Evening star., 1920-06-19
PRESIDENT SIGNS
EIGHT MEASURES
Waterpower Bill Provides for
New Survey of Upper
Potomac.

Eight of the eleven measures await
ing the action Of President Wilson when
Congress adjourned have been signed
by him, it was announced at the White
House last night, among the measures
approved being the waterpower bill,
WHICH has been the subject Of debate In
Congress for more than ten years.
Denies Repeal of War Laws.
The President refused his approval of
the bill which would repeal all war time
legislation, except the food control act.
the espionage act and the District rent
law; the bill creating commission to
confer with Canada over the expectation
of wood pulp from the Dominion, and
the bill authorizing the War Department
to transfer certain equipment for the
Department of Agriculture for road
building and other purposes.
Besides the waterpower bill the meas
ures approved included one authorizing
the enlistment of n-English-speaking
| men in the Army another to reimburse
Michael McGarvey, Brooklyn Navy
Yard worker. for set of false teeth
lost as result of an accident, and five
bridge bills
IEeStueusS SsGtemc0t.
The Presidents action on the bills
was made known in the following state
ment:
THE President having been advised
by the Attorney General in formal
opinion that the adjournment of Con-
gress does not deprive him of the ten
days allowed by the Constitution for the
consideration of a measure. but only in
case OF disapproval of the opportunity to
return the measure with his reasons to
the house in which it originated. has
signed the following bills, each within
the ten-day period. of course. The bills
not signed failed to become law under
the usual practice
Potomac Survey Provided.
The waterpower bill carries an appro-
priation of s25,000 for a new survey of
the upper Potomac. with view to de-
veiopng waterpower project there
to supply electric current to the District
of Columbia and to increase the water
supply here. As the bill originally pass
ed the Senate it carried an appropria-
tion of S25. 600, 900 to be used in starting
the work as suggested in surveys al
ready made. This was changed in con-
ference to provide for new Suryey,
and strong efforts by Senator Norris
of Nebraska to have the original pro-
vision retained were unavailing. He
told the Senate that twelve surveys
had heen made during the last
twenty five years, every one of which
had resulted in report favorable to
the venture. He accused opponents
of the development with asking for
repeated surveys in the hope of get
ting an unfavorable report. which
could thereafter be held up as rea-
son for delaying the development
The principal feature of the water
power bill, however. is the creation
of a power commission to consist of
the Secretary of War, the Secretary
of Agriculture and the Secretary of
the Interior, which would control all
waterpoWer sites on navigable
streams, in national parks and forests
and on international streams. This
commission will have authority to
grant waterpower concessions for a
consideration and the proceeds will
be distributed between the federal and
state governments. 1t may not grant
waterpower rights for a period of
more than fifty years.