Las Vegas age. [volume] (Las Vegas, Nev.) 1905-1947, 1927-08-13
ACTION BEGUN FOR
BOULDER DAM DRIVE
Seven State Meeting Called
For August 22, at Denver.
Committee To Visit Site.
President Considers Policy.


The preparatory campaign which
il is believed, will result in fav-
oracle legislation on the Boulder
Dam bill by the Congress which
will convene next December, Is
fairly under way.
Most importanl of all the steps
so far taken in the effort tol
solve the problem of development
OF the Colorado River, is the call
joined in by the governors of the
seven states of the Colorado River
basin for a conference at Denver,
Colorado, August %.
At this conference the upper
basin states will, it is understood,
near the statements of represen
tatlves oil all the states, especially
tne three lower basin states, for
The purpose of deciding on al
policy to be adopted relative to
the Colorado River Compact. The
upper basin states are most earn |
est il their desire for a compact
whicA Will protect them in tneu
rights to future use ot water from
the Colorado River and its trl-
butarles. Therefore, it is their
hope that they may be able to !
use their good offices in helping
the lower basin states settle their
differences in such a way as To
assure the ratification by all the
states OF the Colorado Riveh Com |
pact.
The states of the upper basin
as we'll as Nevada and California, |
seem to have adopted a policy |
which disapproves any attempt to |
change the terms of the Colorado |
River seven-state compact and |
require a reratification of the |
same by the states which have
already ratified.
Nevada has definitely adopted |
that policy, but has declared her
self willing to participate in the
negotiation of q supplementary |
compact which viii treat of those |
things left undone by the original
compact, provided such supple
mentary compact shall not con-
flct with the seven-state compact
and require re-ratificatiOn thereof.
Such a supplementary compact
may have to do with. an allocation +,
Of the surplus waters of the river
to the lower basin states, such a |
provision being desired by Ariz-
ona as a preliminary to the at
tempt to negotiate compact be-
tween Arizona, California and |
Nevada. 1t is thought by those
well informed on the subject that |
the upper basin states will not
be averse to releasing their claims
to the surplus or unallocated |
waters of the River, if such action |
on their part would aid the lower !
basin states in coming to an agree /
ment.
The three states of the lower |
basin have every reason to de- |
sire an amicabie settlement of
their differences. 1t is obvious TO |
all of them that a settlement !
reasonably fair to all is desirable |
and should be reac h e d. It'll
is equally obvious that if the |
interested states approach the |
subject in a spirit of fairness that
a settlement can be reached.
Another indication that an ac-
tive campaign the carry the Colo |
RADIO River project through is
under way is the announcement
from Washington that the House
committee ON irrigation and re-
clamation of which Addison 7.
Smith OF Idaho is chairman, will
shortly begin a tour of inspection
in the west.
The committee is scheduled to
first meeo at Spokane, Washing
ton, August IA, to study the Col
un-bia River basin project Fol
lowing this meeting the new mem
b-rs of the committee will visit
California and Nevada with Rep
resentative Swing to inspect the
Colorado River Basin and the site
of the proposed Boulder Canyon
dam.
Secretary Work has predicted
the passage of the Boulder Dam
legislation by Congress this win
ter. In this matter he has the
reports of members of his advis
ory committee upon which to base
his prediction. He has made a.
careful study of the engineering,
financial and economic features of
the project as well as the politi-
cal aspects of the question during
the past two years and his pre-
diction is entitled to great weight.
Secretary Work recently dis
cussed the matter with THE Presi-
dent at the Summer White House.
The President has expressed him
self without reserve as being in
favor of the developmnt.
Congressional leaders who have
preceded Secretary Work at the
Summer White House have also
expressed the opinion that the bill
will be passed at the next session
of Congress, and there was a feel
ing that the western states most
concerned would themselves iron
out the difficulties which have so
far interferred with the success
of the legislation.
The Denver meeting will, it Isl
understood, be attended by the
governors of all the seven Colo
RADIO River states and by their
commissioners. Senators Oddie
and pittman and 0o0roocY,, n ',