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

Continued from Page One)
river in its essential unity-not fol
flood control, power alone, or naviga
ton alone, but for the maximum bene
fits of all three purposes-things be
gan to happen.
In little more than a decade, the
things which people of the Tennessee
Valley and the nation had talked
about for a century were practically
achieved The old controversies over
what kind of development should be
attempted dissolved into thin air when
congress boldly attacked the problem
of developing the river as a unity.
In passing the IVA act, the con-
gress departed from the usual custom
of assigning the development of one
use of river to one agency and their
use to another agency and the prob
lens of the land, the forests and the
minerals, to still other bureaus and
departments. Instead, it looked upon
the Tennessee River and it's great
basin as unity, as in plain fact it
exists in nature. Congress and the
President saw the Tennessee river in
the entirety of its possibilities for de-
velopment-n separately as posi-
BILE navigation channel, or as a power
producer, or as a monster only to be
controlled against floods. Nor was
the river viewed as something separ
ate from the land; it was recognized
that what happens in the river is in
evitably and closely related to what
happens on the land. If land is I'M
wisely used, for whatever reason, the
effect is Immediately apparent in the
river The slashing of forests and
the continual planting of row crops
which leave the soil barren to the
rains shows in the murky and muddy
character of the river in flood Water
which is not held on the land, cap
tured by vegetation and retained for
the use of plants, rushes headlong to
the river carrying with it always some
of the components and fertility of the
soil. These were the lessons con-
gress observed in devising a remedy
for whole region.
The same lessons are there for us
to see in the Missouri Valley. We
want an opportunity to see our region
and its resources as a whole.
But congress knew that the IVA
would need more than a broad and
unified assignment Congress recog-
nized that broad responsibilities must
be accompanied by a reasonable de-
gree of managerial discretion for day
to day decisions within the policies |
congress laid down Having placed |
upon the IVA the responsibility for |
carrying out program of unified |
development, the congress also gave |
to the new agency the tools of modern |
needed to do the job,
Congress outlined the broad objec. |
tives, made sure that the IVA could |
be responsible and accountable for |
results, and then gave it freedom to
operate to obtain the desired results.
Thus it avoided bureaucratic over
Capitalization, red tape, the over-bur-
lening Of the agency with specific de-
authority over various phases of it's
operation.
For example, the IVA was given
he power to hire it's staff without
'eference to the Federal Civil Service
avs or regulations; nor was IVA to
'e an agency of political patronage
Congress stipulated
hat appointments must be made sole
y on the basis of merit and efficiency
md without any political tests or con-
alterations. 1t was given the power
O acquire land for it's reservoirs; this
ask was not turned over to another
ederal department not having respon-
Utility for the final result which is
he usual federal practice. Congress
ave the IVA the power to make pur-
bases of materials and equipment in
is own right weighing such consider
tions as suitability of equipment for
he task in hand, the reliability of the I
eller, as we'll as the price bid.
With this freedom of action, of
curse, congress imposed measures to
old the iva to strict accountability S
nd responsibility for results. The
VA, endowed with the powers of |
lodern management, cannot pass l
ne buck" when results are not up to I
expectations. It cannot for example, E
omplain that another department of a
overnment is responsible if land is I
OF purchased rapidly enough to meet I
ngineering construction schedules. I
cannot claim that dams were de- 1
gned or built badly by another g
gency If they do not achieve the re- 4
llts expected of them. For the re- t
tits, whatever they may be, the IVA Q
nd the IVA alone is responsible; ii n
lay reap the praise for job well t
conversely-it must bear d
lie blame if the job goes badly.
Mr.. President, | say this is what n
e want in the Missouri valley. t