Evening star., 1942-03-03

through the conservation ana OIL
version of power from peacetimt
uses. The people know what thai
means. The other half must be
supplied through the expansion Of
present facilities or the provision
Of new facilities for generating
electric energy.
I am proud of the fact that my
department now is supplying from
Boulder, Grand Coulee and other
great hydroelectric plants, power a.
the rate of 7 billion kilowatt-hours
year and that in three years this
output will be tripled. This energy
will go long ways toward edectuat-
ing the program OF metals for war
but 1t will not be enough.
This is the reason why included
in the war program which I SUBJ
mitted to you and your committee
Senator O'Mahoney, plans for II
hydroelectric and steam plants
which could be built by the Bureau
of Reclamation in the next two OF
three years. The 10 million kilo-
watt-hours of power which they
could provide annually will be seri-
ously needed
Awakening Public.
There are additional hydroelectric
projects which have been reported
to your committee that are capable
of providing millions of additional
kilowatts. This war is doing one
thing that perhaps needed to be
done. 1t is bringing home to the
people at large that they have q
great wealth of unused resources
minerals, power, and many others
such as grazing lands, forests. and
irrigable land. that may be swung
into the war effort.
Senator OMahoney: I believe ]
speak for all when I say, Mr.. Sec
retary, that your steadfast and in
telligent conservation policies are
appreciated from coast to coast.
Secretary Ickes: Thank you. 1t
is the knowledge gained and the
experience earned in the conserva-
ton of these resources which the
department now seeks to turn to the
winning of the war.
Senator OMahoney: I have re-
ceived many letters applauding the
program which you outlined to the
committee, Mr.. Secretary. The wide
use Of patented processes will bring
such an outpouring of mineral
wealth from our hills and mountains
as few have dared to imagine. The
use of our plentiful low-cost power
resources in mineral development is
in its infancy. Little miners, hun
dredS of them in the West, would
be set again to work If they had
cheap power, and If they could use
as we'll the improved electrical proc
esSeS the numbers would be raised
to thousands.
I know the spirit of the West and
OF America. Give the people an
opportunity to help and they will
respond. Mr.. Secretary. in LAYING
this program before the Senate and
the Nation you have opened the door
to action.
Secretary 1ckeS: During all this
tense winter since Hawaii was ia
panned on the day of infamy, 1e41.
the crying need has been to get
things moving at faster pace, and
to keep them going.
Bill Being Prepared.
1t Is encouraging to me to report
that already the War Production
Board, as I have been advised by
Donald Nelson. has asked the De-
fense Plant Corp. to make the neces-
sary arrangements for the construc-
ton Of four of the domestic manga
nese plants which were recon-
mended in the war program that ]
presented to you.
Now in the line of further action,
am I right in my understanding
that you and others, Senator, are
considering the introduction of a
bill further to effectuate the war
program for metals and power?
Senator O'Mahoney: Yes, I am
working on bill. 1t will be intro
duced at the earliest possible mo-
ment. I have had encouraging word
from the R. F. c. on it as we'll. I
am anxious to bring it before the
Congress because it represents a
definite turn away from the defense
and to the attack psychology.
Secretary Ickes: Good. Then it is
safe to tell the radio audience that
more will be done and that it will
be done at once. You know how to
get things done, Senator, and you
know what you are trying to do
Count on my department for all the
help that we can give.
We are all in this war. We are In
1t all the way. We want action. We
want aggressive, affirmative action
behind the lines and we want the
war to be carried as soon as it can
be into the beer garden of Hitler
and the tea garden of Hirohito. Nc
more shall too little, too late" be
the verdict upon our efforts. We
want enough and we want it on
time, We would not even object II
we got too much and got it a little
early.