Imperial Valley press., 1928-02-16


be divided equally between what is
termed the upper and the lower
basin states. The upper states are
defined as New Mexico. Colorado,
Utah and Wyoming, ani the lower
states as Arizona, Nevada and Cali
fornia. To become binding, the law
creating the commission provided,
this compact must first be ratified
by the legislatures of each of the
interested states and, thereafter, by
the congress of the United States.
All of the states approved the COM
pact with the exception of Ari-
IONA, which has refused, up to the
present time, to approve either the
compact or any comprehensive plan
of river development supported by
the other states and the federal
government.
In 1927 the Utah state legislature
voted to rescind its approval of the
compact on the grounds that, under
pending legislation, Utah would not
be fully protected unless Arizona
also ratified the pact.
One wear previous the California
state legislature had amended its
ratification of the compact by
adopting what was known as. the
Finney resolution. This resolutlc
merely provided that California s
ratification of the compact is to
become effective Immediately upon
the adoption by congress of legis-
lation providing for the erection
Ct a flood control and water stor-
AGE dam at Boulder CANYON on the
Colorado. In adopting this resolut-
ion California 8 representatives
rointed out that there is no need
for a compact unless n dam is er-
ected. therefore no one logically
could object to this states ratifi-
cation not being effective until such
storage actually is provided for.
Under the compact drawn, it was
further pointed out. California stood
10 lose Colorado River water rights
ALREADY perfected unless provision
Is made for the erection of a high
dam to regulate the river and make
available for use the flood water
now going to waste.
Federal officials repeatedly have
stated that ratification of the com
ract by all of the basin states is
not absolutely essential. River con
troll legislation can and probably
will be enacted without complete
ratification of the compact. The com
pact was suggested as means of
peacefully adjusting conflicting
water claims; if the present compact
cannot be agreed upon, then, as has
been stated, other methods must be
used to adjust the claims of the sew
Cral states.
Bill Introduced
In the meantime the task of per
fecting legislation, to carry out the
recommendation of the Reclamat-
ion Service and the Department of
the Interior, has gone steadily for
ward. Through Senator Hiram John
son in the Senate and Congressman
Fhil d. Swing in the House of Re-
presentatives, a bill ''tO provide for
the protection and development of
the lower Colorado River Basin" !"
was introduced in Congress in Dec
ember, 1922.
This bill was considered by com
mittee in both houses during the
9th, 68th and 69th Congressional
sessions. Hundred of witnesses have
been called and heard. The Senate
and House Committees considering
the measure both have conducted
hearings in the Southwest and have
visited and inspected the Boulder
Canyon dam sites. When Congress
convened for its 10th session in
December, 1927, the bill was rein
troduced and is now pending in
both houses.
AS originally drafted the Bould
er Canyon project bill provided for
two major development works. /
The construction by the Federal
Government of 550-foot dam at
Boulder Canyon, its cost to be re
paid by the sale of power generat-
ing rights at the dam sites. 2-Thc
construction of an All-Amcl'ica
anal 10 lrflRdtc, from the tOiOrauO
River, lands in Imperial and Coach
ella Valleys, its cost to be repaid by
assessments against the lands bene-
fitted.
When the bill came up for consid-
Grafton by Congress at its last ses-
sion, it was referred to Secretary
Of the Interior, Hubert Work, for
suggestions and approval. DR.. Work,
in message to the Senate Commit.
tee considering the bill, stated, in
substance, that he approved the gen.
eral program of river control and
development as provided for in the
bill. He, however, urged certain
amendments TO the bill, and these
changes have been written into the
proposed legislation, as it now
stands.
Where the origional bill provided
only for the construction, by the
Federal Government, of a dam at