The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1945-11-16
Is the So-called "Unified
Plan'' Adequate?
By ROSCOE FLEMING


Editors Note Reprinted from study Of the power
situation in the Missouri Basin)
Are the projects contained in the socaed unified
PLAN of the Bureau of Reclamation and the Army Engineers
adequate to the people of the Missouri Basin
supply equal to that enjoyed by those of the Tennessee Basin
at comparable low rates? To this question must
consider the present plans and those who them under
two heads
l. What is the attitude of these (and of the
pie who supporting hem) toward truly unified plan
which would fully develop the power of the Basin?
On this point have information right of the horses
mouhout of the mouth of the private electrical utility
panies that strenuousy advocating the socaed unified
plan" and opposing MVA.
They circulating by thousands large expense
valley pamphlet said have written by
public relations of the Middle West Utilities Co.. but
circulated by each local utility its and in the intro
duction it says
Generally speaking there are different methods
of river development and control and the difference
lates primarily to the made of electric power.
Emphasis ours) POWER IS USUALLY SECOND
AIRY AND INCIDENTAL TO THE PRIMARY PURPOSE
FOR WHICH THE PROJECT is BUILT. THE ARMY
ENGINEERS ARE NOT INTERESTED IN GOING INTO
THE POWER BUSINESS"
"on the other hand there is the IVA method. Power
is a primary function"
There have it in many (And from the pri-
vate utilities, themselves)
conceiving great public project such this the psy
chology approach important than the tech
two hostile federal agencies charge of the future fate
destiny the people of great valley agencies whose
inclination precedent is to make power development Who'll
y secondary and incidental in vaeywde development
haps the point which they really agree It is sad
ambition hope the people of the Missouri Valley have
for prosperous postwar future.
What does the so-caed unified PLAN actually provide
in the of development? such development
provided comparable in to that of the Tennessee
Basin that of the Columbia Basin just the Continental
Divide from the Missouri Basin?
answer that not-and further of so
scanty and limited nature that limits and foreclosures
rather than enhances the actual power possibilities OF the
Missouri Basin To leave the program the hands of
its enemies evidenced above foreclose the flu
ture of the Basin Whether unwse uncoordnaed planning
shall be responsible deliberate intent indicated in the
public utilities pamphlet will be of small Importance if the
called unified PLAN too far before real plan, giving
power its Importance substituted by provi
sions of the Murray MVA bill
Publications of the Bureau of Reclamation (the Army
Engineers silent the subec show the soalled unified
plan" to carry the following power provisions:
First the Bureaus study of the Missouri River Basin
Senate Document 19 18th Congress- End Session. the
possibilities of the dams proposed build follows
KiIowatts capacity, firm power 800 7 75s,5oo
Kilowatthours per year --~.-.-.... 3,800,200,0OO
Compare first of ALL with the TWAS 100000 XIV of
generating capacity and IL billion hours yearly of pro-
ducton.
The Army Engineers that time had made estimate
of be developed at the dams they to build
But perhaps rightly suspicious of the Army Eng
neers intentions toward put provision in the Flood
Control Act of 1914 he law which acvaed and defined the
socaled unified plan that the Army Engineers should build
pensocks for the future development power the
they to build under the unified PLAN
W might be observed here that people however do not
penstocks; they want electric power)
This law also provided that under certain important
rctons the Bureau of Reclamation should handle and sell
the power to be developed.
So stood when in the 1914 the Bureau
of Reclamation issued its huge map labelled APPROVED
MISSOURI RIVER PLAN. On this map the only
shown at Bureau of Reclamation dams each Army Eng
dam shown having facilities whatever
This distributed MISUNDERSTANDING postmasers be-
ing asked to post it prominently their walls What hap
pened between the two partners the so-caed unified
of this unintentional part
Bureau Of Reclamation have of knowing
and until Congressional committee shall open up the
subject of the lame workings of the unified PLAN At
the map hastily dcaimed Senator Overton
iana premier senate enemy of MVA MVA
ton subcommittee hearings in Washington