Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-30
Power Issues in Two States
Debated by Whole Country

Mr.. Lamont said: "If electric energy
can, on a sound economic basis, be
created from rights owned by the State
or Federal Government that will cheaper
the cost Of light and energy to the con-
Stunning public, We are heartily In favor
of this being done as quickly as posi-
bic, and we pledge ourselves to assist
and cooperate to that end in whatever
practical manner may be found to the
best interest Of all concerned"
THE Lamont statement" as inter-
preted by the Philadelphia Evening Bull
letin. lis not surrender to the Smith
Roosevelt program of State improve
ment. But it indicates a recognition
of the present state of public mind, and
in its IF as to the practically of State
improvement at least suggests the posi-
bility that the power promoters and the
New York Governor might meet on
some halfway ground where private
enterprise could prepare to go ahead
under specific restriction by the State
conserving public rights"
That there is no cause for alarm in
| change of power-site ownership on the
! ST. Lawrence is the position taken by
! the Columbus (Ohio) Evening Dispatch
and the Buffalo Evening News. The
latter finds satisfaction in the fact that
j. P. Morgan g. Co. wish to cooperate
with the State in finding solution OF
the power problem" The Columbus
paper holds the change of ownership
cannot endanger the use OF the ST.
| Lawrence River as deep-water pas
sageway from the Great Lakes to the
sea-" The New York Sun feels that
everybody can rest assured that the
State is going to hold to the ownership
enjoys"
Endorsement Of cooperation between
private and public interests is given by
the Newark Evening News, the Utica
Observer Dispatch and the Brooklyn
Daily Eagle. The Louisville Courier
Journal points out that there are big
figures involved in this triangular con-
| troversy, whether reckoned in terms OF
men or money, symbols of more than
one kind of power That paper says
of the situation: Gov. Smith con-
tended that the only way the State
could regulate ire resources for the
benefit of its citizens was to build dams
as public works and lease the sites or
power on satisfactory terms. Gov.
clusion" The Tulsa World remarks
that Smith won his fight, and the
present governor evidently thinks he
can win still bigger one of the same
sort"
1.-The financial strength of the power
group" says the st. LOUIS Times, is
not to be lightly sneezed at. Nor is
that of New York State. Nor is 1t at
all in the probabilities that folk of the
Morgan and Mellon character will lay
down their hands and their plans UNI
less pressure is irresistible. The CUT
come of such a struggle will be watched
for with great interest" The Grand
Rapids Press contends that "of actual
public development there has been none
to date, and the indications are that II
private interests do not develop the St.
Lawrence and cooperate with the sea.
way power project it will not be devel-
oped at all"
! OF the vote in Maine the Fort Worth
TELEGRAM says: Maine possesses
greater water-power resources than most
States, and it is evident that the people
have given thought to the much-dis-
cusSed 'supertrust' trend in this field.
They may have voted against the best
4 interests of the State, but If so the re-
suit can be credited as much to the
foolish policies of some major power
interests as to propaganda against
them"
The Haverhill Gazette argues that
maine Is right in proposing to keep all
the power she needs, but wrong, We
believe, in refusing to export power she
does not need. Failure to use 1t or set.
ting up artificial barriers to prevent its
use Is to establish a degree Of economic
isolation not likely TO be advantageous
for the State