Evening star., 1923-10-21
By BEN MckELwAY.

WORKS adureSS conVenlng mis-
~ fact finding commission last
week in its investigation of the
country's reclamation problem would &c
far toward convincing the confirmed
pessimist that there's something very
rotten in Denmark and somebody
ought to go to Jail. For the secre-
tary quotes facts, both dark and dis
NAL. which point unerringly down
the road which leads to ruin and
utter desolation.
A more optimistic look into the
problem. which led Secretary Work
to initiate his investigation reveals
at the same time somewhat
brighter, yet nevertheless puzzling
situation. 1t indicates without doubt
an unfortunate state of affairs, bu:
it sheds little light on what can be
done to remedy it. The problem it
self justifies Secretary Work fully
in whatever investigation he under
takes and will place untold value
on the solution, if the Investigators
are fortunate enough to hit on one
Secretary Work has singled out
the reclamation service as one OF
his pets.sfor one of his first acts as
Secretary of the Interior was to in
stigate an investigation by the in
the Interior designed to bring about
reduction of overhead expenses OF
the various reclamation projects near
completion or, already in operation
Next he appointed Miles Cannon
former commissioner of agriculture
for Idaho, to the post of field reclaim
alton commissioners position de-
signed to bring about less duplication
and more cooperation between the
various governmental agencies with
which the reclamation farmer has
TO deal, and to secure for the farmer
more direct benefit from these agen-
cies. Secretary Work, later, instruct
ed all reclamation project managers
TO consult with settlers, call confer
ences with them, investigate com
plants of water users and redress
jpstifiable grievances and do all in
their power to fulfill an outlined
program of cooperation with the
farmers.
Yet another step in his determina-
tion to rejuvenate the reclamation
service was made by Secretary Work
when he appointed D. w. Davis, an
experienced business man. as COM
missioner OF the reclamation bureau,
this appointment leading to the sep
aration from the service of A. Z.
Davis, who had held this post for
many years. and q wave of criticism
from engineering societies in the
United States. Secretary Work then
put into effect a new reclamation
policy, by which it was hoped to in
culcate business principles into the
operation of existing reclamation
projects and in the construction OF
new projects"
Now Finding Facts.
The formation of a fact-finding
commission was announced by the
Secretary last month, and this COM
mission go under way in its fact
finding here last week.
In bis address last Monday before
this body. Secretary Work outlined
his problem. Through complaints
from water users, individual water
users, reports of agents, inspectors
official records of the department ant
Congress it appeared that nearly al
of the projects were in such condi
tion that some radical reforms o,
improvements must be had il the!
were to be saved, farmers protectet
from loss Of their homes, and TIL
return of the money advanced by tn
government for their construction
and maintenance was to be secured
The complaints included charge
that in many of the original projects
the estimates under which settlers
We're induced to go upon the project
were from so to 100 per cent toe
low, and that the actual cost ha:
been SO great that 1t is impossible
for the farmers to pay out within
the time and manner fixed by law
, even at all; that mistakes. engineer
ing and otherwise, had been mad
which added materially to the cos
of constructed projects; that other
had been undertaken that shoul'
never have been started; that th'
, overhead costs of the service ant
many Of the individual projects, al
borne by water users, were burden
some and excessive"
Governments Investment.
Explaining that under the presen
system he Is unable to obtain de
pendable figures, Secretary Work es
Inmates that the governments tota
investment to June, 1923, in roun'
numbers, is s1S1. 100000. and it's re
ceipts about s46,0o0.000, leaving
balance invested and unpaid of S1S5.
100000. And Secretary Work con
cludes the reclamation service Is il
need of reorganization.
An agricultural expert already ha
testified before the commission tha
65 per cent of all the farmers o.
reclamation projects are unable t
meet their expenses. The commits
sion has BEEN told that out of tn
twenty eight projects built by tn
government, three have failed com
! pIetely. and out of the twenty-fiv
remaining, only one has paid in Yul
| for it's construction.
When called upon TO enlarge upo1
details outlined in his speech. Secre