Evening star., 1928-09-23

Door clGlZenS II we allow Lne Things
worth most to get into the hands of a
few"
There are pending for consideration
two important special water power de-
velopment projects. One is at Boulder
Canyon on the Colorado River. The
other night at Omaha I wrote out my
prescription for the ills from which the
farmers of this country are suffering.
would like to put my prescription for
Boulder Dam in writing, too, so that
there cannot be any misunderstanding
about 1t.
On the question of ownership. of the
power plant for the purpose of control
of rates to the ultimate consumer by
contractual agreements it is silent. and
all the benefit of cheap development
tirely lost sight Of
| Refers to Hoover Speech.
Let us pass from the platform for
minute to the speech of acceptance Of
the Republican candidate. 1t contains
not one single word on the question OF
water power development.
The Republican candidate says that
nearly all of our greater drainages
contain within themselves possibilities
of cheapered transportation, irrigation,
reclamation, domestic water supply,
hydroelectric power, and frequently
! the necessities of flood control" That
is his water power policy so far as he
stated it in his speech OF acceptance.
He simply speaks about the possi-
bilities of hydroelectric power but
how to develop it, how to control it,
how to keep it in the hands of the
people themselves that own 1t, he offers
no program
BY contrast let us look at the
Democratic platform, which declares
| specifically that the sovereign title ana
control of water power must be pre-
served respectively in the State and
Federal Governments. to the end that
the people may be protected against
exploitation OF this great resource ana
that water powers may be expeditiously
developed under such regulations as
will insure to the people reasonable
rates and equitable distribution.
Interpreting that platform plank in
nv speech of acceptance, I have de-
clared for a guarantee of reasonable
rates and equitable distribution, for the
ownership by the Federal Government
or the State, respectively, of the power
site and generating plant, and that the
sovereign power must control the
switch that turns on and off the power.
Would Have Regulation.
This does not mean that the Cow
| arnment-National or State--is required
to engage in the business Of distribut-
ing electrical energy, but it does mean
| that by virtue of this ownership, potn
| of site and of plant, the Government
| shall have contractual as well as
regulatory right to insist upon reason
/ A,tal icf
Following the speech OF acceptance by
the Republican candidate there was
widespread disappointment expressed
that this speech contained no reference
to anv plan with regard to the devel-
opment of water power and there was
| forthcoming a promise that it would be
dealt with in later speech.
Consequently, at Los Angeles, on the
nth of August, Secretary Hoover at
tempted to get forth his water power
views. but he dealt with nothing put
the Boulder Dam development and all
he said was that he. would approve tne
| highest dam that the engineers would
/ recommend He then spoke OF tne
number of people who had come TO i've
| in Southern California. He spoke about
the CITY of Los Angeles, its growth and
| its climate. He spoke about water
supnlv for California. He spoke about
| the great national asset of the Colorado
| River Basin and predicted that in years
tn come it would be the scene OF nun
| elreds of thousands of new homes, ana
! voiced his hope for mutual co-opera-
| tion in the development. He thanked
| the people for their gracious reception
and their courtesy. This is the only
water power policy that he has an
nounced
What is the difficulty standing in the
wav of public development? Inaction
on the part of the Federal Government.
Accomplishment Desired.
The desirable thing is accomplish
ment. I brought about results IN the
| Port of New York, by being able TO
sit down with representatives from tne
| two States and talk reason and justice
| to them and get reason and justice from
| them. If this question is not settled by
| the time l take the oath of office as
| President by that method l am conf
| dent that without delay I can succeed
| in letting YOU see the men at work
building the Boulder Canyon Dam.
AS to Muscle Shoals, believe that
| the Government should continue the
| full and complete development of that
plant, retaining it under Government
ownership and control. The construc-
ton of Muscle Shoals was war meas
ure. Its purpose was to produce nltrates
| for explosives.
The Republican national adminiStra-
tion evidently does not consider this
matter of any great Importance. In
his message to the SiXty-ninth Congress
| in 1925, President Coolidge said:
"The problem of Muscle Shoals seems
to me to have assumed a place out OF
all proportion with its real Importance.
1t probably does not represent in mar
ket value much more than a first class
battleship, yet it has been discussed in
the Congress over period of years and
for months at time"
Il disagree most emphatically with
the President The principle involved
in the proper disposition of Muscle
Shoals means more to the people of this
country than one hundred first class
battleshipS, Only at the last session of
the Congress bill dealing with the
problem in a forward-looking manner
was included by Mr.. Coolidge among
his pocket vetoeS, not even being
! worthy. according to his notion, of any
explanation for its rejection.
Pledges Shoals Operation.
AS stated in my speech of accept
| ance, IL would be the policy OF my
| administration to develop a method of
operation for Muscle Shoals under Gov
ernment ownership and control which
would reclaim to the Government some
fair revenue from the enormous ex-
| penditure already made for its devel-
opment. The development of this plant
should be completed so that the Ma
ton may be reimbursed, agriculture re-
ceive the benefit of cheap nitrate pro-
duction for fertilizer purposes, and the
surplus power distributed fairly to the
people of the 10 States which this
plant could serve at rates which should
remain under the control of the Gov
| ernment.
1 have done my best to lay before
! you tonight what In my opinion is a
! great national issue. have, as clearly