Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1927-10-18
BILL.
GETS new
SUPPORT
United States Chamber
of Commerce Refuses to
Be Led by Power Firms
REB u KE GADSDEN
Chambers Stand Seen As
Nominal Victory For
Bill Adherents.

A victory for Boulder Dam is seem
in kilograms from F. w. Greer. pub
licist of the Imperial Irrigation Dis.
trict, received by F. H. McIver, Sec
rotary. Greer is attending the meet
ing of the executive committee of
the United States Chambers of Com
merce being held in West Baden,
Ind, and according to his kilograms
the committee is giving the Boulder
Dam project an impartial hearing
and has demanded that the power
interests lay their cards squarely
before it.
While the chamber is favorable to
private conduction of all businesses,
a vote seeking to place the executive
committee on record as against the
operation of Boulder Dam by the
United States government failed
to pass when brought before the
meeting. The committee passed o
resolution declaring that the cham
Der should not take any definite ac-
ton at this time and a new COM
nittee has been appointed to make
a careful study of the project from
all angles and has been instructed
to make a report on its findings to
the executive committee at a meet
ing to be held on January 20.
This new committee will visit all
points connected with the proposed
Boulder Dam project and it is ex-
pccted that it will spend several
days in Imperial Valley.
Shortly after the opening of the
executive session at West Baden,
Chairman Dufrees told Paul Clapp,
managing director of the National
Electric Light association, that pri-
waite power interests must come for
ward and state plainly what they
want.
At this request Clapp took the
floor and told the meeting. that the.
elimination of government operation,
Of Boulder Dam power plant would
kclear the way for the passage Of
the Swing Johnson bill. He said
that there would be no objection to
the government building Boulder
dam but that an effort to operate
the power plants by the government
would be fought. ~
Change Is Noted
A change in the sentiment of the
meeting was noticeable after Clapp's
declaration, the kilograms declared.
1t was the general belief that the
power interests should come forward
and openly lay constructive plans
h. 30 s,ctaol nf fo1lnuv;nc fa
present system of introducing propa-
ganda of destructive nature.
Another feature of the meeting
was the flaying by representatives.
of the power interests of Phillip
Gadsden for his speech recently
rade in Chicago. Gadsden is vice.
president of the United Gas Co. in
Pennsylvania and vice-chairman OF
the National Utilities committee of
private power and gas interests.
Gadsden in his talk declared that
the latter organization had been
formed primarily for the purpose Of
fighting Boulder Dam.
The representatives at the cham
Der meeting denied this but it -
believed that they have turned a
gainst Gadsden because he has ex-
posed the power hand to a great ex-
tent.
Greer said in his wire that while
Gadsden S remarks had little effect
IT the chamber meeting it would ba
factor which would react strongly
in favor of Boulder Dam at Wash.
ington, d. c.
The failure of the power interests
to place the United States chamber
on record as opposed to government
operation of the Boulder Dam prof.
ect at its present gathering is re
garded by those interested in Boul.
der Dam as a victory.