Evening star., 1918-01-13
POWER
NOW Being WASTED
Prospect Of Legislation to
Make Available Country's
Il Hydro-EIectric Energy.

q
LEGISLATION to make available the
%, ,0O0, 900 horsepower hydro-electric en-
ergy now going to waste IT. the
country bids fair to be enacted at TINS
session of Congress as the result OF
the creation by the House OF special
committee of eighteen to consider the
subject. This move was the outcome
xf a conference at the White House
LIST week between the President ana
vpngressmen. following efforts OF the
Gectetary of War. the Secretary OF the
Interior and the Secretary OF Agricul-
ture to coordinate Congress and their
several departments in an effort to Sc
cure adequate legislation.
The special committee is to be composed
Of men from the committee on interstate
and foY eigu commerce and the committee
on public lands. which nave nao
charge of water power b1lls, togetne'
with eight other members of the House.
A bill prepared by the pa three aeparto -
that committee for immediate consid-
GRAFTON.
Meets Defeat in Senate.
Twice. step by step. under closest
scrutiny of republican and democratic
leaders. the House has passed water
power bill. to have it meet defeat IN
the Senate. Three departments OF the
government had jurisdiction over wa
ter power-the War Department over
navigable streams and the Interior and
Agricultural departments over pup
lie lands and forest reserves. sources
Of streams. Each department contend
ed for policies it deemed best. none
able to present composite plan ac-
ceptable to the Senate.
Tho three secretaries finally have agreed
upon bill for the consideration OF Con-
9ress. It is not expected to satisfy every
body. Indeed. warning of opposition was
sounded in the House by Representative
johnson Of Washington. who charged that
the bill was not liberal enough to attract
capital to develop water power MI.
londell Of Wyoming protested against ms,
Congress being handed a ready-made bill,
With executive approval. for its accept
ance He did not want a special committee
to take over the subject.
Opposing the stand taken by these men,
Gr Ferris Of Oklahoma. chairman Of the
public lands committee, said that the pub
lie lands committee and the interstate
and foreign commerce committee were
agreed that a special committee should
take up a bill which included salient
propositions of measures pending before
those committees. While not committing
himself unreseryedly to acquiescence in
Ferris approved its consideration by the
special committee.
Mr.. Ferris outlined the main features
basis Of the committees work He said:
There are ten essentials which this
proposed bill embodies.
First No legislation, executive order,
oY department ruling should permit the
pAtenting or the title in fee to pass out
Of the federal government under any
conditions. The fee title should be re-
ssrved In perpetuity to the United
States"
This bill carries such a provision.
Second. The dam sites should be
leased for a period Of time not longer
than dfty years. without any entangling
autapceS or phrases difficult to UNDER
stand. on which the courts might quib-
Bile or debate as to the relative rights of
the federal government and the lessee
afr. the term has expired.
Third. Te recapture provision should
provide that all non-perishable prop
eety. such as land. water right, dam
nites. good will and SO forth, should 20
hack TO the federal government at ac-
tual cost. and that all perishable prop
erty in connection with the plant should
come back to the federal government at
the end OF the lease at its fair value
Suggestions for Lease Contracts.
Fourth. Strong. clear. well-under-
stood provisions should be inserted in
the lease contract for the revocation
e the permit for violation Of the con-
6efi9ns thereof.
Fifth Provisions should be inserted
IN the lease requiring diligence and
prompt construction Of the plant so
tAaf the poperty may not be held for
Sixth A royalty or rental for the use
81 dam sites and the property OF the
federal government should be required
n All cases except for municipalities
vnich furnish current to consumers
Seventh. The federal government
should at all times maintain the para
mountcy. 50 1t will at all times have
un control over water power to the
end that the natural monopoly Of the
wAtE flowing from the highlands to the
iowlands and finding its way back to
the sea should not be a monopoly by
which one man or set of mon may
chance. use water power and hydroelec.
tric energy.
Provides for Annual Reports.
Eishth- Annual report should be
enacted from the power companies so
that the public might at all times know
81 their acts and doinga
Ninth. The federal government
mould reserve to itself full power to
bond issues and SO forth. in interstate
pro1ectA and, where there is no public
utilities commission for this purpose,
in intrastate projects
Tenth. Eactr lease. permit or con-
sent OF Congress should contain a pro
vision that upon proof that any such
permttteess leSsees or grantees have
conspared to prevent the development
ox water power or to limit the output
OF ALREADY constructed plants the lease
should be revocable In q court Of com.
petent Jurisdiction"