Imperial Valley press., 1934-06-12
BOARD HAS
CONF|DENCE IN
GOVERNMENT
Continued From Page II
voted in its favor while Director
Rose stated he was not voting

Sometime this afternoon it is ex-
pected the irrigation district board
of directors will formulate and
adopt a resolution dealing with the
recently opened bids for construc-
ton of the All-American canal to
be forwarded to the department of
the interior and also the bureau of
reclamation.
The exact nature of this resolu-
ton was in doubt at noon-that is,
whether it will state that the bids
are entirely satisfactory to the dis
trict directors and ask the depart
ment to proceed with awarding the
work to the successful bidder; or
whether it will merely express con-
fidence in the government officials
and leave with them the decision as
to the fitness of the bids.
A resolution was nearly accepted
this morning during a meeting Of
the board, but final decision in the
matter was relegated to the session
following the noon recess.
Director Rose introduced reSo-
luton which he asked to have read
and considered by the other men,
bers. In it he stated that he con-
sidered the bids too high and not
competitive enough. He contended
that the construction should be
done by the government with a saw
ing of money to the taxpayers. If 1t
were done by the reclamation SER
vice by force account it would be
best all around, the resolution stat
ed.
1t was Roses opinion that the
construction work should get under
way at once but that it should be
done by the government in order to
save contractors profits.
Following the reading of this six
page resolution, Director Aten stat
ed that he was not in favor of this
idea at all. He was not in favor of
attempting to get force account and
thereby delay the construction of
the canal. This was tried, Aten said,
by men who were sent to Washing
ton. but they were unsuccessful. 1t
is old history, water under the
bridge, he said. In his opinion the
bids as they now stand are satisfac-
tory and one of them should be ac-
cepted in order that work on the
canal might not be delayed any fur
ther.
Kalin Urges Speed
Director Kalin was of the opinion
that the people Of the county want
to see the canal started right away
and since the bids appear satisfac-
tory, lets get going
Rose stated that he would file his
resolution with the interior de-
partment and not with the local
board.
Another resolution was then in
troduced which expressed conf
dence in the department of the in
terror and the bureau of reclama-
ton in the matter of the contracts
on the construction bids. This stat
ed in broad and general way that
in the letting of the contracts for
the construction of the canal, the
best interests of the district and its
people must be Safeguarded.
This resolution was then read and
discussed by the board. President
HeWes said that he felt if Secretary
Ickes knows the bids are not salts
factory to the district, nothing
would be done in the matter of
awarding the contracts and Chief
Engineer DoWd stated that the gov
ernment wished to know whether or
not the bids were satisfactory to the
district board, before further action
is taken.
Director Young at first was of the
opinion that this resolution was sat-
isfactory and moved it's adoption
but on later discussion the matter
was left over until the afternoon
session. Aten was of the opinion
that the department of the interior
should take the responsibility of de-
claring whether or not the bids were
satisfactory and either accept or re-
ject them. He stated that he would
not go on record as objecting to the
possibility of the government turn
ing down the bids and having the
work done by force account should
the department finally allow the
work to be done in that manner. He
was, however, not in favor of any
further direct attempt by the dis
trict to secure this force account