Imperial Valley press., 1920-04-17
GIANT COLORADO
RIVER SHOULD D
Be HARNESSED

- - - - y
the '9iquid gold" flowing into TIL
Gulf of California annually, and sa
to us: Hold back the floods, put thes
waters on the rich valleys, and tn
products of the 100000 acres Wi
every year more than pay for tn
cost of this great work. In addition
there will be developed 100000
horsepower for use in our industries
Homes for millions will be mad
possible. Opportunity wiz be givel
for birth of new Americanism, or
more correctly, rebirth of the olt
Americanism, the spirit of the pio
neers."
100000 ACRES
In addition to new lands developed
new homes made lsssible, the lands
now reclaimed along the Colorado
Learly 100000 acres, will be saved
from the ever present menace OF
midsummer floods from the melting
snows of the Rockies. These lands
lie in Mexico and in seven states up
to Wyoming. In the entire basin 10
per cent of the tillable land is in
Mexico, Is in Wyoming, II in Utah,
Is in Colorado, 2 in New Mexico, in
Nevada, 13 in Arizona, 25 in Califor-
MIA.
But why the renewal of this dis
cussion which has been before the
people of the Southwest for scores of
years? Simply because it remains
discussion. Excepting in isolated
cases, nothing has been done to
reclaim this great wealth. There Is
still being carried into the waters of
the Gulf of California yearly 114,OOO
acre-feet, or 10000, 900 tons, of rich
soil. The wealth giving waters are
wasted the power is not used, homes
are not made possible, so there has
been brought into being the League
of the Southwest.
Its first meeting was held in San
Diego in Exposition year. In 1918, a
second meeting was held in Tucson;
Arizona, but war called for every
energy and little more than a series
of resolutions resulted. Now comes
its third meeting, held last week IN
Los Angeles. The league Is COM
posed of state governors, of repre-
sentatives of civic bodies, chambers
of commerce, boards of supervisors,
and other organized units in the
seven states or, as expressed IN Its
constitution, the league is: "A non
political alliance between the states
of Arizona, California, Colorado, Ne
vada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
and Utah to foster closer social and
commercial relations and to link the
communities of the Southwest IN
spirit of brotherhood and the pro-
motion of the civic, commercial and
social interests of the territory"
OFFICERS NAMED
In addition. its friends say for 1t:
at grinds no axes, backs no partlcu-
lar schemes, represents no special
interests or factions: it promotes the
progress and prosperity OF all the
Southwest by fostering better ac-
ouaintance and intelligent co-opera-
ton between the influential and sub
stantial elements of its various COM
munities. Its conventions afford any
one community or state opportunlt!
to enlist the unified influence Of the
entire Southwest to successfully
further any legitimate local project
or need.
The officers are: president, DR.. K.
B. Won Kleinsmid, president OF the
University of Arizona; first vice-pres-
ident, A. L. Richmond, recently pres,
ident of Ell Centre chamber OF
commerce and an engineer of nation
al note; vice president, Hon. William
d. Stephens, governor of California;
Hon. Thomas d. Campbell, governor
of Arizona; Hon. o. H. Shoup, cover
nor of Colorado; Hon. Emmett u.
Boyle, governor of Nevada; Hon, ".
P. Hobby, goxernor of Texas. Hon. D.
r A. Robertson, governor of Okla
homa; Hon. Simon Bamberger, GOV
ernor of Utah; Hon. Octaviano A
Larrazolo, governor of New Mexico;
secretary-treasurer, Arnold kruck-
man, editor, writer and worker 1or
the advancement of the Southwest.