Evening star., 1937-06-03

AtlOn OF tne creaLIo1 OF seven re.
gional authorities or agencies;
one on the Atlantic seaboard:
a second for the Great Lakes
and Ohio Valley; third for the
drainage basin of the Tennessee
and Cumberland Rivers; a fourth
embracing the drainage basins Of
the Missouri River and the Red
River Of the North a fifth embrace
ing the drainage basins OF the Ar
kansas, Red, and Rio Grande Riv-
ers; a sixth for the basins Of the
Colorado River and rivers flowing
into the Pacific south of the Cali
fornia- Oregon line; and a seventh
for the Columbia River basin. And
in addition l should leave undis-
turbed the Mississippi River Com
mission, which is we'll equipped to
handle the problems Immediately
attending the channel Of that
great river.
Apart from the Tennessee Valley
Authority the Columbia Valley Au-
thority, and the Mississippi River
Commission the work of these
regional bodies, at least In their
early years, would consist chiefly
In developing integrated plans to
conserve and safeguard the pru-
dent use OF waters. water power,
soils, forests and other resources
Of the areas intrusted to their
charge.
Flaming Board
To Coordinate Work.
Such regional bodies would also
provide useful mechanism
through which consultation among
the various governmental agencies
working in the field could be effect
ed for the development OF inte-
grated programs Of related activ-
tiles. Projected programs would be
reported by the regional bodies an
nually to the Congress through the
President after he has had the
projects checked and revised in
light of national budgetary con-
slderations and Of national plan
ming policies When the National
Planning Board Is established I
should expect to use that agency to
coordinate the development OF re-
gional planning to insure conform
lty to national policy. but not to
give TO the proposed national plan
ming board any executive authority
over the construction OF public
works or over management Of COM
pleted works.
Projects authorized to be under
taken by the Congress could then be
carried out in whole or in part by
those departments OF the Govern
ment best equipped for the purpose,
or II desirable in any particular
case, by one OF the regional bodies.
There should be a close co-ordina-
ton OF the work done by the various
agencies OF Government to prevent
friction, overlapping and unneces-
Sary Administrative expense and 10
insure the integrated development
OF related activities.
Congress Free to Fix
Nature Of Policy.
There should be the closest CO.
operation also with the developing
State and local aeancies in this
field. particularly the State. re-
gional and local planning boards
and the commissions on interstate
cooperation which work through
interstate compacts ratified by the
Congress and through interstate
administrative arrangements. And
provision should be made for the
effective administration OF HYDRO
electric projects which have been or
may be undertaken as a part OF .
multiple purpose watershed devel-
opment. The water-power resources
OF the Nation must be protected
from private monopoly and used
for the benefit of the people.
This proposal is in the interest Of
economy and the prevention of
overlapping or one-slded develop
ments. 1t leaves the Congress
wholly free to determine what shall
be undertaken and provides the
Congress with complete picture
not only OF the needs OF each one Of
the regions, but of the relationship
Of each Of the regions to the whole
OF the Nation.
II, for example, the Congress
could have had before it at this ses-
sion a complete picture Of imme-
diate and long term needs, I think
Its task in providing for flood pre-
Vention and drought emergencies
would have been an easier one.
For nearly q year have studied
this great subject intensively and
have discussed it with many of the
members Of the Senate and the
House Of Representatives. NV rec
concentrations in4 this message fall
into the same category as nv
former recommendation relating to
the reorganization of the executive
branch Of the Government. 1 hope.
therefore, that both of these i'm
portant matters may have your at
tention at this session.