Evening star., 1937-04-28

1.-THE only obstacle in the way Of
achievement of this Driver said lis
the recently expressed attitude OF the
President in the matter of economy.
This is making a tremendous appeal
to business interests of the Nation,
and appears likely to interfere seriously
with the hopes and purposes Of friends
Of waterway development and flood
protection.
1T now appears the administration
will confine legislation within such
limits that few additional authorize
tions will be made by Congress for
necessary and usual expenditures and
the adopted projects and river prof.
ects will evidently comprise the range
OF appropriation, with narrow limit.
Reasonable Protection.
He indicated it would be necessary
to make fight to get from relief
appropriations money to provide works
necessary to reduce flood crests sufi-
ciently to afford reasonable amount
OF protection against the threat of in
creasing destruction
Driver, as chairman Of the Projects
Committee, reported to the hotel
gathering yesterday that after ex-
amining l65 new projects the COM
mittee was convinced that "15 projects
are sound, needful and sufficiently
advanced in status to warrant in
dorsement, involving total estimated
cost of s3l, ,657, 1896" He also reported
that % projects appear to be with
out sufficiently advanced status to
warrant present Endorsement, but are
believed to be by the committee
'meritoriouS' and entitled to further
consideration. The committee recon-
mended that surveys be expedited on
80 projects and that surveys be rec
commended for 50. 1t was recon-
mended that 10 projects be deferred.
Two projects in the District-the
Washington Harbor and Washington
Channel, north side-again were in
dorsed.
Drivers report was adopted unan-
imously.
The group went on record as strong
ly IN favor Of ample funds" to con-
struct fiood-control projects already
authorized by Congress.
There should be no stint where
human life and human misery are in
volved," the resolution stated.
Long Range Policy.
A long-range policy to preserve the
public domain was recommended,
through conservation of soil and wa
ter resources, reforestation and soil
conservation. Underlying principles of
the stream pollution bill were ap-
proved. The report of the Resolutions
Committee was made by Senator
Overton OF Louisiana, chairman.
The Interstate Committee on flood
control recommended approximate
uniform State flood-control legisla-
tion, liberalization by Congress of re-
quirements In local and State partici-
patton, approach to food control by
river systems, Federal encouragement
and State statutes to prevent future
encroachments on channels of con-
trolled streams and maintenance of
two primary principles enunciated by
the flood-control act of 1936-contin-
uation OF the United States Army en-
gineers as the responsible agent Of
Congress for flood control free from
politics or pressure and maintenance
OF the principle Of State and local
participation.
Other officers elected by the congress
for the year, in addition to President
Driver, we're Frank r. Reid of Illinois,
former president, to be chairman of
the board; James H. Sinclair, North
Dakota, vice chairman; Fred D.
Beneke, Memphis, Tenn, secretary;
Seymour Weiss, New Orleans, treas
urer, and William H. Webb of this
city, executive vice president in
charge Of the Washington office.
Directors elected included Driver,
II. H. Buckman, Jacksonville, Fla;
Representative Nichols, Oklahoma;
Herbert c. Legg, Los Angeles; Sinclair
and Tom r. Hutton, Binghampton,
N. Y.