Evening star., 1933-04-11
The Tennessee Valley.

The Tennessee Valley.
President Roosevelt in his propose
to Congress for the development of th'
Tennessee River Valley would have th'
Federal Government tackle two prob
lens. The first is the proper develop
ment OF the great natural resource:
of the river and its basin. The Sec
ond is the regulation of hydroelectrit
power in interstate commerce, with al
its ramifications, touching the f1nanc'
ing of these public utilities and the
fixing of reasonable rates.
The Federal Government already ha.
on the Tennessee River huge invest
ment in the Muscle Shoals power ano
fertilizer plants. The continued idle
ness of this great national investment
the President said in his message tc
Congress, has led him to ask for legis-
lation ito enlist this project In the
service of the people" Mr.. Roosevelt
however, has looked far beyond the
Muscle Shoals power and fertilizer
plants in his vision Of the development
of the valley of the Tennessee River
He has recommended that complete
plans be made dealing with flood con-
troll, forestation, the elimination OF
marginal agricultural lands and the de-
velopment of transportation and indus
tries in this great basin. His vision has
taken the President even further. He
has said that If successful in the Ten
nessee River Valley project, the plan
ming. should be extended to a like
development Of other great natural ter
ritorial units within our borders"
If the Presidents vision is pursued
further there appears the possibility
OF the development of the entire Missis-
sippi Valley and the valleys Of the tribu-
taries of that river, and Of the great
rivers lying to the West, including the
Columbia. If the Tennessee River VAL
ley can be made to realize the dream OF
the President and can become the home
and the workshop Of millions more
Americans, the national development
suggested by the Chief Executive may
in future provide and properly care for
untold millions Of people.
So much for the physical part OF the
development plan. OF great and i'm.
mediate interest is the second feature
of the Presidents proposal, expected to
be embodied in the Tennessee Valley
Authority bill, which looks to Federal
control of electricity in interstate COM
merce. If the plans of Senator Norris
Of Nebraska, who in season and out has
pressed for legislation similar to that
proposed now by the President, are
duce, transmit and sell electricity from
the great Muscle Shoals plant. And
beyond that, it will undertake to regu-
late the interstate transportation of
power, heat and light electrically de-
veloped, much as it has regulated inter-
state transportation by the railroads.
This proposal naturally will be of huge
interest to the public utilities which
have been developed under private
ownership and private management and
control
Here is presented great question, of
interest to millions and perhaps to all
the people since electricity has become
the light Of the Nation. Not only are
the people lighted by electricity, but
millions of them are interested finan-
cially in the business of lighting the
Nation, of providing power and heat.
When the Federal Government under
takes to regulate electricity in inter-
state commerce it may easily go into
the matters of financing these public
utilities and to the fixing of reasonable
rates for the services which they per-
form and the products they sell. Efforts
may be made to distinguish between the
transportation service and the actual
power and current produced, and the
contention developed that while the
Federal Government may fix rates fol
transporting the electricity, it is no,
empowered to fix the cost to the con-
suner of the product SO transported
How far the Government may go, there
fore. in the matter Of regulation vii
become an issue.
II the Government, through its great
plant in the Tennessee Valley and Other
plants which may be developed, under.
takes to produce and sell electricity tx
the ultimate consumers. the private cit
liens engaged in the business of pro.
ducing and transmitting and selling
electricity may easily find the compe
tition Of the Government too grea
to meet. Then arises the whole ques
ton Of Government ownership ant
operations of all these public utilities.