Evening star., 1934-11-25

STE OF i ii r. PhOfOSED
PARKER DAM-THE IMMEDIATE
CAUSE OF ARIZONA'S WAR"
a way. so engineers tell me, as to de-
stroy all, or at least the best. sites in
Arizona, making it impossible for her
ever to use the water of the $50 miles
of river running within her borders.
Why should Congress have con-
sented to such an arrangement and
to the diversion dams as well? sup
pose that it was because California
had the trading power to get what
she wanted, at least, the bill which
provides for the Hoover Dam makes
arrangements for giving some 66 per
cent Of the power generated to South
ern California and also allows s36.-
600 900 to build canal from near
Yuma to the Imperial Valley, IAN all
American canal" for the present ir-
rigating canal taps the Colorado River
in Old Mexico below Yuma and flows
through a part Of Old Mexico before
it reaches the Imperial Valley.
This new canal. IS miles long and
in places nearly 300 feet deep. cuts
through tremendous sand dunes. 1t
will redeem the desert to produce
more vegetables, although the I'M
perial Valley hasn't a market for all
she raises now. Another of our eco
nomic monStrosities Developments
to produce what can't be used-an-
other surplus factory. AT least that
is what irate AriZonianS say.
However, Arizona is going to have
her chance to dispute the "all-Ameri-
can canal" as she is disputing the
one at Parker, for its eastern hall
will have to be in her territory. II
looks now as if the negotiations nec-
eSSary will be stormy, whether by that
time Arizona is in or out of the Union
There is another side to it. The
United States is spending $35,000,0 ,00C
on the theory that the Imperial VAL
ley will pay it back. 1t doesn't seem
probable, SO say the Arizonians. since
the Imperial Valley irrigation district
hasn't yet been able to pay interest
on its outstanding bonds. In the
Judgment of not a few sober and in
formed observers of our big irrigation
schemes, they never will pay the
charges and eventually the United
States will cancel the debts.
Still another possibility in the Hoo
yer Dam which gives irate Arizonians
satisfaction is that by the time 1t Is
finished Los Angeles and vicinity will
be getting cheaper power by using
natural gas That is, they argue that
while in 1920. when California made
its coup. hydroelectric power had an
advantage. practically all that advan-
tage is already wiped out in the Los
Angeles area and they sigh with con-
tent as they tell you:
There is good ground to believe
that the Government will never be
repaid for the cost of the Hoover
Dam. After all is said and done, it
means simply that the Government
is building a municipal waterworks
and a municipal power plant for Los
Angeles, while the all American
canal is being built for the advan-
tage of real estate spectators who
hope to unload thousands of acres
Of desert land on a gullible public"
Sour grapes? Time will tell.
But who can wonder at Arizona
Congress has arranged to spend an
immense sum of public money to give
to California at least Sc per cent of
the water of the Colorado River. leav-
ing Arizona about 18 per cent and
the rest to Nevada. Look at your
map and call it just If you can.
Appeal to Supreme Court.
Arizona was mad" - properly
enough-after Mr.. Hoover signed the
bill in 1929. and she appealed to the
Supreme Court.
Congress should be forbidden to
60 ahead with Boulder Hoover Dam, "
she contended. 1T meant taking
from Arizona something which be-
longed to her. Was 1t not unconsti-
tutional for a Congress to take the
wealth of one State to give to an
other?"
But the Supreme Court held that
Congress did have a right to build
the dam. but--most important-Ari-
zona also had right to her share of
the water of the river.
will the State secede?" I asked
the editor of the Arizona Star after
the decision was announced.
mo, no." he answered. ARIZONA
has submitted to the inevitability of
the Hoover Dam. She has lost that
battle. The dam will be built. In the
future she will battle for a more
equitable distribution of the water.
She will never accept the present di-
vision. She feels that the Colorado
River is her greatest potential asset
and that the water and the revenue
from its development means much to
her citizens generation in the fu-
ture. Arizona will be in strong
position to get an equitable division
of the water because Los Angeles can
not take a drop of it for the cities Of
the Los Angeles basin until she Sc
cures permission from Arizona to
build diversion dam at Parker"
Well. the day has come when the
United States is ready to build the
diversion dam at Parker which Is to
furnish power and light to Los
Angeles and vicinity, and Arizona is
in arms-a woman commanding Its
fleet of ferryboats! No dam will be
built until the State makes sure that
she has what the Supreme Court calls
her share of the water Of the river"
Is it possible to give that to her If a
dam is built at Parker in the inter-
ests Of Los Angeles and another at
Yuma in the interests of the I'm
perial Valley? don't see how. 1t
looks as If there was nothing for Ari-
zona and Nellie Bush to do but just
what they propose to do-hght for
their rights.