Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1924-02-08
DRAFT POWER BILL
PROVIDING GIANT
NATIONAL SYSTEM
CONTINUED from Page u


Swing-Johnson bill, now pending in
Congress, which provides for public
ownership and control of the enter
prise.
Pubic Ownership Pays
Ralph Criswell seconded Congress-
man Swing and made an impressive
presentation to the benefits of munic-
ipal ownership of public utilities.
Los Angeles, he said, owned its
water system and the electric light
plant. In San Francisco the water
plant and the electric plant were pri-
vately owned.
Investigation shows" he said,
that If the people of Los Angeles had
paid the same rates for water and
power that the people of San Fran
cisco pay, the water and power bills
of the people of Los Angeles would
be $12,5OO.O0O a year more than un-
der the existing arranmene.t
This saving is more than the total
tax levied for municipal purposes of
the people of Los Angeles.
1--WE are therefore, justified in say
ing that the people of Los Angeles
through the public operation of these
two utilities, save the cost of lun-
ming the municipal government"
Winning Issue for 1924
Carl d. Thompson concluded the
speech making with a discussion of
the superpower project from a ma
tional point of view.
1.-THE people of the United States
must decide" he said, whether the
limitless water power of the nation
shall be developed for the benefit of
all the people or for the benefit of
a favored few.
''The decision must be made now,
for the power trust is reaching out
to get control of the situation, and
unless the sentiment for public own
ership is aroused and crystalized, the
American people will soon be helpless
in the tentacles of the octopus.
IN my judgment, this is the issue
which would unite all Progressives
for the campaign of 1924"
Labor and Farmer for Superpower
James P. Noonan, international
president of the brotherhood of Elec-
trical Workers, took a very active in
terest in the conference, and spoke in
support of public superpower. In one
of his addresses he pointed out that
the wages of the employees of the
publicly owned electric plants were
higher and conditions better than in
the great private plants in Chicago,
New York and elsewhere, while the
rates charged for current were far
lower.
DR.. John A. Ryan, eminent econom-
list of the Catholic university, served
as chairman of one of the sessions
and delivered a strong address on
the Meaning and Possibilities of Pub
lie Superporew." Father Ryan was
made chairman of the Washington
committee for the promotion of the
measure.
The farmers are taking an increas-
ing interest in public ownership, es-
pecially in public superpower as
shown by reports of en- G. Marsh Of
the Farmers National council, and
resolutions unanimously adopted by
the Michigan State grange and the
National grange. Marsh assured the
conference that his organization, rep
resenting 100000 farmers, was com
ing more strongly to favor public
ownership every day and was espe-
cially strong for public superpower.
Miss Jennie Buell. of the Michigan
State grange sent copies of the reso-
buttons adopted by that body favoring
public superpower and was made a
member OF the national committee for
the promotion Of the measure.
Senator Robert M. La Toilette at
tended the conference and expressed
his earnest interest in the public su-
perpower measure and pledged the
conference his active support.
Governor Pinchot, who is promoting
giant power system In Pennsylvania
was represented by F. H. Newell Of
the Giant Power survey of that state.
Committee Named
A strong committee was appointed
by the conference to work with SEN
ator Norris and the Public Ownership
league in perfecting the proposed pub
lie superpower bill.
DR.. John A. Ryan of Washington is
chairman. The other members are
James P. Noonan, international presi-
dent Of the Electrical Workers I;
Charles Edward Russell, United
States Senator George W. Norris, Ben
In AFa~oh ~ &ho Nfakso-aI r,-u,o..-I