The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-02-18
A Strange Omission

n oil olISSC OlIiIooIOH
So far reports Indicate question of electric power
development has been strangely omitted from discussions in
the several gatherings lately the organizations interested in
the possibilities of irrigation navigation; all
important, but than the question evaded
Yet to the raising of the question of need for
electric by the industries in the northwest states
there had been little apparent interest displayed in the
question of development of The people
Of the western of state aroused by the proposal
to raise the water level of Fathead Lake and the Montana
Power Company its effort to keep its Kerr Dam at Poison
found itself supported by the public Then the Montana Rec
amaon Association became active and there hearing
going Washington concerning development of water
and the Flathead river will be discussed.
The Montana Reclamation Association and the governor
record against the Pick plan for development of the
Missouri This the plan prepared by engineers and
while charged the plans be concerned principal
W with navigation yet according to the chief engineer of the
army the purpose of the plan construct multiple purpose
dams for the development of electric for irrigation and
flood control as well for navigation.
The objections raised by the and the Recama
ton Association based the possibility that the dredging
of channel for navigation in the lower stretches of the river
VIII deprive tne State OF sulHcient wafer or rgaoh pu
Presumably the and the association have
been advised by competent engineers but to the best of
knowledge nere mas never oeh any statement maze by any
engineer qualified to make it. Moreover according to
statement of Maj Gen E. Reybold chief of engineers
the (Wa department cooperates fully with the Bureau OF
Reclamation the Federal Power Commission the Department
of Agriculture and other federal agencies in order that the
plans proposed the departments reports may be fuy CO.
ordinated with the plans of all other agencies This
would indicate to the ordinary citizen that monopoly of
water by any department OF our government IS intended
Perhaps other statements made by General Reybod
quoted
Under the provisions of the Fort Peck Project Act of
May 49, 1888 (52 Stat 403 the Bureau of Reclamation
authorized and directed to provide construct operate and
such electrical transmission lines and substaons
finds for the transmission of electric
duced at Fort Peck DAM While the War department operates
the dam and power plant the Bureau of Reclamation sells
distributes the power.
I'm anticipation completion 1913 Fort
Peck power plant the bureau had planned transmission sys
the distribution power points
North Dakota for irrigation pumping
rural identification and other planned to
irrigation projects in operation under construction pro-
posed in the vicinity of Miles City, Gendive Glasgow Poplar
and Medicine Lake, Mont, and Wiiston ~ Oak
War conditions delayed the construction of rrga
ton projects and materials required for the new transmission
system were required for war purposes AS result the bu
denied priorties for critical materials and
fused authorization by the War Production Board undertake
the construction of the transmission line
when the Fort Peck plant went into operation in
the of 1913 wartime contract made for the sale
of the electrical output to the Montana Power Co.. which re-
quired the supply to meet loads of industries its sys
Energy delivered company existing line
The Bureau OF Reclamation plans to construct the new
transmission system irrigation loads of projects
operation under construction well others in Montana
and North Dakota which have been proposed crit
al materials available An unexpended balance of
appropriation of $494OOO made in 1912 available to begin
the construction of the transmission system"
We do not present this argument for the Pick plan
other particular plan But submit food for
thought subject discussion by the people of the
We also submit that the evasion of all discussion develop
men of public power for public use in connection with our
development taken connection with the statements
quoted above implications of darky in the wood
pile
Probably no plan devised by either the army engineers
reclamation engineers will be perfect but is certain that
federal plan for development of water
going have be accepted to have any
development at all lot of huabaoo propaganda about
Estates rights private interests by nfuenc
ing public opinion against development of the power
the extent that the federal government not be able to go
ahead with it. Then who benefits? The Montana Power COM
pany which then retains its monopoly and privilege of bleeding
public Who suffers then? The general public because
it pays tremendous profit tribute to this
If the farmers unable to electric power be-
prvate enterprise could
electricity light their small homes and operate la
saving Devices through by the federal government
they be much concerned about whether Estates
rights" had been infringed upon d
ALL Estates rights not important than
peoples rights Peoples rights the the state and
federal governments both presumed to c
Why Munitions Makers Are Smiling t