The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1945-10-26
The "Stake'' at Issue


and other evidence of support for MVA getting well
under in Montana Similar campaigns also going in
other Missouri valley states and reported well advanced
two or three of these.
reasons which will attempt point out
the campaign will be the important and possibly
of the hardest fought of all Montana campagnswhch
deal when look back of the tubu
lent times fftyx of the states history The magn
tude and nature of the issues involved the stake will
evaby make it so.
Out of campaign grow many mistakes of judg
ment other of of details of the gigantic
proposals that being made, and much of deliberately
leading propaganda attempts at diversion of public attention.
smoke and all the other publicity devices with which
has long been cursed This only
by full compete fortnight and truthful information not only
what MVA but what its opponents would substitute
for these proposals.
This will take time endless and patience
the of those MVA supporters who already endowed
great project its ramificaons and its vast powers for
good evil, depending whether Missouri valley develop
ment is set publicly owned democraticay operated
MVA whether becomes partial development OF patched
together segment operated large part the advantage Of
and for the financial gain of so-caed vested interests
Possibly clearer and complete understanding of
the campaign of the engineering Missouri
valley development of the effects types develop
ment will have on our state and its people, will come if we all
the basic undereng issues-the stake involved
The basic ISSUE stake involved of two kinds both
spelled One hydroeectrc the other economic
and political that with control of hydroelecc
The magnitude and extent of both these brands of
will be beyond ordinary imagination long before
pete development of either made The tangible
marketable product and the other social political
that control of the former brings sufficient de-
termne the fate of the whole Missouri region for years
than any of into the future.
Probably nobody knows, yet, how much power be
developed along Missouri and its many tributaries
unexplained engineers have made
ton of development their report congress- The
lamaton bureau to install equipment sufficient
about - billion XIV hours Of annually II of
the 72 dams for which its calls 1t nothing
other power generation.
These do little to dull the shine of total power pos
sbiles Federal trade commission least 10 billion XIV
hours be generated annually VA engineering talent
eve the maximum ultimate development be double
ma
who nearly right Total possibility large
its coming monetary value beyond ordinary comprehension
In few well aggregate billion dollars, more
which is more money than most of count
So this campaign the stake pair billion dollar babies
named One is A. Hydro Eectric) Power the other
poticaeconomc) Power The question settled is
whether these twins shall be raised developed by the peo
pie of Missouri valley whether they shall to
he tender of of alien nanciers
ro and profit For overwhelming majority val
people the choice between poverty
self created security and well being Equally So is
hoice between foreign financial domination
democracy This choice atIy up Missouri
ALLEY people JEROME G. LOCKE.