Evening journal., 1918-08-20
BILL TO TAKE over
POW Err PLANTS IN
New War Measure Provides
$500, 900, 900 to Begin
Acquiring Them
is INDORSED BY
THE PRESIDENT

WASHINGTON, Aug. %. - Fedora
control over all steam. electric and nv
Fduilc power plants In the country /.
ought Dy the Administration as a wal
ledsure. Representative Sims (Tenn.)
halrman OF the House Interstate Com.
lerce Committee. introduced a bin YES.
rday IN the House designed 10 fur
IN this authority 10 the President
70 was said that the bill had the in
irsement not only Of the President
10 OF the Secretaries Of War and Navy.
hartman Hurley OF the Shipping Board
md Chairman Baruch Of the War In.
dustries Board.
The bin carries an appropriation Of
S2OO0OOO00 10 begin the acquisition OF
power plants by the government. Hear
ings on the measure are scheduled 10
begin Wednesday before the House In
terstate Commerce Committee. The bin
provides that the President may con
Struct or acquire power plants and
transmission lines and incidental prop
orty necessary for the production OF
material and commodities essential 10
The national defense"
Incidental property covers all ap-
pllsnces, machinery, dams, rights OF
way, mill rights, coal rights "and any
other public or private rights OF in
terest5 therein" The President NAV
either take over private owned power
plants or advance funds TO aid their
private operation.
10 Is specified that the power granted
under the bill would be only for the
period Of the war. Authority also Is
given 10 the President TO fix compensa-
tiOn to the plants taken over from pri-
vate interests. with the provision that
in case OF dispute IS per cent Of the
amount Of compensation fixed shall be
paid, with the owner receiving the right
TO sue the United States for the bal
ance.
The reasons impelling the Admins
tration TO urge the bill at this time as
war measure were outlined by Mr..
Sims in a formal statement accompany
ing the measure.
we are facing a power shortage
which is now and has been for some
time past very acute" said he. "Thls
shortage Is hampering our program Of
essential war production. and this
measure, authorizing the President 10
erect superpower stations at the coal
mines and other points where he may
deem them necessary or 10 extend flnan-
cial aid TO persons and corporations
about TO do so, is designed TO obtain
results OF tremendous immediate and
ultimate value to America.
ut is introduced with the indOrse-
ment OF the Administration, has been
most carefully prepared, has been con-
sidered In conference with executive Of
fcers OF the government and represent
atives OF the great power companies
and is indOrsed by all OF them"
He then explained that the bill must
not be understood 20 take the place
Of the water power bill before the
House. Mr.. Sims defined the military
necessity Of adopting the new measure
as follows:
4. Increased production OF power
available for war industries in ship
yards.
?. Economy in the consumption Of
fuel.
3. Reduction in the railroad freight !
load, especially in the fuel load.
4, Increased production Of metallur- |
slcal coal, tuluol and ammoniacal
liquor, all recovered from coal
"The greatest immediate need is that |
Of the munitions factories and ship /
Yards for additional power which can
not be supplied by existing companies"
'lr. Sims added.