Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1921-12-30

NAA> ing at Riverside was sent out by Arnold Kruckman, secretary: As you know, the recent meeting ot the League of the Southwest was marked by an extraordinary disturb ance. Ostensibly the fight was over the system of voting. A coalition of representatives from five states de- manded that all states vote as units and that the vote of each state be equal to the other. The coalition em- braced those states which have not exercised their privilege of securing membership in the League as eNten- sively as California and Arizona. Many representatives of the coalition group were not delegates from mem- Der organizations.
 The officers of the League desired to compose the differences upon some equitable basis consonant with the constitution of the organization. In a pre-convention conference which lasted until o'clock Thursday morn ing December 9th) the chairman of the convention and the secretary treasurer of the League proposed and discussed with various factions sev- eral alternative plans. It speedily appeared, however, that a reconcilia- tion of the differences between the factions seemed helpless, particularly as it became very patent that the fundamental antagonisms of the up- per and lower river were involved, and that several economic and local con- alterations further complicated the situation. The spokesmen for the coalition group made it clear that they were absolutely opposed to any affirmative declaration of policy con- corning the building of works on the lower river by Federal enterprise. In fact little doubt remained that the coalition group was definitely opposed to any affirmative declaration by the convention. Under these circum- stances the officers of the League had no option but to function strictly ac- cording to the letter of the constitu- tion.
 While no formal declaration of pol icy was had it was clear that the over whelming majority of the delegates, regardless of state affiliations, believ- ed that, in view of the antagonisms displayed in the convention the Colo rado river projects can be developed , only by Federal enterprise; and this " sentiment was definitely hardened in- to conclusion by the emphatically clear and unequivocal statement de- livered by Secretary of Interior Fall.
 During the progress of the conven- tion all responsible persons who off cially represented the various states in the coalition group came to the of- : ficers of the League and deplored the continued and persistent disturbance which threatened to disrupt the con vention. Moreover the senior official representative of the Governor of each of the states in the coalition group formally, clearly and emphati-
 
 tinued support of the League and dis avowed any statements tending to in, dicate any purpose to withdraw.
 Yet it was indubitably manifest that persistent and deliberate effort was under way to wreck the meeting and scrap the League. To some eX, tent such action was not unexpected In fact some effort to disorganize the League was anticipated. It has beer apparent for almost two years past that some influence was at work tc eliminate the League. It has never been possible to determine the ulti- mate source of such influence. The thought was apparent in the tentative suggestion that the league be merg- ed into the Western States Reclama- tion association. The most popular line of attack was the frequently re- iterated suggestion that the League should pass out of existence to make way for the Colorado River commits sion. This commission, like the Vest ern States Reclamation association, is the child of the League. The Com mission was the fruit of bill drafted by Delph E. Carpenter of Colorado and sponsored by Governor Thomas E. Campbell of Arizona, president of the League. As a state administra- tion measure in each of the Colorado River basin states, and sponsored by Senator Bursum of New Mexico and Congressman Mondell of Wyoming in Congress, it became law in each of the states as we'll Federal law.
 Secretary Fall, during his recent visit, stated that he was surprised to learn many people of the Colorado Basin states were absolutely ignorant of the existence of this law so vital to their welfare, and that the major ity seemed to have only vague knowledge of it's import and signifi' canoe. It therefore may be wise te state that this law provides a method