The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-05-21
COOLIDGE GANG
FEARS FACTS ON
FLOOD SCANDAL
Gould Easily Avert
Grim Disasters

CBy A Staff Correspondent
Washington, May 20s-The confess
in the next Congress on flood contro
legislation will center about tbs
O'Counor bill. The measure has beer
before Congress for more than a dc.
cade, and once, from 1917 TO 1919,
was actually law. But the power
and pressure Of the contractors who
build levees was strong enough to
force Its repeal and IL has been tonight
over since.
The o'Connor bin was originally
formulated by Senator Newlands Of
Nevada, and was known as the New
lands bill. It provides that an indie
pendent commission, consisting Of
representatives of the war, navy, in
terror and commerce departments, as
well as engineers from civil life, be
created for the purpose Of studying
flood control and preparing a plan to
prevent such disasters as that now
ravaging the Mississippi River Valley.
For this work an appropriation Of
100000 is authorized.
Millions Squandered.
A half million dollars is q large
sum, but it is merely drop in the
well compared to the hundreds of mill
lions that have been poured out in the
futile plan known as the '1evees only"
method for flood control. Since 1879
more than s200,O0O,O00 has been spent
by the federal and state governments
for the building of levees and yet
every time great flood takes place
these breastworks have been broken
and swept away to the ruin of thou
sands Of poor farmers and workers.
Plea for More Graft.
Of course this is great business for
the contractors who build levees. They
have grown rich and politically power
full. In fact so influential are they
that in the midst Of the present dis
asters while levee after levee was
SCHILLER
crumbling and sinking, Secretary Of
Commerce Herbert Hoover and Secre-
tary Of War Dwight Davis had the
brazenness to issue public statement
announcing that the '1evee only plan
was the only commemorate method for
controlling floods and urging the
necessity of building higher and great
er levees, costing of course tens of
millions Of dollars.
OF course levees are essential. No
one denies that, certainly not those
who criticize the present policy of
putting the whole burden Of flood con-
troll on levees. But levees do not pre-
vent floods. They confine the excess
water but outlets must be found for
it. And outlets are found by either
blowing up the levees and inundating
great areas as Mr.. Hoover himself
did in the present flood, or the river
sweeps over the levee or brushes it
aside and creates its own outlet.
Could Avert Floods.
IL system Of levees were built
provided with spillways, artificial
openings that allow the water to run
off in prepared passes, it would mean,
Of course, that once the system was
built the fat, juicy contracts for
perpetual levee building would end.
And this is what the politicians with
their eyes on patronage, graft and APP
preparations do not want. And SO
Mr.. Hoover and Mr.. Davis, with the
approval Of the good Mr.. Coolidge
solemnly denounce the spillways plan
as visionary and cry loud for more
levees.
But there are Indications that the
South is somewhat aroused and has
made up its mind that it has been
fooled long enough. Appropriations,
fat ones, as much as $25,000,000 in
fact, will have to be made to restore
the shattered levees. But at the same
time it is the determination Of those
urging spillways that the 0'Connor
bill be 'again enacted into law and an
independent survey Of the situation
made.
Army In On Same.
The army engineers, who have flood
control work in charge, have proven
too willing accomplices Of the politi-
clans. They are a part of the vicious
wasteful system and it is now pro-
posed TO make a disinterested inquiry
and draw. up an intelligent method for
dealing with the problem. Pitiful as
is the sum asked for by the O'Connor
bill in comparison with the tens of
millions TO be expended for more
Ievees nevertheless it has already in
Cured the disapproval Of Economy
Cal" After Mr.. Hoover's profound
observations about the ideh being
visionary" Mr.. Coolidge further
damned it by parading his old wooden
Ear-horse Economy"
But Coolidge and Mr.. Hoover are
going to be very much outsiders at
.he next Congress. The Democrats
md the farm bloc are going to be in
ontrol and there are indications that
hey propose giving the president and |
is ubiquitous secretary Of commerce.
hard time of it. AT least all OF
Washington, including their Republi-