The Bolivar County Democrat. (Rosedale, Miss.) 1887-1969, 1919-03-01
LEVEE BOARD NEEDS
TEN MILLION DOLLARS
Citizens of the Mississippi Valley
Should Wire Their Congress
men Today to Insist OH
This Allotment.

An appropriation of less than the
full amount of ten millions for the
Mississippi this year is in conflict
with the spirit and purpose of the
act and the policy of Congress, and
in disregard of the urgent recommen-
dation of the Mississippi River Com
mission, who are fully informed as
to necessities, and whose recommen-
dation, which follows, should control.
Recent press reports have been SO
colored as to indicate that the River
Commission cOncurS in reduced ap-
preparation. This is not the fact.
In Part 8, Report of the Chief of
Engineers, in the report therein of
the Mississippi River Commission, see
page 1850, fourth paragraph, as to
revetment needs:
"The extent of bank revetment is,
however. relatively so great when
compared to the funds available for
it's construction, that it has been nee
essary to confine the work to cases
of urgent necessity, such as caving
banks which threaten cut-offs, or the
safety of large levees, which could
only be replaced at excessive cost,
and the harbor fronts of cities. Sub
stantial revetment for the purpose of
fixing the banks Of the river is essen
tial to any successful scheme of i'm
provement, and as the project adopt
ed by Congress requires that the COM
mission shall correct, permanently
locate, and deepen the channel and
prtect the banks of the Mississippi
River large increase in expenditures
for revetment construction are ur-
gently needed
Page 3471, last paragraph, as to
levee needs:
1.-TWO types of levee machine have
been constructed and purchased By
the Commission, and are in successful
operation. IN addition, several con-
tractors have installed similar ma
chimes. AS result of this develop
ment of a suitable machine for levee
construction, the amount of levee
work that can be done annually is
practically limited only by the
amount of funds available therefor.
(For details see Appendices and
A."
Page 3472, last paragraph, as to
recommendation:
Estimate of funds required. The
| flood-control act provides that not
more than $1O,OO0,0O0 shall be ex-
pended therefor during any one fiscal
year. The full amount can be prof
itably expended in the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1920, provided it is
made available by Congress prior to
the commencement of such year, and
exclusive of the balance unexpended
July /, 1919, all balances being
needed at the end Of each year as
reserve from which to pay outstand-
ing liabilities, contract reserves, and
to meet local contributions in the
manner provided by the flood-control
act"
No one can speak for the Commits
sion, and the Commission will, 1t is
believed, refuse to lower that recon-
mendation, for it knows the grievous
need. Local funds have been sup
piled as called for and we are all
ready to comply in that respect as
RAPIDLY as the federal quota is sup
plied. We know the value of our
money, and do not want either 1t
or federal funds wasted by piecemeal
policy
It is no doubt unfortunate at this
time that such recommendation or
the Mississippi River Commission,
and an act of Congress as we'll, must
run the gauntlet of the War Depart
ment. which is apparently making
every effort to hold at maximum all
recommendations concerning purely
military plans and cutting all others
in it's control to the bone to keep
the total down. At the time the
amount recommended by the Commits
sion was arbitrarily reduced by the
War Department, if my information
is correct, the department was ask
ing for a peace time army OF five
hundred thousand men and asking Ior
coast defense appropriation OF over
five hundred million dollars-when
no possible enemy ship could pass
our navy.
Two bills now before Congress and
being seriously considered PROVIDE
one a hundred millions, and the
other. think, four hundred millions,
to be spent in centers OF Idle LABOR
in doing something" at the discre-
ton of the Secretary OF Labor! Ihe
press states that "both bills" have
his endorsement, which argues that
he would endorse any NUMBER OF
such bills for any amounts. Serl-
ously, an appropriation of hundred
millions for such a purpose would do
industrial damage to the amount OF
a hundred millions, by employment OF
surplus labor in useless or unneces-
sary work, yet the chance OF passage
of some such bill looks better today
than the chances of normal appro-
priation for the Mississippi RIVER
and possibly some other notably
worthy projects.
An interesting discussion in this
connection was engaged IN on the
floor of the Senate (See Congression-
al Record, February II, 1919. page
37O8), principally between Senators
yardaman, Williams, Ransdell and
King. in the consideration OF the
rivers and harbors bill, some of which
is most pertinent, and is quoted as
follows:
"MR. VARDAMAN: I am glad the
Senator from Utah (Mr. King) is
calling attention to the mistake the
Government has made in pursuing
this piecemeal policy. Congress
passed a bill year and half ago
authorizing the expenditure OF SAB
600. 900 on the Mississippi River, the
citizens along the line of the river
| TO contribute in the ratio OF to z.
That act contemplates the compile
tion of the Mississippi River levees
| in five years, with an annual appro-
| priation of $10,000,00O.