Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1937-02-18
BILL BEING FRAMED WHICH
WOULD ESTABLISH A eva
tBy Congressman Knute Hiu)

When Congress isn't debating
one Of those sudden measures
which attracts national attention
over night. its members are busy
thinking about the type of legis-
lati0n Will |. ay take months or
even years to finally enact. Work
Of this sort usually has little head
line value and is the work of blocs
or committees. Much of the im-
Lortant future legislation thus be-
gins in tie loo nd stage. grows
as the movement gains increasing
favor. and then blooms into pub
lie view ard approval
One Of the years important leg
islative buds is the public power
question. With the obvious success
of the IVA, this thorn to monopo-
listic private power companies has
started new buds. Early this year
Congressman John e. Rankin Of
Mississippi, co-author OF the IVA
BILL. and few other power enthu-
si..sts formed bhe Congressional
Power bloc. Because on my interest
in the subject and my authorship
OF the Columbia Valley Authority.
I was chosen Secretary. In less
than a month, the bloc has grown
to include I'll congressman. Not
all are Democrats, nor are ell New
Dealers. A cubject of such .univer-
cal interest can know no politician
limitations.
Purpose Of the bloc is to encour-
age legislation which will place
the generation, transmission and
distribution Of electrical energy in
the hands Of the government. The
group suggests that If It Is pos
sible to acquire transmission lines
at reasonable costs. the govern
ment should do this. II not, the
government Is to build their own
should be sold to county power
districts, municipalities and pri-
watts companies. giving the Z first
two groups preference. Private
companies should be compelled to
base their rates ON the govern
ment yardstick. Only this way can
power be made available to every
home at reasonable rates.
But each Of the congressman in
the bloc know that in supporting
the interest of public power. they
may be signing their political
death warrant. Private power com
paniss, eager to continue their
monopoly, will create one Of the
strongest Hobbies In history to de-
feat the movement. Individual
congressman will be the subject Of
concentrated shipping.
Washington's bid for cheap pow
er will come after the completion
of the Coulee dam. Army engin-
GERS state that the Pacific North
weot now has one-fifth of the po-
tential water power of the United
States. Ii so. why not make this
power available to every city and
farm home at half Of the present
costs. or less? With the advent Of
cheap power will come new in
dustries. which means more Jobs,
more local consumption of home
grown commodities and more mon
ey in circulation.
My last years eva bill is now
being redrafted by the Department
OF Interior to insure the depart
ment's approval after the bill is
passed by Congress. The new bill
will contain four salient points:
The cheap and plentiful deliver,
of power to the residents of Wa.O-
ington at fraction Of the present
day cost; the reclamation of L.
100000 acres by the Coulee dam;
t h 9 development Of Incidental
cheap water transportation into
the interior Of Washington and
which will reduce the cost of
transportation Of our fruits, vege-
tables and small grains; and last,
but not unimportant these days,
the insurance of complete flood
control. Each phase contains rea-
son enough to Justify the creation
Of tho eva IInitad Aho,x aa,,A L.