Imperial Valley press., 1944-02-07

7 that a representative OF the SJdVe
/ Department wished to present 4
/ Confidential Memorandum regard
ing a treaty with Mexico, for a set
tlement of the controversy between
the two nations relative to the use
of water of the Colorado river, the
/ Rio Grande river and the Tiajuana
+ river.
ACTING FOR HULL
The representative of the State
Department stated that he was on
ly acting as agent for the Secretarr
of State and could only present the
Memorandum il the members of the
Committee of l6 and their advis-
orS would respect the Memorandum
as confidential
The California representatives
who also included among their ad-
viSorS representative of the South
ern California Edison Company,
had no other alternative than to
agree. We were told that when
the final draft of the Treaty was
completed and it was submitted to
the Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee. the Senate Foreign Rela-
tions Committee would authorize
the release of the contents and
would have the jurisdiction OF
granting hearings before the Com
mittee before it was brought up on
the floor of the Senate for ratifica-
tion.,
However. based on the 100000
acre feet allotment of water to
Mexico referred to in the Wash
ington release, it appears in view
of the contract for 100000 acre
feet of water requested by Arizona,
together with water contracted to
California, that the water allotted
TO Mexico by the Treaty is excessive
both from a standpoint of interna-
tional comfy as we'll as quantity Of
the water available from the Colo
RADIO river system, to-wit:
Mexico had never used more
than 10000 acre feet of water an
nually under natural stream condi-
tions and it was the express opinion
of Congress that works authorized
by the Boulder Canyon Project
Act, more particularly Boulder
Dam. would not be used for the
benefit of a foreign nation but for
the exclusive benefit O. AGENCIES
within the United States. 1t now
appears from The washington re-
lease that the Treaty must provide
for the use of American facilities,
provided and paid for by the Am
erican people free Of cost to
MeXico-to the extent of $50 OO0
acre feet Of water which is in eX-
cess of what was used under ma
fural stream conditions and there
fore could only be available to
Mexico because Of the facilities
constructed in the United States by
the American people. To that eX--
tent, at least, we are made to
realize that the State Department
has negotiated Treaty with
Mexico in direct conflict with
special laws passed by the Congress
of the United States for the de-
velopment of the Colorado river
and at the expense of the future
economy of the southwestern part
of the United States.
DENIED DETAILS
While we are denied detailed in
formation of the treaty at this
time and prevented from publiciZ-
ing additional principles that have
been revealed to US, until such time
JC
Committee authorizes release OF
same. we have every reason to be-
lieve that when the complete terms
of the Treaty are revealed, they
will reflect a far more reaching in
/ frngernent and detrimental effect
on that part Of our national eco
nomy as represented by Southern
/ California and Southern Arizona.
In fact in reference to the Wash
/ ington release to the remaining OF
the International Boundary Com
mission of the United States to the
/ International Boundary and Water
/ Commission. gives reason to believe
/ that there may be a move on foot
+ to Federalize, through the Bureau
+ of Reclamation, ard the Interna-
+ tional Boundary. the entire Colo
RADIO river. In view OF the fact
that the people in Southern Cali
+ fornia have invested S400, 100000 il
works to utilize Colorado river wa
ter = one realizes the grave con-
dition that exists in the practice
/ by our Federal Government Of dis
regarding States Rights, by nego-
/ tiating treaties that abrogate It's
own contracts with its own citizens
and state agencies. The people OF
! Imperial Irrigation District may well
feel stunned with their large in
vestments in protecting themselves
from floods of the river and to bring
/ water from the river through the
/ All-American canal, to be made to
realize that a Treaty has been ac-
tually signed by plenipotentiaries OF
the United States and Mexico, and
they having no way prior to the
signing Of such Treaty to know
what the effects on their rights may
be.
1T is the ayoWed intention Of the
members OF the Colorado River
Board of California. made up oil
representatives of the Metropolitan
Water District, the Bureau of Power
and Light of Los Angeles, the City
and County of San Diego, the I'M
perial Irrigation District, the Goa
chella Valley County Water District
ard the Palo Verde Irrigation Dis
trict, that when the contents of
this treaty are made known by the