and this committee VIII undoubtedly
recommend very considerable amendment o.
the bill passed by the Senate and now hefors
that committee. Mr. Sims, OF Tennessee, who
is chairman Of the special committee. has
been leading supporter Of the views on this
subject expressed by the House, and tins IS
also true OF Representative Esch, the rank
ing Republican OF the special committee. and
also the attitude of subs tantialy all the
members o. this special committee. These
gentlemen are sincere IN their views and are
all earnest in their desire to sec water power
legislation passed which VIII secure dcvcl
opmcnt.
water power bill authorizing develop
mcnt both in navigablc streams and on the
public domain has been prepared by the
three departments having naturol Juusdic-
tion over the subject, namely, the Depart
ments OF War, Interior and Agriculture. lhi5
bill is now pending before the special com
mittce in the House of Representatives ana
will be considered at the same time OF the
consideration Of the bill which passed the
Senate.
Public Safeguarded
1t is obvious that the attitude Of thc lead
ing members of the Senate and Of the Seaate
itself, Of the members of the special COM
mittce of the House of Representatives and
the previous expressions by the House itself,
and also the views finding expression il the
department bill, are all prime factors N the
legislative situation. They factors SINH
lar to those which always have to be taken
into account in important legislation.
II is impossible that a law could result
from harmonizing of all Of these elements
which did not fully safeguard every public
interest.
Therefore. every effort of those who de-
sire the immediate opening Up OF tho great
water power resources should be directed
toward urging these different factors to come
together upon common ground which VIII
produce tho desired result. The only real
danger OF renewal os a deadlock, and the
consequent failure OF Legislation satisfactory
to all. lies in u possible renewal OF lmpuia-
tions Of bad faith and efforts TO ignore anV
of the prime factors mentioned on the part OF