The Washington herald., 1920-12-19
LEVERINC REPLIES
TO DENUNClATION
OFFALLS SCHEME
Sees Fear of Competition
In Col. Kelly's Criticism
Of Proposed Dam.

Cnardcterlzlng as unetnlcdl, un-
warranted and unnecessary, state
ments attributed to Lieut.. Ca. Will
liam Kelly, engineer officer of the
Federal Power Commission. criti-
cising his project for Harvesting
Great Falls, ]. F. lowering. Los An
geles engineer. in a statement yes
terday declared he would ask for
Col. Kelly's removal from the COM
mission on the ground that he was
attempting to pass Judgment on
projects with which he admitted he
was unfamiliar.
Levering declared that the army
engineers were endeavoring to force
their project through the Power
Commission. regardless of merit,
and to the exclusion Of any other
project
Il am surprised" he said, refer
ring to Col. kelly's criticism, that
he made such absurd statements,
although l have known for some
time that not only Col. Kelly but at
least two other employees of the
power board were giving a portion
reliable gossip, and when they can
get an audience they even out-Kelly
Kelly.
His admission that he is not IA
miliar with my uncompleted report
is superflous. Anyone can see that
he is not. The statement that
dam similar to the one / will pro-
pose for the Great Falls project was
built on the Yuba river in Cali
fornia,. or anywhere else, and went
out with the first flood. or any other
flood. l brand as a deliberate, un-
mitigated falsehood.
Fear Competition, He Says.
There was a dam built by the
army engineers on the Yuba river
which did go out with the first
flood. However. 1t was no more like
my design for the Great Falls prof.
ect than Kelly's statement is like
the truth.
Some members of the Army En-
gineer Corps are greatly worried be-
cause ] intend to compete for the
plansfor the Great Falls project.
They should be able to meet com
petition in a manly way and observe
~the common ethics of the profession.
i am an American citizen and do
not have to ask the army engineers
for the privilege of doing business
in this country as an engineer.
Il am unwilling to admit that all
the engineering ability in this coun-
try is to be found between a pair
of shoulder straps in the office of
the power commission or by those
authorized to make the Great Falls
survey.
The people of the District know
that for many years Congress has
from time to time appropriated
money for the army engineers to in
vestigate conditions and make plans
FOR developing power on the Potomac
River and today there are plans and
plans filed away.
Declares Reports Worthless.
For the thousands of dollars
fooled away by the army engineers.
the total result has been several
hundred pages of reports that are
rot worth the white paper they are
printed on
'If the coming report is like its
predecessors. it will turn musty in
the MES SnOulu IL DC materially
different. it will show that the army
engineers have discredited their own
work, and with half dozen adverse
reports against ii. all from the same
source, it will take a very confiding
public to decide that these people
are to be given preference over all
others.
The District needs an increase in
its water supply. Public health
and convenience requires immediate
action. The enormous prices paid
,or power. light and transportation
should be relieved. This can be
accomplished only by dealing with
conditions in a sensible and busi-
aess-like way
IF my plans are the most prac-
teal they should be used; IL not,
hey should be discarded after a
.air hearing. But for the army or
anyone else to get out a system of
p development and attempt to preju-
lice the public against competitors
BY false and foolish misstatements,
, Is unjust.
The time to pass Judgment is
Iifter both reports are on file and
hen only after a careful examipa-
lion of the advantages OF both sys-
:ems. and hope that the final judg-
nent will be for the best interests
of the consumers without regard to
,ther interests"