Evening star., 1937-09-28

from the Bonneville Dam, from the
Grand Coulee Dam and from other
dams to be built on the Columbia and
its tributaries. the policy Of the widest
use ought to prevail. The transmission
Of electricity is making such scientific
strides today that We can we'll visualize
date, not far distant, when every
community in this great area will be
wholly electrified.
1t Is because I am thinking of the
Nation and the region so years from
now that venture the further
prophesy that as time passed We will
do everything in our power to en-
courage the building up Of the smaller
communities of the United States.
Today many people are beginning to
realize that there is inherent weakness
in cities which become too large and
inherent strength in = wider geo.
graphical distribution Of population.
An over-large city inevitably meets
problems caused by over size. Real
estate values and rents become too
high; the time consumed in going from
ones home to ones work and back
again becomes excessive; congestion
of streets and other transportation
problems arise; truck gardens disap-
pear because the back yard is too
small; the cost Of living of the average
family rises far too high.
Discusses Balance.
There Is doubtless a reasonable bal
ance IN all Of this and it Is balance
which ought to be given more and
more study. No one would suggest, for
example, that the great cities Of Port
land, and Tacoma and Spokane should
stop their growth, but it Is fact that
they could grow unhealthy at the
expense Of all the smaller communi-
ties Of which they form logical centers.
Their healthiest growth actually de-
pends on q simultaneous healthy
growth Of every smaller community
within radius OF hundreds Of miles
Your situation in the Northwest is
in this respect no different from the
situation in the other great regions
of the Nation. That Is why it has been
proposed in the Congress that Regional
Planning Boards be set up for the
purpose Of co-ordinating the plan
ming for the future in seven or eight
geographical regions.
You will have read here as else
where many misleading and utterly
untrue statements in some papers and
BY some politicians that this pro-
posed legislation would set up all
powerful authorities which would de-
stroy State lines, take away local gov
ernment and make what people call
. totalitarian or authoritarian or
some other kind Of = dangerous ma
tional centralized control.
Most people realize that the exact
opposite Is the truth-that regional
commissions will be far more closely
in touch with the needs Of all the 10
calities and all the people In their
respective regions than q system OF
plans which originates in the capital
Of the Nation.
BY decentralizing as I have pro-
posed. the Chief Executive. the vari-
Gus Government departments and the
Congress itself will be able to get from
each region a carefully worked-out
plan each year-a plan based on fu-
ture needs, a plan which will seek
primarily to help all the people Of the
region without unduly favoring any
one locality or discriminating against
any other.
Beginning From Ground Up.
In other words, the responsibility
Of the Federal Government for the
welfare OF It's citizens will not come
from the top in the form of unplanned,
hit or miss appropriations of money,
but will progress to the National Capt.
tai from the ground up-from the
communities and counties and States
which lie within each Of the logical
geographical areas.
Another great advantage will be
served by this process of planning
from the bottom up. Under our laws
the President submits to the Con-
gress an annual budset-a budget
which, by the way, we expect to have
definitely balanced by the next fiscal
year.
In this budget we know how much
can properly be expended for the
development Of our natural resources,
the protection Of our soil, the con-
struction of our highways and build
ings. the maintenance Of our harbors
and channels and all the other ele-
ments which fall under the general
headline of public works.
BY regional planning It will be vastly
easier for the executive branch of the
Congress to determine how the ap-
propriations for the following year
shall be fitted most fairly and equi-
tably into the total amount which our
natioanl pocketbook allows us safely
to spend.
To you who live thousands Of miles
away in other parts of the United
States. want to give two or three
simple facts. This Bonneville Dam
on the Columbia River, ~ miles east
Of Portland, with Oregon on the south
side Of the river and .Washingtnn on