Imperial Valley press., 1922-10-03
The Water and POUer Act--I
An Analysts
BusCHARLES L. CHILDERS-

1t will be observed in Section MI that
the community nearest to the source
of supply shall nave q preference over
those more remotely located. This is
mandatory. 1t does not provide thai
the board may supply, but it says that
they "shall supply to the political
subdivision nearest the source OF sup
| ply.
This act is intended to- work very
much like the Boulder Canyon Bill,
which is now pending in the congress
of the United States, will operate when
it becomes a law. Ii Imperial Valley
had to finance the Boulder Canyon
project or the AllAmcriean Canal pro
jest, which is part of the bill, the
development could not be undertaken,
for the simple reason that Imperial
Valley is not financially strong enough
70 undertake n work Of that magnitude
The United States is undertaking to
ouild the Boulder Canyon Dam, install
power houses and build the All-Ameri-
can Canal, but the United States does
not expect to pay The bill. The work
will be done, however, just the same
and ON the credit of the United States.
Now the State of California, is under
taking by special constitutional amend
meiit to finance work of that character,
in communities where they could not
finance it themselves. When the Boul.
der Canyon Dam is complete and tho
ALI American Canal is built and The
half million acres more land irrigated
and settled the wealth of Imperial Val
ley Will be increased many fold as q
result of that splendid piece of develop
ment. The United States with its credit
can do that-lmpcrial Valley could not
do it. The State of California, with
its credit can develop such projects as
these and increase its wealth many fold,
and increase the wealth of small com
Emunities without. costing sthe state or
the community either any money. Iii
this sort of legislation is wise on the
one hand, us in the Boulder Canyon
project, it is certainly wise on the Other
hand as proposed by the waite" and
power act. -
Section Thirteen
Section &llI provides rs follows.
= Section Is.
Nothing contained in this article
shall prevent any political subdrvi-
sion itself, or in cooperation with
other political subdivisions, from
developing any water or electric
energy owned or controlled by it;
but plans for any sseh development
hereafter proposed shall be submit.
ted to the board for suggestions and
criticism, so that the cooperation
of the board may be secured, if
4 practicable, for the fullest develop
Z ment Of the proposed project. The
board may acquire and develop any
such PROJECT unless ,.hc political
subdivision claiming the same shah
have adopted plans and estimates
for the development, and author
ized bonds to cover the cost there
of, or shall do so, within two years
after the board shall have notified
such political subdivision of its
readiness to proceed with such tie.
velopment.
This section merely guarantees fair
play. If any political subdivision does
not care to operate under the water
and power act through the state they
may put in their own project and oper-
ate it themselves. 1t further requires
all the cards to be laid on the table
face up--beforc the local political sub.
division can do this development work,
it must submit its pans to the board.
The board, however, does not have to
approve the plans