The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-10-05
Michigan in
Washington

By rs HEX '. W. lf
High School students are taught
how a bill goes through Congress
to become a law. but getting a
bill through Congress is really
quite a different thing. II couldn't
be explained in the classroom.
True, every bill is Introduced
clears some kind OF committee, is
debated on the floor, and finally a
vote is taken II IL isn't killed on
along the rocky road. \ lot can
happen en- route.
Take the 81. Lawrence Seaway
90. For some time action on eN en-
introducing the bill depended not
on one or more senators. but a
man in Albany named Thomas h.
Dewey the governor OF New. York.
The Seaway project is two-prong-
ed IT, both a waterway from the
Great Lakes to the sea and release
OF additional electric power, from
which the state NJ New York will
reap the greatest benefit
The -. Lawrence Seaway has
become a perennial in Congress
mostly because the supporters
couldn't get together. The two
wings OF the Seaway killed each
other of by trying to make abso-
lutely certain that the bill intro
duced favored them. Nobody won
-. although their joint enemies,
the railroad boys, thought they did.
This time enough senators real
ize tina the St. Lawrence to have
chance must have a bill that at
least will cement the votes OF the
opponents. The New York crowd
want a bill ito take care that New
York gets the break on power"
so they corral Dewey. therefore, I'm
an election year, putting him on
the spot because when he ran for
president he and Roosevelt both
endorsed the Seaway. The Michi-
gan Great Lakes crowd fret that
any bill including the provision
that New York is doomed. as II
has been for years.
Compromise is the answer. A
little White House announcement
is the tip-off.
President Truman treasured
Dewey by telegram saying, 81 con-
tinue to be enthusiastically in fav-
or not only OF the development OF
the st. Lawrence waterway. but
also of the water power on the
river. He added, 81 also continue
to believe very strongly that the
necessary power facilities should
be built by the Federal Govern
ment and turned over to the ap-
propriate New York State agency
in accordance with the agreement
recommended by the (Army)
corps OF engineers and the New
York; power authority.
"This was the program OF Presi-
dent Roosevelt and I have always
been In favor OF It."
Dewey had sent President Tru-
man protest on September 10
against what he considered plans
10 support the ratification OF an
international agreement with Cana.
da for the development OF the ST.
Lawrence completely emitting the
accord between the Federal Govern
ment and the State OF New York
for the development OF power re-
sources.
Dewey said he understood Act.
ing Secretary OF State Acheson and
Judge Samuel l. Rosenman. special
counsel to the President. had I'm
piled that such a plan represented
the views of the President.
So Dewey is protected" and so
Is the Democratic senator from
the same state. Robert F. Wagner
This seems far removed from
Senate action. But now you may
expect a bill 10 be introduced
under favorable sponsorship-tha
will round up enough approval TO
send the st. Lawrence bill on the
routine described in the school text
books
At long last. the st. Lawrence
Seaway stands a chance in the
United States Senate.
At the suggestion OF Congress
man George A. Dondero. the Labor
division OF the Department OF Agri-
culture sent representatives to Ok
ford. Mich. to investigate a threat
TO shut off food and coal. The
request came from Ray Allen.
manager CT the Oxford Cooperative
Elevator.