Evening star., 1928-06-02
UTILITY QUIZ BARES
FIGHT ON DAM BILL
Colorado Publicity Director
Denies Effort to Handpick
Inquiry Board.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Additional documentary evidence or
the activities of the Rocky Mountain
committee on public utilities informa-
ton awaited formal naturalization and
introduction today as the Federal Trade
Commission sought to dispose of the
Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico
phases Of It's investigation into the
publicity methods of power utilities.
For the third successive day the COM
mission turned to George E. Lewis.
executive manager of the committee.
for information and questioning.
One Of the scores Of letters included
In the documentary evidence was adj
dressed by Lewis to M. H. Aylesworth of
the National Electric Light Association.
New York, and related To utilities
pamphlets prepared by the committee.
which Lewis had said were widely dis
tributed through schools in his territory
Frankly these booklets do not meet
our desires from literary standpoint, "
wrote Lewis, ''or for the exposition of
the utility industry Rather they con-
stitute a bread pill, being designed
for the perusai Of educators who are
somewhat chary Of our intentions in
going before students. Necessarily, our
initial efforts had TO provide something
that would demonstrate that we are not
trying to peddle a lot of pure
propaganda"
Gives School List.
A March, 1925, report by Lewis to
w. s. Vivian OF the National EIec-
trio Light Association, covering "our
public speaking activities in this region, .
said these had principally been con-
Quoted In the universities colleges and
high schools.
"These talks have been made in con-
nection with the course Of lectures
fostered by this committee" Lewis re-
ported. During 1928 our speakers ap-
peared in the following universities and
colleges: University Of Colorado, Boul-
der; Colorado State Agricultural Col
lege, Fort Collins: State Teachers
College, Greely; Colorado School OF
Mines. Golden: Colorado College, Colo
rado Springs: University OF Denver and
the School Of Commerce, Denver. Dur
ing 1925 our speakers delivered as talks
In these institutions. The total at
tendance was 1880. During the same
period our speakers appeared in 10
Denver high schools. They gave 20
lectures for $4,000 students. During
1925 various utility men gave so talks
before various civic and service organ
iZations and similar bodies
Results Of a 1923 survey of Iowa text
books were included in letter TO Lewis
from Joe Carmichael, director OF the
Iowa committee on public Information,
which was offered In evidence. Car
michael wrote:
I'VE have watched the situation here
carefully, but have never made report
10 our member companies or any one
else on 1t. We found, when we made
this survey, that high schools In about
Is Iowa cities and towns were particu-
larly obnoxious. We have kept these
towns In mind constantly since then,
and find that after the attention Of
proper officials was called To the in
Justice Of attacks made by the authors,
number Of schools eliminated them.
Such text books are now used In only
about Z or B schools, most of them in
towns which have municipal lighting
plants"
Boulder Dam Study.
Moves OF the Rocky Mountain COM
mittee In connection with the appoint
ment by the University of Colorado Of
the Colorado River COMMITTEES, for the
study of such projects as the proposed
Boulder Canyon Dam, we're disclosed In
yesterdays investigation.
A December 10. 1927, letter from Guy
w. FalIer, then chairman of the Rocky
Mountain committee, 10 the university
BOARD OF regents was introduced. and II
urged the formation OF such q commit
tee by university authorities. At the
same time, Robert n. Healy commission
counsel, produced memorandum by
Hubert r. Wolfe, which suggested "ques-
tions pertinent TO the position OF Colo
fado In the Colorado River controversy,
which might well be investigated by q
faety finding commission"
Wolfe had been identified previously
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