Imperial Valley press., 1922-12-08
HERBERT OOVERN GREAT ADDRESS TO IMPERIAL VALLEY PEOPLE

tween the two basins and we can Sc
cure Il unity Of support of the whole
of the western states i'll the actual
program of development
Protection for Valley
Furthermore, at the request Of the
representatives Of the Imperial Val
ley, the compact embraces one other
statement, that | think was prob
ably unnecessary, but to make sure
there be no mistake, the compact
states plainly that this document in
no way shall impair the present
rights of the people in either basin.
There is also a provision that was
suggested from Imperial Valley by
which there should be included for
the interests Of the upper states i'll
The provision Of storage, that sucl
militant rights as the lower basin
might have against the upper basin
under the provision just mentioned
should be relieved from the upper
basin that they might get relief
:rom claims against them by I'M
pcrial Valley at the time when
storage was provided.
The whole problem Of the Color
lido river for future development is
hat Of storage. At the present
moment Development throughout the
civcr districts has recalled the fur
1eat point to which it can go on
the present natural flow Of the
iycr; and future expansion of its
development depends wholly upon
the storage Of the flood flow, and
Of farther storage that
win secure and retain water from
years ef high flow TO the year Of
lower flow, so that with the com
plction Of this compact the next
great step is the development of
storage itself.
Agriculture Protected
Now, the creation of storage up
and down the river viii create, in
cidentaIly, a large amount of eiec-
tric power, and the problem at once
arises in all river drainage, whether
all water should at some future time,
perhaps two centuries hence, be APP
Piled to agricultural development.
There should be determined now the
relationship of agriculture and pow
rr. The commission, therefore, pro
}ided in the compact new prlncl-
Die, in that, ut no time shall power
take precedence over agriculture,
and il If should become necessary
at some future time to stop the tur-
bines Of the Colorado river in order
that the homes and orchards Of the
farmers might be protected that the
turbines VIII be stopped without
the necessity Of giving amy compen-
sation.
That, in the main, is 4 very simple
compact as all documents of this
character must be settled. They can
not travel into tie long road OF leg
alistic phrascology, and those OF
yru who are so concerned in this
compact, | urge you each to read
and study it, because it is entirely
within tie grasp Of every man,
woman aud child in this hall. With
the ratification Of this compact by
the different states, we shall have
cleared away the brushwood which
now obstructs development of the
river. We shall have taken great
steps to promote the other thing
that is nearer to your hearts than
even the legal question.
Must Have Storage
The Colorado river commission,
on the ratification of the compact,
win have finished the purpose for
which il was created, and with the
full anticipation that that compact
win be ratified by the different
STATES, it becomes possible for us
rot only to undertake, but to dis
cuss, the question of the develop
mcnt Of the lower basin. Now, the
problems in the lower basin, that is,
the states of Nevada, California
and Arizona, do not in any way con-
flict with each other. They are
problems that should, and must be
treated as Il whole, because storage
provided for in California must be
provided for in Nevada and Arizona.
You must have their cooperation
and interest, and there is no con
flict between You that need ever
deter development; but in order to
make sure not to disturb your rela-
lions in the southern basin, the com
pact provides additionally that if