Evening star., 1949-10-13
Reclamation
Continued From First Page.

great one, DuC ne COulQ no longer
endure the political pressure, and
the manipulation coming from
Mr.. Straus and his associates. and
he did resign"
That testimony of Sheridan
Downey," said Mr.. Ickes, "is false
and since it was given under oath.
perju1e
He said Mr.. Bashore never was,
and is not now, a beaten and de-
| feated man. He never was the
object of manipulations by any
of his associates, especially includ-
ing Michael w. Straus.'
! Only month before Mr..
Bashore's resignation was ac-
cepted, Mr.. Ickes said. Mr.. Straus
gave Mr.. Bashore warm praise"
for the work he had done at
meeting of the National Reclama-
ton Association in Denver.
| Mr.. Ickes said Senator Downey
made no contribution either to
the inception or the progress of
the california; Central Valley
project which. in spite of him. re-
mains one of the greatest natural
resources undertakings ever con-
ceived by man.
"On the contrary he has ha-
rassed and obstructed, over the
years. the development of the
Central Valley and has under
taken, by every possible means,
openly or surreptitiously, to nulli-
fy, reverse or repeal the basic laws
and policies of the congress under
which this stupendous work has
grown and fourished."
| Cites Run Out" on Roosevelt.
Mr.. Ickes said that during his
fight to obtain money for trans
mission line construction in the
Central Valley project, he was
never conscious that Senator
/ Downey was pulling any weight at
all in this particular boat.
Il am not now so conscious"
| he added. The contrary rather"
| He accused Senator Downey Of
personal politics. He said the
Senator attacked him, President
Roosevelt and President Truman
in his efforts to obtain repeal of
the 160-acre limitation in recla-
nation law. This restricts use OF
irrigation water from Federal
project 10 l60 acres in any one
ownership.
This so called Democratic
Senator from California went 50
far in his opposition as to run out
on his party leader. President
Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1910.
In 1s48 he repeated this per-
| formance when he believed that
President Truman could not be
elected.
Praises BOke.
But Notwithstanding Senator
Downey. I am able to say with
some pride that the great plan
of the Central Valley project has
been developed in accordance
with the basic philosophy of
President Roosevelt and Truman,
as we'll as the Congress, despite
the Senator's 'falsies.'
Mr.. Ickes said that when he
appointed Mr.. Boke for the Cali
fornia regional dictatorship he
intended to name a man who
could not be coaxed or coerced by
such men with such purposes as
appear to be Senator Downey's in
the case at issue"
/ "Mr. Boke has fully justified the
confidence that I had in him." he
added. II am glad I made this
appointment" g.,
At one point Chairman OMa-
honey interrupted Mr.. Ickes to
suggest that procedures before
congressional committee are
necessarily different than those
before a court. and that conclu-
sions may be drawn by witnesses.
"It happened in his testimony
that Senator Downey misstated
fact" Mr.. Ickes said.
Downey -Ickes Exchange.
Senator Downey then assured
Senator OMahoney he was
happy" to have Mr.. Ickes given
the widest latitude if he wants
to accuse me of perjury"
Senator Downey read to Mr..
Ickes a paragraph from the
Senator's book, They Would
Rule the Valley" stating that Mr..
Bashore quit because he had been
stripped of authority and found
his position intolerable.
THAT is as false as hell" Mr..
Ickes blurted. .
Senator Downey related he had
sent a copy of the book to Mr..
Bashore, asking him In a letter to
point out any inaccuracies.
He read Mr.. BaShore's reply. 1t