Evening star., 1941-11-30
Douglas Dam Dispute
Expected 10 Reach
Climax This Week
House Appropriations
Committee to Act on
T. V. A.-Bocked Project

An administration wrangle over
the proposed construction of Doug
las Dam in jefferson County, Tenn.
is expected to reach climax by
the middle of this week when the
House Appropriations Committee is
scheduled to act on request for
authorizatio of the project.
The Office of Production Manage
ment has joined the T. V. A. in
urging immediate approval of the
dam as the only answer to drastic
need for additional electric power
by 1943 The dam. T. V. A. pro-
ject, is designed to supply current
for production of some 100,000,000
pounds of aluminium annually.
Senator Mckellar. Democrat. of
Tennessee, who has been active for
years in gaining power projects
for his State, has bitterly opposed
construction of Douglas Dam be-
cause he contends it would result
in the inundation of about 10000
acres. 1000 of which represents
"the finest farm land in the State"
Moreover in letter to Chair
man Glass of the Senate Appropri-
ations Committee, Senator McKellar
charged that J. A Krug. head OF
the o. P. NJ. power branch, and
David S. Lilienthal, T. V. A. chair
man, leaders in the move for the
dam project. are not worthy of
trust and they are totally unworthy
to be in the positions they hold"
Glass Opposition Sought.
Senator McKellar called on
Chairman Glass to oppose the Doug
las Dam and vote for authorization
of dams at Elizabethton and Bris-
tol, Tenn, proposed last July by
Mr.. Lilienthal as the answer to the
power need before the Douglas Dam
pro(osal was made.
These two dams. which Senator
McKellar points out are farther
up in the mountains" and will cover
only a small farming area. have
been described by o. P. NJ. and T.
v. A. officials as out of the ques-
tion now, as their construction
would take too much time.
Senator McKellar. on the other
Glass that he did not believe this to
be true, although no one, of course,
can be positive about it"
Letters urging the House COM
mittee to approve the Douglas prof.
ect have been written to Chairman
Cannon by both President Roose-
welt and William L. Bait, director
of the o. P. M Materials Division.
The President wrote that he had
been convinced by the o. P. M. that
Douglas Dam is urgently required,
because there is no other source in
the entire country, either hydro
electric or steam, by which the nee
essary power can be obtained at the
required time.
Other Sites Declared Available.
Senator Mcclellan said he believed
President Roosevelt and Mr.. Bait
both have been misled.'
He contended that there are
dozen dam sites in East Tennessee
from which power can be obtained
lust as quickly and just as ef1ec-
lively. adding that several more are
located in Middle Tennessee on the
Cumberland River close to present
T. v. A. lines.
Nothing but the foolish egotism
and vanity of Lilienthal and krug
stand in the way of building the
dams at other and better sites"
Senator McKellar wrote.
O. P. M. and T. v. A. officials, on
the other hand, have contended
that, in addition to the time ele-
ment involved, cost of construction
would be less for the Douglas project
than in others suggested and the
high stream flow of the French
Broad River. on which the Douglas
Dam would be located, would give
added insurance for the needed
power.
A. subcommittee of the House
Appropriations Committee, it was
understood, has turned thumbs
down on the project and 1t was
considered unlikely that the full
committee would reverse this stand
when it reports out the measure
wednesday or Thursday.