The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-01
CONGRESS
BL()CF()R
Plan
La Toilette and Others Back
ing Government Ownership
Bill League Introduces.
BY GLADTONE WILLIAMS
i COsp1opolitan News Service.

t ~ NA1$AOAOANG W1AA1kAN10
COsndopolitan News Service.
Out Of the chaos and confusion
resulting from the Teapot Dome
scandal there has come compre-
hensive measure to protect and
conserve al Government resources.
Under the auspices Of the Pub
lie Ownership League Of America,
q bill has been introduced in both
branches Of Congress. Actively
supporting it are such progressive
leaders as Senators La Toilette,
Norris, Howell and Dill, who TO-
gether are planning to wage a
militant campaign for its favor
able consideration.
Need Is Demonstrated.
Teapot Dome, these Senator's be-
Meve. has demonstrated the need
for positive and aggressive con.
servation policy on the part Of the
Federal government policy that
not only viii conserve the nations
natural resourcesof coal, oil and
water power, but win develop them.
The most striking feature Of the
measure Il the proposal for the es-
Establishment Of a public super
power system, one. owned. and OPP
Grated by the public.
It provides for the creation Of a
Federal public service commission,
the members Of which would be
selected without regard to politics,
which would cooperate with in
dlvidual States and their various
political subdivisions In developing
natural resources and public utili-
ties.
For example, If a city or State
desired to develop wAter-power
project. but found its facilities in
adequate to warrant the undertake
ing. the commission would render
the assistance necessary to make
the enterprise a success. Ample
funds would be provided by q bond
issue OF $5O0,O0O,000, which would
be used as a revolving fund.
Duties Of Commissioners.
One Of the first duties Of the pro.
posed commission would be to make
a complete and comprehensive
power survey Of the nation, includ-
ing coal, oil and water power. The
survey would show the potentialities
OF the nation and where projects
are capable of being developed on a
self-sustaining basis, resulting In
vast savings to the public.
Every cent of the investment In
volved in the bill would come back
to the Government, its sponsors de-
clare. Pointing out that Congress
has appropriated great sums OF
money for flood control, without any
thought Of ever getting It back, they
say the same dam that protects the
Imperial valley from flood will ir-
rigate a million acres of desert land,
and at the same time, If properly
constructed, will produce power
enough to sell at low cost TO the adj
Joining cities and communities to
pay back levery dollar the Govern
ment invests in not more than
thirty years.
Muscle Shoals Cited,
Senator Norris, for one, believes
that the Muscle Shoals property is
an outstanding example of the large
projects which might be developed
by the proposed commission.
It should be built into a great
public superpower system and made
to function in the service Of the
people, he declares.
Senator Norris and others behind
the measure says the property at
Muscle Shoals and eleven existing
Government owned hydro-electric
power plants on the irrigation prof.
ects in the West would constitute
the nucleus for the system, adding
that the 2.S18 municipality owned
electric power plants would fit in
most advantageously as units.