New Britain herald., 1927-10-20

 believed throughout Maine, and If anything, 1t solidified a desire to retain a law that outside power in terests so desperately desired to see repealed.
 The people of Maine thus retain their hold upon the nomination of candidates, and how important this is in view of the apprehensions caused by the power interests can be gathered from the narrow mar gin by which the Smith bill for the export of poNer-really an Insull bill written by the legal luminaries of the Central Maine Power com pany-was defeated at the last ses- sion of the Legislation. The bill won. $ 10 14, In Q committee Of 30 mem bers, and then passed both houses. It took veto by Governor Ralph c. Brewster to defeat 1t. The governor has been the most ardent advocate in high places of the retention of the direct primary, and it was he who led the state to victory. It is easy to calculate that the power in terests, had the direct primary been eliminated, could have pulled the strings in a convention 10 nominate somebody who would not veto the next power export bill which they could induce the legislature 10 pass
 When it is realized that the Bay of Fundy power project, which would utilize the power of the tides 1 in the manufacture of electricity will help to give Maine a vast sur plus of power, the importance of the power situation can be more fully realized. Maine has more pow CT than it can use, and if all its power-making resources were fully utilized there would be enough for most of New England. It therefore would appear ridiculous for Maine to insist upon retaining it's anti-eX- | port law. The governor and the peo- pie of the state have been thinking of this point very much; but they do not think a repeal of the direct primary is any way at all to solve the difficulty. That would give too much of an opportunity to subser- vient politicians.
 The governors plan is more con- i sonant with the ideals of democracy. | If the state is to permit the develop ment of her power resources by | outside capital and allow the eX- portation of surplus current after the needs of the state are met, a way must be found for the state to continue to maintain absolute con- trol over it's power resources. That is the belief of the governor. and al signs point to the fact that the ma jority of citizens agree with him.
 The Brewster plan, in short. is tc | utilize the interstate commerce clause of the federal constitution by l having the state makeAn agreemcn; with neighboring states, secure the approval of Congress. and thus pro- vide for the eNportation of current to these states without coming under the direct Jurisdiction of the fedora government as to control. The fed eral government would merely givt permission for the New England states affected to make agreementi regarding the power situation, as 1 is planned to do in connection witt power emanating from the Boulde Dam project in the southwest.
 Although protesting satisfaction with the Brewster plan of power cx port, the 1nsull and other power in terests in Maine made an attacl from the rear in favoring the repea of the primary. In this effort the, have been very properly rebukcd Their next move, no doubt, will b. 10 bring the situation before fed eral court and attempt 10 have tn Maine anti -power-eXport law de clarcd unconstitutional. Eminen lawyers have declared that in thei opinion the law really is unconsti tutional. No Maine court would de clare it unconstitutional. however and in order to gain their ends tn power interests would need to brin their guns to bear in a federal cour
 
 This very probably will happen 1h , Insults are not paying three time the ralae of any power stock fc nothing; they sec possibilities ahea, If the Maine law can be ditched.
 Nominations for office running j Maine in the future will very like1 be predicated entirely upon 1T candidates attitude toward powe By retaining the primary law Il
 citizens of Maine retain a hold upc
 the power question. They are II, going 10 give away such valuab rights for m"sses of pottagc.
 . 2.5 Xonrs A1o Tc1n,