The Meeker herald., 1922-05-27
DRIVE IS MADE TO SAVE WEST.
ERIN RECLAMATION OFFICE
FOR DENVER.
FAIL IS QUESTIONED
WESTERN DELEGATES PRESENT
ARGUMENTS 70 SECRETARY
OF INTERIOR.
western Ss.sp,pr usion Ssvs s.,ia ,

WashInston.-A Dig drive to save
the Western reclamation hcndQuar-
tiers ut Denver was made before Sec
rotary of Interior Fall. twenty-five
citizens OF Western states attended
the hearings and joined In urging that
the Denver office be continued.
Secretary Fail did not give an an,
swer. but the feeling prevailed ut the
close OF the hearing that he will Mt
least postpone the closing OF the Den.
YER office until there can be II furth-
err investigation. Those Mt the hear.
ing hope the way finally will he paved
for the retention of the Denver office.
Those attending the hearing. in.
cluled Senators Phipps and NichOi.
son. Representatives Vailc, Hardy,
TInierlake and Taylor Of Colorado.
Governor Shoup OF Colorado. Mayor
Bailey. Robin H. Davis. president OF
the Denver Civic and Commercial AZ.
ISOLATION; l.. Ward Bannister and
Thomas +. Dawson, of Denver; Sen
ator Oddie, Nevada Senator Bursum.
New Mexico; Senator GOoding, Idaho !;
Senator Kcndrick, Wyoming: Senator
McNary, Oregon. chairman of the
reclamation Senate committee; eN
senator Charles S. Thomas of Colo
RADIO, Representatives: Baker, Cnlifor-
mia; Arentz, Arizona; French, Idaho !:
Montoya, New Mexico, and Hayden,
Arizona.
Senator Nicholson questioned Sec
rotary Fall as to his reasons for pro-
posing the removal of the Denver Of
flee and n consolidation OF Its work
ir 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 ny
the water users and It Is his endcnNor
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 rs to what saving II any
would be made.
II think there are administration
expenses-some fixed charges In oper-
ating the reclamation service,sthat
should not be met directly by the wa
ter users" said Secretary Fall.
Senator McNary of the reclamation
committee agreed with this and sug-
gested the Introduction OF bill In
Congress to provide an appropriation
to meet some OF the administration ex-
penses. He expressed confidence that
Congress would ngree to such propos-
al. Should such bill be passed 1t
would eliminate NIL causes Of closing
the Denver offices. 1t is believed Sec
rotary 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
rotary Fall in meeting his proposal for
removal Of the Denver office. Mcm-
bers of Congress from states other than
Colorado made 1t plain the whole West
was interested In maintaining the Den
yer office and that 1t was not one
state demand.
The delegation left Secretary Fall
satisfied TINT there will be no immedl-
ate closing of the Denver office and
that n way will be found to save the
western headquarters.