Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-06-19
WATER POWER BILL
SIGNED BY WILSON
President Refuses to Sign Measure
Repeating War Time Laws;
Pulp Resolution Fails.

Washington, June 1o.-The waterpowcr
. bill, passed by Congress just before
| journment, has been signed by President
Wilson, 1T was announced yesterday.
At the same time, H. was announced
that he had failed to sign the joint resou-
tion repeating most of the wartime laws,
and the Underwood resolution prov,d ng
for negotiations with Canada relative
to the EMBRACE ON the shipment of wood
pulp to tho United States.
Another bill which failed to receive
| the Presidents approval would have
authorized the War Department to
| transfer motor equipment to the Depart
ment of Agriculture for road construction
and other work.
Besides the watcr-power measure the.
| President signed seven bills. passed in
| the closing days Of the recent session of
/ Congress. They included an act author
izing the enlistment in the military forces
| of non English speaking citizens and aliens
and five bridge bills.
| Another bill approved would reimburse
! Michael MacCarvey, n Brooklyn Navy
| Yard worker, for set of false teeth which
| he lost in an accident while ut work in
| the yard The measure authorized the
! payment of s35 10 MacGarvey
/ No explanation uf the delay in an
/ nouncing the Presidents approval of the
| water-p0wCr measure was made The
! W hite House statement said
1 The President having been advised
| hv the attorney general III formal
opinion that the adjournment of Con
| gross does bnot deprive him Of the 10 dsvs
/ allowed hv the Constitution for the con
| sIderatIon of n measure, hut only IN q
case Of disapproval Of the opportunity
To return the measure with his reasons to
the house IN which II originated, has sign
cd the following bills. each within the
ten davs period. IL course The hllE not
signed failed to become law under the
usual practice
The water power law releascs power
for almost unlimited industrlal develop
mont ~ this country and IS consldored
one of the most important laws enacted
during the Rixty-siNth session.
Nv its terms commission, composed
of the Secretary of War. Secretary of Agr-
culture and Secretary of the Interior. j.
authorized to leasc water power right On
All public lands. forest reservations In
dian reservations and on nRvgahle
streams for terms not exceeding 80 voara
Az the end of the lease period The govern
rent has the option of taking over the
plants that have been built ~ an apprais.
"a valuation of releasing or oi leasing
To some other concern
Inouirics received hv tho Department
~ the Interior indicate there viii hc an
immediate rush If capitalists to Obtain
leases The water power commission Is
authorized "a specify the ROYALTIES on the
leases that viii he charged
The effect of the law - expected 10 he
particularly noticeable in the west. whc,c
undeveloped water power sltea arc plenti-
FIJI
II il estimated tho potential horsepower
available on the sites under government
control ID 81 900 OOO. which is more than
Tho total ~ A. 900 100 horsepower now
IL operation in All water, stcam and gas
operated plants ~ the country
Most Of the $4,000 goo horsepower
i cast ~ tho Niseisslppi ravcr and north
Ii Kentucky and Wcst Virginia
Tho potential 81 600 600 additional
horsepower IS mostly west of the nakotas.
Nebraska and Kansas
Ii iS expected factories will start IN
various western points calling operatives
from tho ovcicrovded eastern cittcs.
an early result, il IS predicted Will be
cIcrtnhCation 81 railroads. conserving coal
ana oil which are becoming scarce and
costly
The final approval Of tho water power
hll marks the end Of Years Of agitation
Persons favorlng conservation of govern
ment resources have insisted upon cx-
treme care TO protect Federal rights.
The bill passed was drawn bv government
attorneys who believe necessary protection
is gwen AZ the same time permitting
industrial progress to be made