Evening star., 1934-11-11
ARIZONA ORDERS
TROOPS TO HALT
US. DAM BUILDING
Martial Law Invoked, in
State Dispute Over
Boulder Unit.
ICKES HINTS MATTER
is FEDERAL AFFAIR
Use of National Guard to Fight
Government Seen by Cali
fornia Official.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PHOENIX. Ariz., November 10
Martial law was invoked today by
Gov. B. B. Moeur in an apparent at
tempt to stop the Federal Govern
ment and the metropolitan water
district of California from building
diversion dam across the Colorado
River.
Twenty machine gunnerS and 40
infantrymen were ordered out to aug
ment a militia squad already on the
scene. The troops were instructed to
''repel the threatened invasion OF the
sovereignty and territory of the State
of Arizona"
A declaration that Arizona's Cover
nor might find himself in the posi-
ton of using National Guard troops
to fight" the United States Govern
ment was made by one California
water district official, who declined
to allow the use of his name.
An intimation that the matter was
beyond Arizonas authority was
dropped in Washington by Secretary
of the Interior Harold Ickes. whose
department has supervision of the big
construction project.
U. S. Jurisdiction"
1--WE have" said Ickes, "a fairly re-
spectacle legal opinion that the Fed
eral Government has jurisdiction over
navigable streams (the dangerous
Colorado River has beer. held navi-
gable in the area involved. Under
this opinion it is believed the United
States has right to decide a ques-
ton of the sort involved here"
Gov. Moeur Immediately tele-
graphed President Roosevelt outlining
the action taken and explaining his
reasons. Adjt. Gen. Oscar Temple Of
the National Guard said it was the
first time in Arizona history that
martial law had been declared.
Moeur's sudden move was another
ramification of the long struggle be-
tween Arizona and the six other
States involved in the Colorado River
compact for the building of Boulder
Dam and the distribution of river
water, much Of it to the thickly popu-
lated metropolitan area of Southern
California.
Arizona contended the compact did
not give her just share in the great
project. Despite this, the Federal
Government went ahead with the
construction of Boulder Dam, the
great structure which will hold back
the flood waters and form huge lake
from which both cities and irrigated
farms will drink.
Contract Refused.
The site of the dispute is a desolate,
uninhabited area on the river, which
serves as the border line between
Arizona and Colorado. There a di-
version dam is being built to supply
Southern California with water.
Recently Arizona demanded of
Secretary Ickes contract which
would give Arizona share in the
hydroelectric power to be generated
at Parker Dam and storage without
cost to that State of $500, ,O00-acre
feet of water from Boulder Dam. The
other States in the Colorado compact
fought the Arizona demand as 'un-
just" and Ickes did not sign. He
said, however, half the power was re-
served for Arizona.
Construction plans for Parker Dam
went on and pile bridge was started
at the site by Six Companies, Inc,
Boulder Dam contractors.
The bridge" said Gov. Moeur in
his martial law proclamation, "is be-
ing constructed without authority of
law and without consent of the State
of Arizona
Moeur's proclamation ordered the
Arizona National Guard to take pos
session" of a rugged little patch of
desert three miles long and one mile
wide, beginning in the center line of
the river and extending one mile
eastward.
To Prevent TrespaSsing.
The order directed the militia to
prevent ANY and all persons tres
passing thereon" and Ito prevent the
construction of the said bridge on
the Arizona side of the State boun-
dary."
The Los Angeles metropolitan wa
ter district official argued that the
National Guard was as much under
the command of the President of the
United States as is the Regular Army.
Maybe the National Guardsmen
will have to arrest themselves" he
said. He added, however. the district
would take no part in the controversy.
Our job" he said, lis to build the
1925, 100000 Colorado acqueduct
which will bring the Colorado River
water to the Los Angeles metropolitan
district. Further than that, We are
not officially concerned I"