Imperial Valley press., 1944-10-23
Houser Pledges
Aid TO Farms;
Hits Water Pact
CONTINUED From Page u

Continued From Page II
RADIO originates in the United States
and yet strangely enough. under the
terms of the treaty Mexico is given
twice as much water as she ever
before has used from the Colorado.
and two and one-half times as
much water as she has used, on al
average, over the past ten year per-
iod.
ITO be specific Mexico is present
ed forever with a gift of 100000
acre feet of water annually. (An
acre foot of water means water
enough to cover one acre to the
depth of one fooD -.
HURTS CALIFORNIA
Anyone who has lived in Calf
ornia for any length of time knows
that water is our very life'S blood.
and this is particularly true of
Southern California, from which the
water is taken for the gift to Mex
ico-for it happens that under agree
mentS among the several states
which are included within the Colo
RADIO river basin. Southern Califor-
MIA has been allocated the l,500,-
100 acre feet which our state de-
partment now is trying so generous
ly to hand over to Mexico.
If the treaty is approved by the
United States senate the whole
uture growth and expansion of
Southern California would be stop
bed dead in its tracks.
Negotiations which led to the
signing of this treaty have been
lnder way between our federal state
department. and Mexico for period
of two years. and during all of this
time Sheridan DOwnGy. who has
long boaSted of his great influence
and close affiliation with the pres
enu federal administration. and who
las lived in Southern California
for the past four years. has been
sound asleep at the switch. For
when we look at the record, we
ind that he did absolutely nothing
% prevent the state department of
his own New Deal administration
from signing the treaty. 1t was only
after the treaty was signed that he
suddenly came to life.
Il have continuously opposed Civ
ing this water to Mexico, and L
I am elected to the United States
senate. I shall dedicate myself to
he task of helping prevent the ratl-
fication of this unwise and dam
gerous treaty. And when the time
comes to vote on the ratification
of the treaty. if that occasion ever
comes to pass, I can assure the
people of California that I will be
in my place on the senate floor and
will cast my vote against the treaty S
ratification.
BLOW AT FIGHTING MEN
This pending treaty also violates
solemn promise made by the
United States government to the
war veterans of the United States.
There are great areas OF rich but
arid land susceptible to develop
ment within the United States below
Boulder Dam on the Colorado river.
The first right of entry upon these
potentially rich lands was reserved
to United States war veterans. Blu
if this treaty is ratified is will not
be possible for the United States
to provide a dependable supply oi
water from the Colorado river Tor
several hundred thousand acres OF
public lands in Arizona and Calit-
ornia-land still open for entry and
development by our returning SOL
diers. The water needed to irrigate
these potentially rich farms VIII
have been given away forever to
Mexico if this treaty is ratified.
Bv the terms of this proposed
treaty a pledge of a federal gov
ernment to its veterans of two
world wars is ignOLly broken