Imperial Valley press., 1928-05-23
Johnson
SET FOR
bA I TIE
Will Start at II O'clock
Tomorrow to Force Vote
On Dam Bill.
DOUGLAS r A l. X s
Arizona Representative
Attacks Bill in House.;
Swing Answers.
By United Press Leased Wire

leuSth W
WASHINGTON, May %. -Scna-
tor Hiram johnson served notice to-
day that he would seek TO hold the
senate in continuous session from IL
n. N. tomorrow until ne could OBJ
tain Il final vote on his Boulder
Canyon dam bill.
johnson said he proposed to keep
the senate in session all night if he
could. His announcement came aft
or the senate ordered Il brief night
session tonight to consider minor
bills with Il provision that tOmOr-
row 5 session begin at II a. IN.
Representative Douglas. Demo
,rat, Arizona, leader of the house
opposition TO the bin assailcd the
measure as purely power project
and declared there is no need for
the large scale flood protection of
water for irrigation and domestic
use provided.
I:c also declared there is danger
in constructing such 4 large dam as
that promised because of engineer
ing difficulties and because the area
is subject to earthquakes.
Flood protection, he said, could
he afforded the Imperial Valley Of
California for from $3,000,000 to
$23, 1000, 600 There is no necessity,
he said for the +l25, 900, 900 cXpcndi,
turr proposed.
y flood in the Imperial Valley,
h" said, would pass down natural
floodway TO tho Salton Sea and
would not damage any irrigation
works.
Answering Douglas, Representa-
tive Swing, eO-author of the bill,
declared it never would have been
introduced unless there was n flood
control need. 1t is n flood control
bill, hc argued.
"'Powcr combines, - Swing de
clarcd, "havc designs on every site
along the Colorado river, which cX-
plains their fight on the measure. y
He denied there is any danger of
earthquakes in the dam area, cit
ing opinion of biologists.
WASHINGTON, May 23.-Hopcs
for enactment of the Swing John
son Boulder Dam bill at this SEES
sion of Congress appeared to rest
today upon the success of its sup
portcrs in their effort to delay ad-
iournmcnt until next week. Both
house and senate leaders were un-
dcrstood to be laying plans to adj
iourn Saturday, leaving Senator
johnson, California, only four days,
with time out for necessary last
minute legislation, to break the fill
buster threatened against his bill in
the senate.
Aided by more stringent rules on
debate. Representative Swing, Re
publican, California, leader Of the
Boulder Dam fight in the house may
secure vote this week but 1T is
considered doubtful whether John
SON can wear down his filibuster OPP
poncnts in so shcrt a time.
The debate will be subject to con
slant interruptions helpful to 4
filibustcr. Besides scores of minor
bills, conference reports on Muscle
Shoals, tax reduction and govern
mcnt employees pay bills await ac-
tion.
Johnson allowed his bill to be set
aside last night for consideration of.
the Muscle Shoals report, but no ac-
ton was taken. Today he must
surrender more time for passage of
the second deficiency appropriation
bill, last of the necessary finance
measures before Congress.
Spirited debate marked the start
Of the Boulder dam battle in both
houses yesterday. Proponents de-
nounccd the "powcr lobby for
spreading alleged false propaganda
against the bill while opponents
made similar charges against news
papers supporting it.
The senate debate took on the as
pect of "A filibuster late in the aft
crnoon when Senator Hayden, Dem
ocrat, Arizona, started lengthy
speech against the measure.
johnson is expected to attempt an
all night session tonight in an eff
fort to exhaust his opponents and
force vote. If he succeeds, the
fight will become contest of phys
zeal endurance, with Senator Ash.
urst. Democrat, Arizona, leader of
the speaking Marathon.