The St. Johns herald., 1922-06-01
RECLAMATION
 PROTEST MADE DRIVE IS MADE TO SAVE WEST ERIN RECLAMATION OFFICE
 FOR DENVER.
FALL IS QUESTIONED
WESTERN DELEGATES PRESENT ARGUMENTS TO SECRETARY
 OF INTERIOR.
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 Washington-A big drive to save the Western reclamation headquar- ters at Denver was made before Sec retary of Interior Fall. Twenty-Five citizens of Western states attended the hearings and joined in urging that the Denver office be continued.
 Secretary Fall did not give an an swer, but the feeling prevailed at the close of the hearing that he will at least postpone the closing of the Den yer office until there can be furth- CT investigation. Those at the hear ing hope the way finally will be paved for the retention of the Denver office.
 Those attending the hearing, in- cluded Senators Phipps and Nichol- son, Representatives Vaile, Hardy, Timberlake and Taylor of Colorado. Governor Shoup of Colorado, Mayor Bailey, Robin H. Davis, president of the. Denver Civic and Commercial As sociation; L. Ward Bannister and Thomas F. Dawson, of Dehver; Sen sator Oddie, Nevada; Senator Bursdm, New Mexico: Senator .Goodipg, Idaho; Senator Kendrick, Wyoming; Senator McNary, Oregon, chairman of the reclamation Senate committee; ex- senator Charles S.. Thomas of Colo rado, Representative Baker, Califor- mia; Arentz, Arizona; French, Idaho; MontOya, New Mexico, and Hayden, Arizona.
 Senator Nicholson questioned Sec retary Fall as to his reasons for pro posing the removal of the Denver of flee and a consolidation of its work in the reclamation bureau here.
 This enabled the Western citizens to present arguments to meet the reasons for the proposed removal.
 Secretary Fall pointed out all ex- penses of the reclamation service by, the water users and it is his endeavor to trim expenses in every possible way to reduce the cost of administration.
 When he was questioned as to how closing the Denver office and taking the administration farther away from the reclamation projects would reduce. expenses the secretary admitted that those in the reclamation service were not agreed as to what saving, if any, would be made.
 "I think there are administratioA expenses-some fixed, charges in OpeE- ating the reclamation service, that should net be met directly by the wa tsr users,' said Secretary Fall.
 Senator McNary of the reclaEation committee agreed with this and sus- gested the introduction of a biu in Congress to provide an appropriation to meet some of the administration ex- psases. He expressed confidence that Congress would agree to such a propos- al. Should such a bill be passed 1t would eliminate all causes of closing the Denver offices. It is believed Sec retary Fall will postpone closing the Denver offices until there is time for action along this line. Almost all those present joined in the debate with Sec retary Fall in 1fieeting his proposal for removal of the Denver office. Mem bers of Congress from states other than Colorado made it plain the whole West was interested in maintaining the Den var office and that it was not one state demand.
 The delegation left Secretary Fall satisfied that there will be no immedi- ate dosing of the Denver office and that way will be found to save the western headquarters.