The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-11-13


T T political friends.
<9A "a including 6 e d
-, Senator George
A' o'u i'Nes W. orris.
Chairman David Lilienthal Of IVA,
Homer T Bone, the state of Wash
ington's senatorial gamecock, now
in the hospital, and many another
veteran of the late wars against
the so-Called Power Trust"
To mix metaphors. Harold is
playing for high stakes He wants
TO be personal dictator over all the
electric power thence the economic
and Industrial nfe) of the Pacific
northwest. The nucleus would be
the giant federal Columbia river
dams at Bonneville ind Grand
Coulee.
His opponents, though want this
power empire ruled by a three
man. presidentially appointed
board, like the Tennessee Valley
Authority-not an absolute dicta-
torship but responsible to the
White House.
The fight presents a spectacle
somewhat similar to a row among
the eXpectant heirs Of a sick man,
who however. hasn't definitely de-
cidcd yet TO die and leave his es-
tate to EN- That is. both sides to
the power argument proceed on the
assumption that the privately
owned utilities. representing a half
billion-dollar investment, are about
to yield to public ownership pres
sure and retire from the field, with
what they can salvage through
condemnation proceedings or ne
gotiation sales. If so, the would
be dictator or proposed three-man
authority will inherit what the
private companies abandon.
Such guessing isn't so far off at
that. if either Of two pending bills
becomes law.
Administration Differs
The only significant difference
between the Ickes bill (known as
the Hill bilD and the Bone-Smith
- hiili tteHabedyiRgg the Authoritarian.
plan) lies in the manner in which
Pacific Northwestern public power
will be administered
Both are popularity called the
"CVA bilr-CVA for Columbia
Valley Administration (the Ickes
concepD and also for Columbia
Valley Authority (the scheme Of
the three-man board advocates).
Both provide funds and authority
for seizure Of the entire privately
owned utility systems Of the re-
gion. ard theoretically, at least,
there's no boundary or limit to the
extent Of the chosen agency's oper-
atioas.
So angry has ickes become that
he's publicly charged his opposi-
ton. and Senator Bone specifically.
with being mere "stooges OF the
Power Trust. Bone whose whole
political career rests on the key
stone Of opposition to private utili-
ties,
The Washington senator's hav-
Ing a long convalescence from a
broken hip and hasn't yet taken
the congressional floor to answer
Ickes, but when he does his re-
marks should be worth listening TO.
He has a low boiling point, any
way. and a man could sit all day
thinking a goat-getting observa-
ton about him without improving
on the one Ickes pulled
Dave Lilienthal is said TO have
drafted the Authoritarian feature
Of the Bone Smith bill. which has
the Endorsement Of the dean Of all
utility baiters. Senator Norris. On
the opposite hand, Harold asserts
that President Roosevelt is on his
side, as is Senator Charles L. Nc
Nary, Republican leader in the leg
islators' upper chamber. How
strong his support will be in a
pinch is problematic.
Still another group in the Pa
cifc northwest, consisting Of recla.
nation and business organizations.
allied with cities which already
have publiciy-owned electric sys-
tens and which fear federal domi-
nation. opposes both the Ickes and
Bone-Smith plans and is pushing
FOR home rule" administration.
Private Firms Silent
The private utilities are main
tanning a discreet silence. TheyG
Ike 20 work out an agreement for
power interchange on a bass that
wouldn't further duplicate their
systems. But that wouldn't maxi
either Ickes or Bone happy
Meantime the Ickes- Authoritar
ian conflict is raging on another
front. AGAIN drafted BY Lilienthal