Evening star., 1945-04-11
Letters to The Star
Sees the Whole Nation Losing
by Mexican Water Treaty

To the Editor Of The Star:
We fully agree with Raymond Moley,s
column Of April to the extent that the
pending Mexican water treaty has no
relation to present world cooperation
and the desire of this country to CO.
operate with other countries with a
view to preventing further wars.
Our outstanding complaint, however,
is that the treaty, which is simply a
trade pact, such as pacts that always
are being negotiated between govern
ments, is being propagandized on the
basis that it is essential to making the
world realize that we are sincere in the
cooperating business. There is nat
ural reluctance on the part of the Senate
under this propaganda to do anything
which its members are told might ere
ate suspicion In the rest of the world
that this country, after its tremendous
sacrifices, after all has not become
world minded
We have no doubt that the Anglo
American oil treaty submitted to the
Senate several months ago would have
passed, notwithstanding its injurious
effects on American enterprise, because
Of this propaganda, had the treaty got
to the Senate floor. But it did not. The
chairman of the Senate Foreign Rela-
tions Committee happens to be Texan
and he was successful in keeping this
treaty in committee until the State
Department admitted 1t had been i'm
petuously drawn and asked that it be
sent back. Texas, of course, is quite an
producing State.
The Mexican water treaty, in which
the people of the Colorado River basin
are vitally interested, has got to The
floor The chairman's State-Texas-
gets something out of the treaty. Mr..
Moley sought to deal with the subject
as fight between the Colorado River
basin people and those of Texas, and
he thinks that, on this basis, a good
bargain was made by our negotiators.
Let's see.
The fact Is that in return for our
Government guaranteeing Mexico an
additional 100000 acre-feet Of water, at
least, from tie Colorado River, Mexico
gives Texas 100000 acre-feet Of water
from the Rio Grande. Then, the United
States Government, with PWA projects,
plans to spend sl67 900 900 to develop
this latter river and open up 500 900
acres in Texas, to say nothing Of what
will be developed in Mexico. Bear in
mind, Mexico will benefit from these
public works, for which Americans pay
as much as the Texans One wonders
why the Rio Grande project could not
have been negotiated by itself.
The water which it is planned to take
away from the Colorado River basin
people, based on 1910 income tax re-
turns, will mean a loss to the Federal
Government of 1000 900 yearly. The
proposed Texas development. after the
expenditure by our Government OF
S167 ,000 900, would bring in income
taxes, through the increased produc-
tivity of Texans, of not more than
50 900 900 or s3,0OO,0Oo.
OF the water which it is proposed to
give Mexico under this DEAL half Is for
the use Of population of 100000
people for domestic use and industry in
Arizona, in Nevada in California
users of Boulder Dam water. The other
half, it has been promised by the Gov
ernment, would open lands for thou
sands of war veterans. This land was
withdrawn from the public use at the
time of the Boulder Dam pact ex-
pressly for the purpose of later being
made available to the Nations veterans.
Certainly, they now are prepared to
take advantage of it under works al
ready constructed, not works projected,
such as the ambitious plan for The
Texans. 1t is estimated that the Colo
RADIO waters to be given away would
increase the countrys productive "a
pacity by s2,500,00O 900 year.
AS opposed to this, it is intended to
open the Texas lands for speculative
purposes. Not only this. but the main
beneficiary in Mexico of the taking Of
this water from Boulder Dam is an
American expatriate of 30 years or so
standing, who has bought up some
100000 acres at less than 81 an acre.
E.. R. SCATTERGOOD
Former General Manager, Department