Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-06-21
MEET T0CONS|DER
.FEDERALPOWERACT
Manufacturers Assert legis-
Iation Is Detrimental and
Invades State Rights.
By the Associated Press


NEW YORK, June 21.-Manufac-
turerS interested in the subject OF
water power. from the standpoint of the
consumer. assembled here today for
conference called by the Water Power
League of America to discuss the ques-
tons of power, power shortage, cost of
fuel and amendments to be asked to
the federal power act The league
hopes to induce private capital to in
vest in the enterprises of water power
development to relieve power shortage
and reduce the cost of power to the
consumer.
AxsaiIs the Enactment.
The Water Power League assails the
workings of the federal power act as
detrimental to water power develop
ment and asserts that the act has made
it practically impossible for private
enterprises to engage in these under
takinsS." The league also asserts that
the federal act has taken from the
several states all their rights to in
terstate streams within their borders
and places them in charge of the fed
eral power commission, which is COM
posed of the Secretary of War as
chairman, the Secretary of the Interior
and the Secretary of Agriculture. Also
it Is asserted that the act takes from
the War Department the authority
vested in 1t by the constitution and
relegates these powers to the COM
mission.
Officials of the Water Power League
assert that there are on file at WASH
ington today more than 200 applica-
tons for permits and licenses to de-
velop water powers. The total horse
power of these projects is estimated
at more than 100000. and if they
were carried to completion it would
require several billion dollars to
finance them. League officials stay, that
without exception, all these projects
have been halted by rules and regu-
lations promulgated by the power
commission, which passed out of exist
ence March with the change of ad-
ministration.
Blocks the Financing.
The league declares that "Ameri-
can hnanciers refuse to consider the
investment of hundreds of millions
of dollars in projects which are made
men subject to the changes which
occur in American politics every four
years" 1t is to discuss these fea-
lures that the Water Power League
has called the conference.
A statement from the league urges
Congress to pass the power act to
create a body which would be able
to grant licenses to prospective pow
er developers and relieve them of the
tedious delays incident to getting a
bill through Congress for each pro-
posed development"
Seek to Expedite Development.
The league announces it's determina-
ton to make an effort to break the
deadlock in water power develop
ment in this country and bring about
an immediate and general movement
in the development \of every ounce
of hydro-electric energy in the coun-
try. to the end that waning fuel sup
plies may be conserved
Theodore f. Burton, for years chair
man of the rivers and harbors COM
mittee in Congress, is head of the
advisory council of the Water Power
League.
The officers of the league are: Charles
III. 1ngersoll. president; Charles T.
Root, first vice president; John H.
Allen, second vice president, and Fred
erick l.. Long, secretary.