Evening star., 1928-09-23

Le0IlOn LOT power SITES on pubic IdIlO
and power privileges on navigable
streams and the public domain.
This part of the conservation plank
of the Republican platform seems to
me to be in line with the attitude OF
the Republican party in the State of
New York with regard to water powers
that are the property of that State;
they have always declared for public
retention of power sites but at the same
time they prepare themselves to lease
these same power sites for so years to
private companies for private opera
ton. To my way of thinking, a 50-year
lease is equivalent to the alienation of
them.
The principles which I have an
nounced apply to the proposed dam at
Boulder Canyon. The special need with
respect to Boulder Canyon. however, is
action, and immediate action. Lands of
priceless value, farmhouses and human
life in parts of Arizona and California
are in imminent danger of destruction
from the annual floods of the Colorado
River. To allow this situation to con-
tinue is travesty upon government.
The floods of the Colorado River
must be harnessed to protect not only
property but human life and make the
but the servant of mankind There
must be no further delay. Ii is true
that all of the seven Colorado River
basin States have rights to the use OF
the waters of the Colorado River. The
States should enjoy such benefits con-
sistently with the right and duty OF
Congress under the Constitution to reg
ulate navigation and the flow Of nav
igable streams. When legislation finally
passes through Congress I want to see
it produce dam and not controversy.
Agreement Is Vital.
It is vital. therefore, that the seven
Colorado Basin States come to an hon.
est and reasonable agreement as to
their rights in the Colorado River. AT
the same time, it is the duty OF Con-
gress under the Constitution in Such a
case to build levees and such impound-
ing dams as may be necessary to regu-
late the flow of this river, with incl
dental protection against the destructive
forces of floods. Likewise, there IS an
engineering and an economic problem.
A board of distinguished engineers
and geologists has been appointed un-
der the authority of Congress to survey,
study and report by December l, 1873
upon the problem relative TO the con-
struction of the proposed Boulder DAM
With that report the States may IN
telligently cooperate and agree. Ii, IN
the light of that report and the attitude
of the several States involved, 1t shall
apuear that the speediest and most ef-
fective way. to bring about this great
Improvement is to have the Govern
ment build it, and Congress should so
determine. it would be the duty OF the
President to abide by that decision ana
hasten the work upon that dam.
If I should be elected President be-
fore action had been taken by Congress
upon this great question would lmrne-
diately submit to Congress the avail
able data on this subject with the re-
uuest for immediate action. The Sltu-
alton demands the fair cooperation
among the States themselves and be-
tween the States and the Federal Gov
ernment But however this dam snail
be constructed one thing is sure: the
site of the dam and the machinery
generating this water power must De
preserved in public ownership. Never
should this priceless right be gwen
away for private exploitation; ana, IN
whatever form the power generated at
Boulder Dam shall be distributed, pup
lie authority must retain the con-
tractual right to control the rates 10 Oe
charged to the ultimate consumer ana
to control by contract the fair and rea-
sonable distribution of the power to be
generated.
New York Problem Similar.
Let me say a personal word on this
subject. I have had similar problems
tn this in nv own State. The port OIL
New York includes not only the state
of New York, but much of the sur
rounding territory, including the waters
adjacent to the Jersey shore. We nave
had the same kind Of question there
involving the relations OF one State
with another.
The strange silence of the candidate
and the meaningless plank OF the Re-
publican platform indicate, to say tne
least. a sympathy with the widespread
propaganda against puonc oWnerSnip
spread throughout this country ny an
organization known as the Joint Com :
,oiftee of the National Electric Light
Association. -.
Two recent steps taken by the Re-
nublican party clearly show its attitude
toward this important problem. the
first is the appointment by the Presl-
dent of Mr.. Roy o. West OF Chlcago
AS Secretary of the Interior, and the
second is the election OF H. Edmuno
Machold as chairman of the New YORK
State Republican committee.
Mr. West for almost a quarter OF a
century has been closely Identified with
important power companies. II con-
firmed by the Senate he will be mem
her of the commission which will study
the engineering problems of the Boulder
Dam project. He will also serve as an
ex-oficio member Of the Federal Power
Commission, which issues licenses 1or
power development on navigable waters
and which will have to pass upon ap-
plications for licenses by companies IN
which Mr.. West is or has recently been
interested.
Alleges UnfriendlinesS.
Is It not fair argument to assume that
such an appointment indicates spirit
Of unfriendliness, if not hostility, on
the part of the Republican party in the
Nation to those who stand for public
ownership and control of the God-given
resources of the Nation? Does not such
an appointment show a leaning toward
those seeking to exploit these resources
for their own private gain and profit
rather than in the interests OF the peo-
pie themselves?
In the State of New York undoubtedly
the most important line of cleavage
today between the two great parties is
the problem of how to deal with the
States waterpower. That is, perhaps
the paramount issue in the compaign
being waged there. And what does the
Republican party in the State do? II
selects as its State chairman, H. Edmund
Machold former Speaker of the Assem-
bly,, the most bitter opponent of public
ownership and control Of waterpower
who used all his influence and strength
in the Legislature to oppose the adop-
ton of a constructive, forward-looking
program of State ownership and control
and who, until the very day he was
selected State chairman, was affiliated
with many of the largest private water
power companies in the State.
What can the people of the Nation
expect from party that in one of the
k~,.r 49, s,H h.