Evening star., 1927-12-08
P|NCHOT AND B|XBy |
. IN TILT AT PARLEy.
Former Governor Charges
U. S. Engineers With Failure
IL; l.; in Harbors Speech.


OF Army Engineers, over the part
of the Army engineers in Mississippi
River flood control enlivened this
mornings session of the twenty-third
convention of the National Rivers
and Harbors Congress. in session at
the Willard Hotel.
This followed an address by Secre-
tary of Commerce Hoover, in which
he advocated development of the re-
sources of the Mississippi River for
all uses, pointing out that as the
neglected water resources of the Ma
ton come into their own, the work
of the congress will become increas-
incly important.
Mr. Hoover warned that more
20 DDS are likely to come and said
that very important problem of
organizing Government agencies lies
before the Nation.
Charges Engineers Failure.
A commission Of the best minds.
probably summoned by presidential
call to develop the Mississippi River
from the standpoint of flood control.
irrigation, electricity, soil, forestry.
social, financial and hydraulic aspects
was urged by MIR. Pinchot, who took
issue with the Army engineers charg-
ing they have failed to collect data on
such a plan, although they have been
in control for half century.
Gen. Bixby challenged this state
ment by saying the President might
have appointed four hydraulic engi,
neers on the Mississippi River Flood
Commission. to outvote the Army en-.
gineerS serving on it.
The Army engineers were never al
lowed to make reports on flood control
until recently Gen BiXby said, and to-
day they are acting under orders they
never had before.
IF any one is responsible that the
Mississippi River Food Commission
failed to make the report referred to,
1t was the fault of Congress and the
people who sent the legislators to Con
gress and not that of the Army engi-
neers." Gen. Bixhy asserted.
Likening the Mississippi River prob
lem to a funnel into which more water
ia poured at one end than can flow out
at the other. with consequent run
ming over at the edges. Mr.. Pinchot
said that the problem is twofold.
Says People Need Relief.
Relief for people who have been
damaged in the flood he placed first.
with immediate relief 10 prevent the
next flood from levying any such toll
sidered. This he characterized as the
biggest conservation problem ever un-
dertaken in the history of the world.
adding that he hoped that Congress
will take immediate steps to prevent a
recurrence of the disaster.
THE Mississippi River ought to be
deal with as a unit from its source
to it's mouth" Mr.. Pinchot said. mot
simply from the standpoint of flood
control but to get every available use
from those waters"
Pointing out that there is a soil
problem, a farm problem, forest
problem. and vast social questions,
among the various angles to be con-
sidered, Mr.. Pinchot said that storage
reservoirs can play an important part
in development of the Mississippi
River.
He said that an important question
Is whether by the production of elec-
triral energy from dams built by the
United States enough revenue can be
produced to pay for an appreciable
part of the cost of development of
that region.
"The Army Engineers have failed
TO collect data on the plan I am talk
ing about" Mr.. Pinchot charged. EN-.
phasizing that he had no fault to find
with them personally or professionally.
''The plan of levies only, for which
the Army engineers have stood has
been the most colossal engineering
biunder on the face of the earth"
The former governor of the Key
stone State said that the Army engi-
neers were not hydraulic engineers
and that such men are needed. He
added that he had nothing to say
in charge Of construction.
Bixby Defends Engineers.
Following this address Gen. Bixby
was permitted to take the floor. and
declared that the reason the Army en-
Eineers had never made such report
was that they had no right to.
Unable to take his place on the pro.
gram at the banquet last night. Sec.
! retary Hoover unexpectedly addressed
this mornings session. declaring that
"wo have devoted ourselves for the
last $50 years to the development of
minerals and land and have neglected
water resources which will become in.
creasingly important, as the popula.
ton increases"
He placed the country's increase in
population every 10 years at 5000, 900
and said that the time will soon come
when the Nation will he hunting for
farm land TO raise food for these in
creased millions. To develop these
lands, aided by irrigation. the Secre.
tary said. we must develop the
Mississippi Rivers sources for all
uses. and no one should be developed
to unduly destroy the other"
RansdeIi Address.
The Congress listened to Senator
Joseph +. Ransdell of Louisiana de.
liver an impassioned address on the
subject and insist that Congress has
the right and 1t is the duty of Con-
gress to take charge of this problem.
Former Gov. Clifford Pinchot of Penn
sylvania likewise forcefully presented
his conception of the Nations duty
in assisting flood control
The Constitution confers the
authority on Congress to deal with
food control" Senator Ransdell said.
because it is "A matter of national
welfare and is necessary TO reg
uiate commerce among the several
states There is no doubt that Con
gress has the power. The local peo-
pie have paid for levees and main.
tenance sls0.000.000 through the
years TO SOS 900, 900 that the United
States Government has contributed
We haven't got the money to go on
as we have had in the past. 1t is
business proposition for the people
of the United States to prevent the
recurrence of these awful floods"
Urges Unified Control.
Senator Ransdell pointed out that
there are now 80 co.partners in this
enterprise Of maintaining 300
miles of levees along the Mississippi,
but unified control is needed and
this is the duty of the Federal Gov.
ernment