Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-04
CRAMTON ASSAILS
MAI. SOMERVELL IN
POWER ARGUMENT
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
Somervell is simply untrue and the
records Of the Senate hearings demon
strated it to be untrue. I know per-
sonally that, Col. Grant has been de-
Sirous Of an opportunity to discuss the
Somervell position before the Senate
committee but. as yet the Senate COM
m'ttce has not indicated any desire to
80 further into the power question. If
Maj S0nervell was not able to sum-
CENT impress the Senate committee
by his power argument so that they
carel to go into that issue further, 1t
is OF course not the fault Of Col. Grant.
The permanent publication OF the
SomcrvelI argument, with a manifest
purpose of influencing the Senate, GER
tainly made the newspapers the proper
forum.
"The forum being selected by Mai.
Somervell, Col. Grant rendered a dis
tinct public service when he replied
and thoroughly punctured the Somer-
veil 500, 100000 balloon.
The Dempsey amendment to my Dill
expressly leaves it to future Congresses
to determine what, II any, power or
navigation development shall follow in
the Great Falls area Of the Potomac.
That amendment, suggested to Repre-
sentative Dempsey by the Federal
Power Commission, including the Secre-
tary of War and the Secretary Of Agri-
culture, did not change at all the effect
of my bill. AS a matter Of fact, last
August the Park and Planning Com
mission sent to the Federal Power Com
mission a statement Of its purposes, in
GLIDING a resolution adopted by the
Park and Planning Commission as fol-
lows:
Commissions Resolution.
Resolved, That the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission favors
acquisition Of the Potomac Valley from
Chain Bridge to and including Great
Falls and the development Of this area
for park purposes as the funds may1be
made available, leaving it open for
Congress at any future time to author
iZe the development of the navigation.
flood control and power potentialities of
the area should such development be-
come of greater Importance and be
justified In the public interest
"That resolution emphasized ex-
pressly that my bill left it open for
Congress at any future time to authorize
the development of such power poten-
tialities as 1t deemed justified in the
public interest.
o. ICdk 'SILudLIOIl dL pIcocIlI 10 J41dJ
there Is a Nationwide demand for
preservation of the Great Falls and
gorge of the Potomac and its scenic
beauties for park purposes and this de-
mand is supported by local sentiment
in Washington more unified than ] have
ever seen in connection with any other
measure of local importance.
Second, there Is no apparent need
or demand for power development at
this time and the economic desirabiity
Of such power development in competi-
ton with power development from coal,
so easily accessible here, is very dubious.
Congress Must Act.
There is no good reason, therefore,
why In chasing some power will-o'-the-
wiSp that figures so largely in the imag-
nation of Maj. Somervell the Nation
should permit its great scenic resources
to be sacrificed. AS a matter of fact,
II my bill Is defeated, still the power
company does not get its permit, as the
power commission cannot grant a per-
NIT to any one until Congress express
ly acts. The wise course in the interest
of the Nation, although it may not be
in the interest of the Byllesby corpora
ton, will be to preserve this wonder
full area for park purposes and leave it
for future Congresses to determine what
other use to make Of it as conditions
may change or new emergencies arise :"
Mr.. Cramton first took cognizance of
the dispute between Col. Grant and Mai.
Somervell on the floor of the House late
yesterday when he called attention to
the Dempsey amendment to his bill,
pointing out that it provided explicitly
that 1t would be in the power of any
Congress In the future to take such ac-
ton as that Congress might deem wise
as to power, navigation or irrigation
development along the Potomac Gorge.
In reference to Maj. Somervells state
ment that his bill would involve a waste
Of 10000, 900 In resources, Mr.. Cram
ton told the House that at bcSt this
statement represented only an opinion
and an opinion not supported by
facts
Mr.. Cramton also had inserted in the
Congressional Record recent editorials
from Washington newspapers on the
controversy between Col. Grant and
Mai. Somervell.