The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-09-01

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improving processes and machinery
has likewise been carried on cooper
atively by IVA with the departments
of conservation of the states, will
engineering experiment stations, an6
with private business. For example
superior type of cottonseed OF
cooker, now in use in number Of
cottonseed mills in the southeast, was
developed by IVA and the University
of Tennessee in cooperation with pri
vate business associations.
In the course of it's eleven years OF
work in the Tennessee Valley, the
IVA has developed this cooperative
technique to high degree. The iva
program, as a result is far from a
federal affair with the aspects of over
lordship which so many fear, but in
stead is a program soundly based
on the participation of the people of
the valley and their various govern
mental, educational, and private insti-
buttons.
In drawing up the proposed MVA
bill, we have taken care that this les
son of cooperation shall not be lost in
the Missouri Valley. In this respect,
the IVA act was largely permissive-
the IVA was authorized" to coop
crate with other agencies. AS a mat
ter of policy, and as means of get
ting things done in the best and most
democratic manner, the IVA board
developed this policy of cooperation
to the utmost
In the MVA bill, the lesson thus
learned has been written specifically
into the act. Thus it is provided:
that the authority shall utilize to the
fullest possible extent the advice, as
| sistance, and cooperation of the peo-
pie of the region and their public and
private organizations = local, state,
and federal"
These, then are the ideas-the prin-
ciples-tested in the tough crucible
of experience, which are incorporated
in the MVA bill They point the way
and | believe it is the only way
to the orderly development of the
great Basin of the Missouri River. We
must view the task in its overall
aspects, taking the valley and all its
resources as a unity and developing
them as such.
Just as democracy itself is a con-
stantly unfolding experience, so no
one today can say the last word as to
river valley developments Through
the years and ON the anvil of expert |
ence new vital concepts will be ham
mered out. 1t may not be possible |
yet to legislate definitely and wisely
as to the priorities in water usage. |
But factually based determinations |
covering the equitable disposition of
the total available supply will neces-
sarily be major task of the proposed |
Missouri Valley Authority.
Mr.. President, the detectives which |
are set up in this bill are not new. |
They are the things for which we |
have been striving, without getting |
results, for many years !
What is new is the framework which |
it is proposed to set up to get these
things done, a framework which will |
allow us to apply the knowledge of
science and engineering to our prob
lens in a way that will bring results.
We have in this country the engi-
neering and scientific "know-how" to
accomplish our detectives, if only we
give it free play under modern meth
DDS of management. If we assign
group of engineers to obtain flood
control, or irrigation, or navigation,
we know that they can produce plans
which will provide the desired results
Unfortunately, each of the plans, how
ever excellent it may be for the spe-
cific purpose, meets with opposition
from groups which feel that it en-
dangers other results which must be
on the same river. The
result, all too often, is stalemate.
The MVA bill simply provides the
framework within which the engi-
leers can address themselves not to
he problem of developing one or two
If the latent possibilities of the river,
out to an overall objective which is
% develop the river as a unity, realiz-
ng all of the benefits which can be
from control of the river and
rom development and conservation of
Ill the resources of the Missouri {
Basin.
Here, Mr. President, is a job for
modern pioneering on grand scale
n the national interest Such a de-
,elopment would help strengthen the =
lation, both for peace or for national J.
License, just as the development of
he Tennessee Valley has done.
Though the bill is concerned with
'nly the basin of the Missouri, it is b
ruly national in character-for de- C
'elopment of this region, its increased /
adds to the national Il
trength and prosperity. t
The Missouri Valley Authority bill
proposes to put into effect the lessons I
earned in the development of the s
Valley-its river and wa o
was envisioned eleven "
ears ago as a national laboratory or
ilot plant test of the unified APP s.
roach to the development of re-
ources. That project has proved o
successful and it has 81
pened up new possibilities for re-
PURGE development all over the land
| think | can safely assume that my t