The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-01-24
WALSH SEES HOPE
 FOR FLOOD PLAN
New England Project May Yet Go Through-Dan.
 CTS Are Increasing

Boston, Jan. 24-- CUP) Demo. cratic U. s. Senator David l, Walsh Of Massachusetts sped toward Wash inGton today for the final move ii, hin campaign to end the federal governments controversy with New Eiglands Republican governors over states rights.
 AS he left last night to confer with Secretary of War Harry II woodring Walsh said he saw nc reason why, barring unforeseen de- velopments. an agreement cannot be reached within Q week, permitting resumption of the stalled $i7000, ,000 New England flood control program j Mis announcement came after q luncheon conference at his century old Clinton home with Governors George D. Aiken of Vermont and Francis P. Murphy of New Hamp- ehire and Q supper conference with Governor Leverett Saltonstall of Massachusetts at Beacon Hills swank Somerset club.
 Though neither Walsh nor the Republican governors would admit any concessions had been made dur ing their conferences, their re- marks during . press conference following the Clinton meeting indi- cated that the governors had won the initial skirmish,
 It appeared probable that Walsh would recommend to Woodring that Q written agreement Do drafted embodying Governor Aiken's con- sent to federal land seizures for a flood control dam at Union Village, Vt. the only dam immediately at issue.
 It was Woodring's announcement that he intended to proceed with construction of the Union Village dam without the "formality" of written agreements that prompted Aiken to go before his dominantly. Republican legislature January i2 and obtain Q s87500 grant to fight federal land seizures without Q states consent.
 Aiken said that he was willing that the dam bc built but insisted that . state law required that the governors writer consent must be obtained first. Murphy, saltonstall and Republican Governors Ray fnond F. Baldwin Of Connecticut Lewis A. Barrows of Maine and william II. Vanderbilt of Rhode Is. land voted to support Aiken in his stand.
 After yesterdays conference Q, Clinton, Aiken, Murphy and Walsi, agreed that an oral basis for an agreement had been reached. Later Daltonstall pledged Walsh his eos operation to end the controversy.
 Boston, Jan. 24--(Up)-New dis. egtrous floods almost certainly face Massachusetts this spring unless a N,e44,l00 emergency flood -controI program is begun immediately, en- eineers warned today.
 Streams are incapable of carrying normal spring freshets because ol nnrepaired damage of last septem. ber's hurricane and floods, accord Ing to the six engineering firmi hired by the state public works de. partment to survey the situation.
 The report said the $7,644, i0t emergency program should be in ad. slition to projects totaling si700O.. O00 in the Connecticut and Mer. rifna river valleys. It estimated hurricane losses at s50.000,O00 fol Massachusetts and S200,000,000 fol New England.
 The engineers proposed the ex. penditure of the 47,e44.i00 for re. snoval of debris. relocation of chan, fols and other Improvements or Massachusetts streams.
 Other projects proposed In
 4 study Of all river basins as es. stntiai to ap economical solution O ine hood -controI program. < An immediate sti.dy of reforesta' tiosI ns . major phase of flood pre- yention work.