The Coolidge examiner., 1931-01-09
WILBUR HITS
.SNAC COMING
AND GOING
Boulder Dam Project Fans Faced
With Legal Points Making
Life Miserable

California's plan for the con-
struction of the Boulder dam pro-
ject received a serious reversal this
! week so serious in fact that
Secretary of the Interior Ray Ly-
man Wilbur rushed into the breach
in an attempt to WOO the upper
basin states to help California.
In Salt Lake City, Attorney Gen
eral Parker of Utah, said hat un-
less the federal government "speci-
ifically subordinated" the Boulder
dam act to the six-state compact
the upper basin states would not
join with the department of the in
terror and California in the defense
against the suit brought by Arizona
TO prevent construction of the
Boulder dam project.
From Cheyenne Wyo.; came sim
liar information. Wyoming will
NOT be a party to the suit unless
the federal government recognizes
! the six-state compact as being
anything else.
Quick was Dr. Wilbur, secretary
Of the interior and chief California
propaganda, to rejoin that the
righs of each state entering the
six-state compact would be fully
protected by the government and
was passed ON THE SIX-STAIE 9
COMPACT.
But, in this statement, Secretary
Wilbur disclosed the utter folly
and consuming weakness OF the
governments position namely:
\ If the federal officials attempt to
develop the river and defend its
posi- ion before the Supreme Court
of the United States on the sup
position the Colorado is under the
control of the government, then it
will aliena e the upper basin states,
leaving California and those mem
bers of the presidents Official
family who are Californians. stand
ing alone.
On the other hand, if it is admi =.
ted the states have rights in the
stream and the division of its
wa ers; then here is NO court Of
equity anywhere in modern clvilI-
zation which would hold six states
could ignore the rights of a seven
th state.
There is no law statutory, consti-
,utional or fundamental, allowing
one state or six states to take the
natural resources Of ano. her state
without that states consent.
And again, the Boulder dam pro-
ject is being built principally for
the benefit of California But, it the
government admits the rights of the
individual states, as demanded by
Utah and Wyoming and other up
per basin states, then where would
California be?
California contributes NOT ONE
DROP OF water TO the river.
On the other hand, Arizona con-
tributes AZ per cent of the total
water in the stream, making this
states rights in the river AZ times
greater than California's asserted
right.
Secretary Wilbur says Arizona
cannot attack the United States or
the six states that signed the Colo
rado river compact and expressed
the belief Arizona's suit will be
thrown out of court,
AS college professor, Secretary
Wilbur should be able to tell from
reading Arizona's complaint that
neither the United States nor the
six-states signatories are being at
tackled. On the contrary, the suit
contends the Boulder dam act is
unconstitutional and the attempts
of the state of California and Sec
retary Wilbur, a California, to con
struct the proposed project are
ILLEGAL
Arizona contends no six states
have the right to take the property
of seventh state and divided it.
Arizona contends the states have
never given to congress the right
to pass legislation appropriating
water.
Arizona contends that her cons
titution which is NOT in conflict
with the federal constitution, and
which was recognized as binding
against all by congress when Ari-
zOna was admitted into union in
1912, provides that NO large dam
shall ever be built wholly or in part
| within the hOrderS Of thiS state