The Alaska daily empire., 1922-08-24
THE ALASKA DAILY EMPIRE, THURSDAY, AUGUST 24 l922

EMPIRE, THURSDAY, AUGl the department-men who are pri- marfly responsible fer their own de- partmoatal duties. \ was given or iginally an appro .tfa.on of s1OO, ,O00. The amount was rcpaEed for 1922 Fer 1923 it will have only the unex- pended balance ef the first years appropriation.
 Under such circumstances the Commission has been obliged to de- lay action on many important prof ects, and it has been forced to om;t, altogether tho performance of inn portant duties required by the act. This is particularly true of valua- lions. of which cases involving ap. proximately s1OO.0o0OOO are now awaat.ng action. The Commission has been rnablc to secure the detail # any personnel with adequate 'ex- perfence in valuation work and has. therefore. been obliged either to sus- pond iiSsuance of licenses where val nations are involved, or 10 provide rcr valuations in the future. It has 4aken the latter course in order that much needed power development might proceed. Such course. how ever. is almost certain to result in prolonged litigation and in expenses many times greater than would have been required had the Commission been gwen in The beginning the means for carrying oGt this require ment of the law.
 Many Applications Acted On
 "By confiring it's activities primar- fly to applications for power projects. declarations of intention and requests for restoration to entry, the Con- mission has been able to take final action on more than half of the appica lions for permits and licenses, of which 11S were disposed of dur ing the last year. It also rendered decisions during the year upon p declarations of intention passed Wpoa restoratfons to entry in 163 cases and made withdrawals Of DtDvVU Ol PuDii' liliuS Ill tou- nection with applications for power projects
 up to June 30. 1929, the Com mission had authorized so prelimin- ary permits and 49 1icenscs, of which IS were for transmission lines The 5S permits now outstanding involve an ctgtiml'e1 installa. 'on of 2,3S6. 900 hor apcwcr and the 31 licenses for power projects, 1.932.000 horsepower or a total of 4.31S.000 horsepower. Of the projects covered by the S1 licenses. r involving an estimated iuS'allatfon when completed of 1.630. 900 horsepower were either com pleted or under construction at tho close of the fiscal year. This is 25 per cent more than was cons.ructe1 under Federal authorization in the 20 years preceding the passage of he Federal Water Power Act.
 ''Whiln the two years record is roasona bly, satisfactory, in view of the serious handicap under which he Commission is working. the Com mission should. nevertheless. prompt ly be placed in position where if would be possible forsit fully te carry oiss the policies plainly expressed in the law Having waited 10 long years for a legislative pronounce ment Of a government policy respect ing the utilization of our huge water power resources. we should not be required to wait another long period of years before means are provided for the execution of that policy.
 Much Development Proposed
 "There is more water-pOwcr de- velopment under way at the present sirne than at any previous period in our history The greater part of it as being developed under the provi- sfcns eff the Federal Water Power Act. There is much more waiting to he used If we are to preserve our diminishing fuel supply. are to re- duce th, burden of coal transporta- ion. ere to increase the supply of eilectllic energy and reduce its cost, we must utilize our water power to
 he fullest practicable extent. Eighty
 
 five per cent of onr potential water sowr~s are undcr Federal control. We have law wheh, though by no mems rorfedt. docs srr0vftie reason ably saeisfactory conditions. and un- fcr which large-sca'e development Is procoztjog In9'ead of bcfng obliged 70 drift along wFh an ad- ni' ~ioIr2T1on of Tho law which. under eMisting circumstances, is necessarily insrefid'cp.rv colordinited and only rrr'iiaaly effective, the obstacles shculd be cleared away. whatever .hd'r nature. and there should b" s1,bs.srtu.od a rositive attitude both If e+nccura gemcnt and of assistance in :he development of olr water powcrs.S