Evening star., 1921-05-12
Military Affairs Committee
Pressed to Favor New
Conduit Measure.
DRIVE LAUNCHED TODAY
l. LED BY CONGRESSMEN
Influential Support of Need for
Better Supply Centers Hope
in Army Measure.

Under the leadership of members OF
Congress, Washington today launched
4 new fight for water legislation.
The rooms of the Senate military
affairs committee will be the scene oil
tho renewed campaign. The commit
tee has before it the Army bill passed
this week by the House. Effort VIII
- made to have the Senate commit
eeo report tho bill out with an item
Authorizing construction of new
conduit from Great Falls.
Senators Capper and Sutherland
and Representatives Zihlman and
Moore are directing the efforts OF
washington citizens to impress upon
Congress the fact that the National
CSpital is depending for it's water
supply upon a sixty-year- CONDUIT
that may go out of commission at
any time
Tho last Congress passed the Army
bill with a conduit provision attached
but the measure was killed by PreSi-
dent Wilson's pocket veto. surprise
was occasioned when the House mill
tary affairs committee failed TO IN :
clude the item in the bill reported at
this session.
In view of the fact that the proposal
originated in the Senate. it was decided
TO wait until the bill reached the Senate
before again calling the attention OF
Congress to the seriousness of the water
situation.
Omission Explained.
Omission of the conduit item from the
bill reported to the House was explained
in some quarters on the ground that the
Secretary of War had not recommended
II as one of the measures calling Tor
immediate action.
The Secretary. however. IN an IN m
formal statement to a reporter for In"
Star set at rest speculation as TO ms
attitude toward the need of new con-
duit He said Army engineers had IN
formed him a new conduit is an imper-
alive necessity and that ne Wouio iaSor
the Improvement being authorized Dy
the Army bill IL this was the quickest
way of accomplishing it.
AS result of this statement, 6epCe-
sentative Zhlman today Nexpecteo 10
call upon Secretary Weeks TO urge tnat
he send special communication to the
Senate military affairs committee. set
ting forth his views as to the water SIT
uation Such I communication. IL IS De
lieyed would make practically certain
favorable actj 1T by the committee.
Francis r Weller. chairman Oh 'ne
water supply committee of the Board o.
Trade. also expected to request the COM
rnitte,. today to give hearing on the
water question .. o1,,,
II is believed that If the Sspate com
mittee reports out the Army OIL au.hof
i,ine a new conduit the item will stand
an excellent chance OF being appf"'eo
hv bofh houses of Congress.
In the closing hours or the iast
session the seriousness OF the water
situation was brought to the atlen
ton Of Congress when an ameho-
-,
tial appropriation of s2oo,0oo lor CON
.truction Of conduit was onered on
the floor of the Senate. The ameno,
ment survived point OF oruer anu
wa. passed by a substantial ma
iority. IT was approved by the con
}eraes on the Army bill and when IT
was submitted to the House IL carrieo
by an overwhelming majority.
congress recorded it's views as 10
the need of water legislation oE such
decisive votes that every commence
b,d been felt the Army bill, killed
Inv former President Wilson. would
come out of the House committee with
the conduit item retained.
Would he Carried to Floor.
Should tho Senate committee fail to
rea,ore the item the fight then VIII
shift to the floor of the Senate. where
,he odds would be against IL through
,he possibility OF use OF the deadly
point of order. However, those VINO
aided in steering the legislation
through at the last session believe
,he Senate committee will look favor
ably upon the item. especially If II re-
ceives the Endorsement of the Secre-
tary Of War.
Army engineers have told Secretary
Weeks that the existing conduit can
not be empticd for repairs without
shutting off the city'S water supply
They do not know the condition of the
interior of the big tunnel and frankly
say ii may be very much in need or
repairs.
These officials are unit in the be-
lief that the health and welfare Of
the citizens of the capital are being
jeopardized through delay in starting
work on a new conduit. Preliminary
plans have been made so that. in the
went Of favorable "a ction by Congress.
construction of a new water line from
Great Falls may be begun with the
least delay possible. Estimates as to
the time that will be required for
building a conduit range from three
10 Ave years. Many engineers are
doubtful whether the present conduit