Evening star., 1937-09-28
Ey the Asso ciated Press.

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Dam tOlloDs:
Ey tie Asso ciated Press.
Today have feeling of real salts
faction in witnessing the completion OF
another great national project, and OF
pleasure in the fact that in its incep-
ton. four years ago, had some part
My interest in the whole OF the vail
ley Of the great Columbia River goes
back to 1920. when I first studied its
mighty possibilities. Again, in 1882
visited Oregon and Washington and
Idaho and took occasion in Portland
to express views which have since
through the action OF the Congress
become a recorded part of American
national policy.
Almost exactly three years ago I In
spected the early construction stages
of this dam At Bonneville. i
Stresses Importance Of Resources.
The more we study the water re-
sources OF the Nation the more We
accept the fact that their use is a mat
ter Of national concern, and that in
our plans for their use our line of
thinking must include great regions
a. well as narrower localities.
II. Tor example, We had known as
much and acted as effectively 20 and
80 and 40 years ago as we do today in
the development Of the use Of land
IN that great semi-arid strip in the
center Of the country which runs
from the Canadian border to Texas.
we could have prevented in great part
the abandonment Of thousands and
thousands Of farms in portions of 10
States and thus prevented the MI
grafton Of thousands OF destitute
families from those areas into the
States Of Washington and Oregon and
California.
We would have done this by avoid
ing the plowing up OF vast areas which
should have been kept in grazing
range and by stricter regulations to
prevent over grazing. At the same
time we would have checked soil
erosion, stopped the denudation to
our forests and controlled disastrous
fires.
Some Of my friends who talk glibly
OF the right OF any individual to do
anything he wants with any Of his
property take the point OF view that
1t Is not the concern OF Federal or
State or local government to inter-
fere with what they miscall the
liberty Of the individual"
Considers Future.
With them do not agree and never
have agreed because, unlike them, I
am thinking Of the future of the
United States. My conception Of
liberty does not permit an individual
citizen or group Of citizens to commit
acts Of depreciation against Nature in
such . way rs to harm their neigh
bors. and especially to harm the future
generations Of Americans. II many
years ago We had had the necessary
knowledge and especially the neces-
sary willingness on the part of the
Federal Government to act on it. we
would have saved q sum which, in the
last few years, has cost the taxpayers
OF the Nation ut least two billion
dollars.
Coming back to the watershed of
the Columbia River, which covers the
greater part OF the States OF Oregon.
Washington, Idaho and 4 part of
Montana, 1t Is increasingly important
that we think Of that region Is \ unit
and especially in terms of the whole
population Of that area as it Is today
and as we expect it will be so and even
. hundred years from now.
I appreciate and understand fully
the desire Of some who live close to
some Of the great sources of power
In this watershed to seek the ad-
vantages which come from geograph-
ical proximity.
More than eight years ago, when
became Governor Of the State of New
York, We developed plans for the
harnessing of the st. Lawrence River
and the production of . vast amount
OF cheap power. The good people who
lived within . few miles of the pro-
ROCCA A0AA WClC OY tuG
prospect Of building up a huge manu-
featuring center close to the source
OF the power-another Pittsburgh-a
vast city Of whirling machinery.
Favors Widest Possible Use.
1t vas . natural dream, but wiser
counsels prevailed and the government
OF the State laid down = policy based
on the distribution Of the proposed
power to Is wide an area as the
science Of the transmission would
permit.
We felt that the Governor and the
Legislature OF the State owed it to
the people in the smaller communities
for hundreds Of miles around to give
them the benefit Of cheap electricity
in their homes and their farms and
their shops. And while the st.
Lawrence project Is still on paper, I
have no doubt OF its ultimate develop
ment. and Of the application Of the
policy Of the widest possible use when
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