The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-20
OF
 STATES WATER
 POWER SOUGHT
President Patterson Of Utility Board Confers
 With Officials
SUPER-POWER ZONE
 DEFINED BY HOOVER
Electric Lines In Status
 Of Common Carrier / Is Proposed
HE AGS.HeRlIn !

t vHe A6E.HE HAkO
 Washiasten. D. c., Ian. is |
 While A. c. Patterson, president of the public utilities commission of Ala bama, did have business witlr~ the bureau of standards and the interstate commerce. commission, the main object of his visit to Washington this week was to prepare for steps protecting Alabama in its right to own or control the waterpower within its borders.
 Mir. Patterson regards fwaterpower an asset of the people as valuable as any other. He intends, by taking ac- tion as soon as possible, to eliminate the danger that selfish interests will ex- ploit the people and enrich themselves with property that is the peoples.
 The president of the Alabama com mission interviewed O.. c. : Merrill, secretary of the federal power commis- sion,s and was assurred that Alabama, in issuing, certificates of necessity and convenience had legal right to make the same reservations in favor of itself that certificates, makes for itself. In fu- ture, therefore, whenever a certificate is issued by the commission, it will contain recapture clauses and other provisions by which the state can limit the power transmitted into other states, or check development when it. is evil dent that useless surplus is generated.
 To Hold Conference
 Mir. Patterson is preparing also; it is lehrned, to take action to the end that the state might not awake some day to learn that it is as completely in the hands of the federal power com mission respecting waterpower as it is in the haflds of the interstate com merce commission respecting railroads. It is reported that Mir. Patterson will confer in a formal meeting. probably in Atlanta, with the presidents, of the commissions of Georgia. Tennessee. South. and North Carolina, in order that each of the commissions may be prepare for what he thinks is coming emergency, >and demonstrate the truth of the adage that in union there is strength, He will vigorously oppose federal encroachment.
 Mir. Patterson. while here. inter- viewed Herbert Hoover. secretary of the department of commerce.: relative to his position regarding the estab- lishment of super-power zones." While the secretary adheres to his scheme, he impressed Mir. Patterson, with the idea that he would, not deprive the states of tuelF- FlRnUS tO jCOutEui uS~ctS "ithhi their borders. It is probable that the commissions in the southeast will ask Mir. Hoover to address them at an early date, and. that he will accept.
 Called Common Carriers
 In view of plans afoot. it is expected that the legislature in next session. will be asked to enactza- law which would niake> Alabama more progressive than any of ifs sister states That law would declare transmission lines. of the Alnhdma Power company. what in reality they are. common carriers. and as sueh amenahle, like the railroads. to demands for service. It is nointed out that in Alabama there would he many nroiects develoupd hv. individual or in dependent capital if there were means whereby such canitol could disnosa of it's anegery in excess of its immediate needs.
 If the transmission lines of the Ala bama Power eomnany were common ca arriers. by law thev would he com nelled to nernit the lines of inaen"nd- ent companies to attach themselvAs ta receive the surnfus energy of the in- denendant lines and transrit at certain reasonable <rost. to where 1t is destined to be applied to industry.
 It is believed that MT. Patterson will sponsor such proposed legislation. It ia known that he adheres to the idea that such law would bring abort never before attempted development in Alabama by priyatp capital