The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1946-06-07
Overall Authority
Continued from Page One)

alive to the practical requirements
for beneficial use of our water re-
sources These great development
projects will open frontiers of agri-
culture, industry and commerce. The
employment opportunities thus offered
will go far to ease the transition from
war to peace"
That would seem to leave Mr.. Tru-
man in the position of being content
with the present unified plan" for
development of the basin being car
ried on by the army engineers and
the bureau of reclamation.
1t would seem to be turning aside
from the method of development
which has succeeded spectacularly in
the Tennessee Valley in favor of what
MVA supporters describe as old, piece
meal methods which have failed spec
tacularly in the past in Harvesting the
Missouri
Development so Years Behind
There is no dispute over the need
for development of water resources
of the basin.
1--WE are so years behind in the de-
velopment of this area" said William
F. Warne, assistant commissioner of
the bureau of reclamation. "It would
be most regrettable if we didn't pro-
coed with it."
1t could be more than regrettable.
In the years to come the failure to
do so might be an economic disaster
for the United States.
The Missouri basin rightfhlly is
called the dread basket" of America.
On it the nation relies for about half
it's grain. From its farms and plains,
foodstuffs move to the people of this
country and, III the present world
food crisis, to the famine-stricken
countries of Europe and Asia.
Geographical and population Stats
tics reflect the Importance of the area
in the American economy. From it's
source at Three Forks in Southwest
ern Montana, the Missouri river flows
2,475 winding miles to meet with the
II miles above st. Louis.
The Missouri and<its tributaries, oft
en- as capricious as "Old Muddy" it
elf, drain 529,350 square miles. This
represents about II per cent of the
area of the United States.
Opponents Confuse Issues
The area includes all of Nebraska
and parts of Colorado, Iowa, Kansas,
Missouri, Montana, North
Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.
It has a population of 100000.
The basin is nearly IS times larger
than the Tennessee Valley Authori-
TVS five-state area of 41,000 square
niles 1t is so much larger and eli
nactic and soil conditions vary so
greatly that MVA opponents contend
hat it would not fit into the pattern
If regional development set by the
IVA.
MVA supporters on the other hand
say that it would and that the author.
ty type agency is the only way to
obtain unified development of the
urea.
It's problem is waterloo much or
90 little.
In the arid upper part of the valley
he average annual rainfall is about
0 inches. For that part of the basin,
roughts and dust storms are a tragic
eality.
In the serious droughts of the 1930s
he valley underwent serious eco
ionic decline. Despite an expendi-
ure of about $1,25o,OOO,OOO by the
arm Credit and Farm Security adj
in the forms of loans
nd relief, there was steady migra-
ion of population.
In the lower part of the valley the
roblem is too much water Army en-
ineers estimate flood damage in the
asin at $1S,500,000 annually. In the
ears 1924, floods of severe pro-
ortions caused damage estimated at
150,000,000 and led directly to con-
gressional action that resulted in
le present unified plan for develop
tent of the area
(The second article in this series
will appear in The Voice next
week.