Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1933-07-06
A Tremendous Protect

Those Montana cities and citizens who have
brought the 500, 1000 600 flood control projects on the
Upper Missouri river. near Fort Peck. in Valley coun-
ty, to the point Of 4 preliminary survey are to be con-
graduated.
It Is the most tremendous improvement Of its
Kind ever contemplated in the history Of this state.
It's physical aspects are interesting as indicating
Its magnitude. 1t will create 4 lake more than III
miles long covering more than 200. 600 acres.
lis practical utility Is none the less interesting.
As Q flood control unit, ii will be Of inestimable value.
Engineering surveys made by army engineers declare
that through water control it will be an asset to
navigation.
We have largely forgotten in Montana that the
Missouri river las navigation possibilities. Yet with
in go years there is a record showing s007steamboats
larersed the Upper Missouri IN d single season, man,
Of them going as far as Fort Benton.
Meantime science has established the fact beyond
dispute that artificial reservoirs OF this nature have
an important effect on rainfall extending for a consid-
erabie area about them. This is i most important
consideration IN this state.
It i estimated that Of the proposed s65. 600. 900
expenditure, r percent will be spent within the
state. Labor will be i beneficiary to the extent OF 54
percent. Twenty three percent may be spent for ma
terials produced in Montana.
Attending the preliminary stages Of such pro-
jects there Is always much skepticism. 1t is hard for
$500 O-oAh 1890 AtNh It'd lliAlGN IA OulIr
bend the practicality of such undertakings.
In fact, il is the age in which the engineer and
chemists are accomplishing things that would have
been sheer ~wizardry 100 years ago. They harness
tides, tunnel mountains, turn wastes to profitable
production. In obscure offices, obscure men with
tarined minds and a grasp Of scientific facts toll and
plan more OF happiness and prosperity and less Of
struggle for humankind.
The country seems to have come to the time
when il is forced by sheer necessity anu mounting
human misry-the result of social and economic NAL
adjustment-to abandon the desperately selfish doc
trine Of laissez faire, or every man for himself. The
political witch doctors Of a decade ago. and more re-
cent times discredited. Ragged indiridualism is per-
haps a thing Of The past as once society knew 1t.
about US a great social change is taking
place. Its direction is Indicated if its final results can
hardly be forecast. The spirit in which the country
accepts it is reassuring. 1T is less the result of spec
tacular aaitation than fortnight disposition in all
constituted political groups to demand and plan new
measures OF social justice.
II there is sill skepticism, the fact is also that
there i 4 measure Of high hope and d real disposition
TO aid in the carrying out of a program for unemploy-
ment relief. agricultural rehabilitation and a progress
i've raising Of living standards well designed over a
period Of p Years TO make a new America.
We begin to plan a great future, revolutionary in
many of its aspects. Thinkers no longer deny the
social revolution is actually under way.
The Fort Peck dam is more than q mechanical
undertaking, borne OF political expedience, or the
opening Of a barrel Of pork. Its completion means
much to IN Of eastern Montana.
Those forward-looking citizens of this state who
conceived the idea and carried it to the point where
it is receiving the consideration now assured have
done a splendid thing for their state and for all its
people. Yet in the larger scheme of development as II
nnfolds in the planning OF these times to overcome
manifest and admitted social iniustices 1t Is a small
thing, for this is the day OF big planning scientifically
Z tdertaken. II is also a measure Of human capacity
ard citizenship intelligently interpreted 1t is one
Il ~ TO plan. 1t Is another to realize. May Montana
and all its interests realize as splendidIy dis 1t has
planned and so far achieved in this epoch-making I'M