The Glasgow courier., 1944-08-17
WHEELER SAYS
WEST TO KEEP
WATER RIGHTS
Predicts First Preference Will
Go to Irrigation on
Missouri.
Montana Senator Talks to Local
Group; Also Discusses
Foreign Policy.

You're not going to lose first
preference on the waters of ouI
streams" was the declaration OF
Sen. B. K. Wheeler of Montana in
an address here at the Allen cafe
Saturday night. His statement re-
ferred to the struggle between navi-
cation and irrigation supporters on
the Missouri river.
Referring to the co-called Pick
plan," which gives first priority to
navigation, he said, They'll never
get a bill through the senate" and
declared that the western senators
opposing it will talk it to death
before they see the west lose its ir-
rigation rights"
Senator Wheeler's talk came fol-
lowing public dinner sponsored by
the county Democratic central COM
mittee. Mrs. A. B. Eaton, county
chairman, presided, and James T.
Shea, Glasgow attorney, introduced
the Montana senator, who was here
discuss irrigation and other prob
lens.
Navigation, he stated, creates no
new wealth and "is no benefit to
producer or consumer" through
cheaper transportation. The only
way to pay off huge postwar
debt will be by the creation of new
wealth. IF you use water for ir-
rigation, you're creating new wealth"
Need Power Development
IF you get proper development
of power at Fort Peck, you can ir-
rigate not only thousands of acres
near here and along the river be-
low here, but many more thousands
south of the river" he stated. The
reason I worked for cheap power
was to pump water on those lands.
He said irrigation development
will be an aid to returning soldiers.
Referring to his differences with
the president, he said, Il never in
tend to vote 100 percent with any
president, Democratic or Republi-
can. The economic interests of the
eastern states, where they have
great electoral vote, sometimes diff
fer from those of Montana or the
west" He cited as an example OF
this the casts and the administra-
tion's opposition to the sugar beet
industry.
OF the charge that he is an isola-
ZIONIST, he answered, My first duty
is to Montana and the United
States, and other countries second"
He expressed peSsimism for world
market after the war because for
eign countries will have little gold
and will want to trade raw mater
Ials for American products rather
.han money.
He expressed caustic criticism for
people who come over here from !
foreign countries and who, as soon
as they step off the boat, want to |
ell us how to run the government. |
Let us, who believe in the conStitu-
ton of the United States, run this
government"
For Europe United States
The Montana senator devoted con-
siderable time to his suggestion for
4 United States of Europe" to
eliminate tariff and customs barriers |
IN that continent. He read a letter !
rom Dorothy Thompson, columniSt, |
his advocacy of such a plan |
to tear down the economic bar
-iers."
At the same time, he inferred his
iistruSt of both Russia and England.
He told of visit to Russia in 1923,
lfter which he said the government !
If Russia would last las long as the
Soviets could keep the army loyal
There is no free speech there" he
He attacked the English balance
# power" plan in Europe by read
ng from an English magazine an
Irticle that declared that the core
# Great Britain's foreign policy
must continue to be maintaining the
'alance of power on the continent.
lie also quoted the London Econo-
mist as stating that Britain will
want to continue lend-lease after
he war. that it will want to pay its
hare of lend-lease in goods rather
han money and that it wants to
harge off all purchases made in the
United States before we entered the
1ar.
Hits Bureaucracy
Turning to the domestic scene in
lis conclusion, he stated, I'VE find
n the United States today a ten
ency to concentrate power in the
xecutive branch by delegating to
he bureaus the power to legislate
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