Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-09-23

the RepuDllCan PaTty is lea Dy
Republican s0th Congress to do
ANYTHING to control high prices.
You have already been hurt by the
failure of this same Republican
Congress to take suitable action to
meet the housing shortage and the
crisis in education. You have been
hurt by the many other failures OF
the Republican leadership.
Serious Housing Shortage.
Here in the Oakland area. you
have a serious housing shortage.
You need more housing at lower
prices-prices which families OF
moderate income, particularly vet
Grams families, can afford to pay
You also desperately need low
cost rental housing so that the
thousands of families living here in
temporary dwellings can be taken
care Of.
In July, 1s4S, I called the Con-
rress into session and asked it to
pass the Taft Ellender- Wagner bill
which would have given us more
housing at lower prices and at lower
rents.
The bill was bitterly opposed by
the housing lobby. The Republican
leadership had a choice to make
between the interests of the nous
ing lobby and the interests of the
people.
They chose to 60 along with the
housing Lobby. Even Senator Taft
ran out on his own billiard voted
against it.
The same thing happened to my
plea to the Congress to pass the
Federal aid to education bill. Our
schools are badly overcrowded and
our teachers are underpaid.
But the Republican Congress re-
fused to come to the aid of the
people.
The most significant thing about
the failures Of this Republican Con-
gress is that they show so clearly
the attitude of the special interests
who dominate the National Repub-
hcan Party. Their actions set a
definite pattern And that means
a lot to your future.
Above and beyond the problems
that affect all our people, you folks
here have a vital interests in this
election because it involves the
question of what happens to the
water supply in California. That is
q matter of life and death to Cali
fornians, and particularly to all
those who are affected by the well
fare of the Central Valley.
Vast Inland Empire.
With the Sacramento River flow
ing down from the north, and the
San Joaquin flowing up from the
south, this great valley stretches
500 miles from above Redding to
below Bakersfield. 1t is vast in
land empire, richly blessed by nature
with millions of acres of fertile soil.
Already the Central Valley has
become one of the richest aericul-
tural regions in the world. And 1t
has millions of acres still lying idle.
with vast ssibilities for further
developer
But thu of this valley depends
on bringinng water to the land.
That is the limiting factor in the
fabulous things that can be done
In the Central Valley-water.
The water resources in the valley
are limited. Unless they are used
boldly. millions of California fer
tile acres vii continue to lie barren
As a matter of fact, unless your
water is conserved widely. the farms
and towns YOU have ALREADY built
here are in danger Of whitening
away.
What does this have to do with
politics in national election? Most
of YOU already know.
If all the great riches of the
Central Valley are to be put to use
there must be unified development
of its resources-the water anc
land-and the wisest use OF water
for irrigation and power. This calls
for great engineering structures
dams. canals and transmission lines
The lob is so big that only the Fed
eral Government can handle it.
I'm glad the Federal Government
can handle it. My heart rejoices
when I consider how the people Of
our country have Joined theil
strength together to build our grea'
reclamation projects-projects 81
big they stir orr imagination.
Good for All of Z. $.
These reclams ton projects are
good for all the Nation. not merel,
one section. The money they cos
Is invested-not just spent Tit
Government gets its money bacl
and our national resources are in
creased at the same time.
If we can keep to the presen
schedule, the Central Valley projec