The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1945-11-23
JUDGE ERICKSON
|CRITICIzES ACTS
OF n. R. A. MET

Judge Left Erickson of Helena,
Montana, chairman of the regional
committee for MyA today issued a
statement sharply criticizing the Ma
tional Reclamation association for its
action at its convention in Denver
last week enacting a resolution urging
the various Western states to seek
the removal of the 160-acre limitation
in the Reclamation Act.
This action serves once again to
emphasize the influence of the cor
poration ranchers in the association"
Erickson said. They are interest
ed, not in the extension of irrigation
but in securing the removal OF the
limitation from the Reclamation act
on the number of acres in one owner
ship that will be supplied water on
bureau projects. This limitation was
put in the act to assure that projects
built by public monies would result
in the greatest good to the greatest
number. Without this limitation fam
lily type farming on bureau projects
would disappear and the land would
soon be in the hands of corporation
farmers and ranchers and the taxpay-
ers money would have been spent for
their benefit rather than for the bene-
fit of the people generally. To sug-
gest the removal of the limitation Just
as this time when returning service
men hope to establish themselves on
new farms to be developed by irriga-
ton seems to me to be just little
short of un-American. The statement |
that the limitation is socialistic is |
ridiculous. l congratulate the few
members of the association who stood |
out in opposition to the action of the |
convention"
Judge Erickson took note of other
resolutions passed and particularly of
one urging an increase in the already
high rates charged by the Reclama-
ton bureau for the electricity 1t pro-
duces. "The hand of the power COM
panies who with the corporation
ranchers and some railroads furnish
the money to operate the association
and who expect value in return can
plainly be seen in this resolution" he
said. Notable was the absence of
any strong resolution urging immedi-
ate action on the so-called co-ordinat-
ed plan for the development of the
Missouri. The power companies are
against any power development even
by the bureau and some railroads are
against the development of any navi
cation even by the army engineers so
it is only natural that the association
In which they have so much influence
would soft-pedal any demands for the
development of the river by any
agency, and instead would spend its
time seeking to increase electric rates
On bureau projects, seeking elimina-
lion of the 160-acre limitation, oppos-
ing all river authorities who would
develop the rivers for all purposes,
and in stressing the old states rights
buga-boo. I sincerely urge the I'M
selfish minority in attendance who
.eally want to see irrigation extended
md who fought the resolution urging
he removal of the acreage limitation
o Join with us in seeking the passage {
If the Murray MVA bill which will
BRING to the Missouri basin immedi- I
tie and complete irrigation develop
nent, the establishment of thousands
If family type farms, with practical
,lan of repayment which will appor-
ion irrigation costs on reasonable
1asis where the farmer can pay it." Z
Judge Erickson pledged the full and
aid of the regional commit
ee in securing the defeat of any at .
empt to remove the 160-acre limita- |
ion either by legislation or admins
rative order. He said press reports
ecently states that Secretary Ickes !
lad ruled that as applied to the Cen
raj Valley of California the limitation I
i'd not prevent several members of
me family all living together from !
ach owning 100 acres on a bureau
'roject. THAT ruling seems to me to
,e in direct conflict with the language q
pirit of it. The limitation was de- .
# the act and certainly it violates the .
igned to limit acreage Of farms on !
CONTINUED on Page Four