The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1945-04-13
An Authority Without Authority


The bill introduced in the Senate by Sen Hugh Mitchell
of Washington Is 460) proposes the establishment of Col
umbia Valley Authority and the of the fol-
low generally the lines of the IVA bat differs radically
from the IVA concept in its administrative plans
There great and outstanding feature of the IVA
type of authority and that simplicity giving the
the corporation the full and complete authority
and the time holding them directly and
avodaby responsible to Congress people their
actions and operation of the
corporation In the execution of the plans for regional de-
veopment the directors are hampered by conflicting
any bureaus They entrusted with
job to do under the broad program outlined by the law
creating the corporation and given the authority
the way that the directors of private
poraton given authority by the laws under which they must
operate
AS appears to this writer authority which the
Mitchell bill proposes create for the development of the
general advisory council without any
direct limitation its authority and then provides for sort
of sperauthory called the National River Basin Develop
Board
that this superboard provisions has of the
elements of the proverbia Joker in legislation and there
question what it would become hamperng
unwedy element in development and execution of the
plans for Columbia Valley Authority.
AS the bill reads all final authority is not vested in the
directors of the corporation Sections and of the bill reads
follows:
"Sec s. (a) There hereby created a National
River Basin Development Board composed of the secre
of the Interior the Secretary of Agriculture the chief
of Engineers of the War Department. the chairman of the
board of directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority the
chairman of the board of directors of the Columbia Valley
Authority and the chief executive officer of such other
regional may hereafter by
Congress The Secretary of the Interior shall
Emphasis ours.)
"(b) It shall be the duty National River Basin
Development Board to review the recommendations of the
Corporation prepared pursuant to section this
coordinate such recommendations with national plans and
and with the plans and of other
thores and establishments of the government In Jan
of each year the National River Basin Development
President and the Congress
report the of the work entrusted it.
Sec. 6. (a) All of the powers of the Corporation
shall by the board of directors subject
powers of the National River Basin Development Board
represented by its Chairman hereinafter provided
Emphasis ours)
"(b) The Chairman of the National River Basin De-
veopmen Board shall direct and supervise the activities
and operations of the Corporation the
CD to insure affectuation of policies national in
set forth by the Congress;
(2) to insure conformity of regional plans and
programs with national plans;
60 to coordinate the programs and undertakings
of the Corporation and those of other federal
having related functions within affecting region
(4) to receive and transmit reports from the Cor
poratlon to the Congress and to the President"
Discernibe these sections hand of Secretary
of the Interior Ickes He has himself completely
favorable to establishment of the final author
% ro the i e bill ee
The Murray bill for the creation of the Missouri Valley
Authority provides for advisory committee made of the
principal officers the departments the Interior Agrcu
ture, Commerce. Justice, War; Federal Power Commission
Federal Security Agency Board of Governors Federal
System and nine persons representing equally
agriculture commerce and labor No power of veto of the
in the Murray bill provided in the 1t
be advisory committee in fact well and
nothing else.
obvious enough that the interests each of the
separate valley regions not the Conditions in
each of them different respects from those
the Others The coordnated development of all
accomplished by rigid pattern Each "seek
salvation within the provisions of the broad general
creating the authority. I,
would timely and for the Montana people
of the mountains communicate with Sen Hugh Mitchell
and protest against Sections and of his bill The bill is
there be other provisions
posed which merit careful consideration and analysis
Mitchell letter to this writer invites suggestions for
provement the BILL and he will undoubtedly be grateful
them the people in Montana who live in the
oia Valley region. 81
Profits and the OPA e e5
Leading the pack proteers demanding higher prices
profits packers that