Evening star., 1952-11-02
Gen. Pick Sees u. S. Industry
Spreading Out forWoterSuppIy
Chief Of Engineers
Retiring Soon, Coils
1t 1O0-Yeur Problem
By John A. Giles

water shortages IN urban areas
will force a strategically-d desired
decentralization Of industry, in the
opinion of 1t. Gen. Lewis A. Pick,
Chief Of Engineers.
Gen. Pick, who soon leaves the
Army he had casually coined up
with for the duration of World
War II at the statutory retirement
age Of 81 years, figures the Gov
most important long
range problem the next 100 years
will be to provide adequate water
supplies.
II am convinced that industry
is going to be gradually decentral-
lied in the years ahead, and while
that is desirable from a strategic
standpoint, it's going to be alb
solutely necessary from a water
standpoint" he said.
All States Affected.
There are areas in every State
in which there is an acute water
problem. both for domestic use
and for industrial use. The one
thing that stops industrial expan-
sion in many areas is the lack
Of water. And you have to re-
that our population in
creaSes every day."
AS engineer chief. Gen. Pick
has had much to do with conser-
vation Of water supplies and of
flood controls. One Of the biggest
flood control projects-on the
Missouri River-bears the Cen
erals name. He expects its COM
pletion within 10 years. thus con-
trolling all the water above Kan
sas City.
Gen. Pick. a close personal
friend of President Truman.
pointed out that residents of
Washington are not as conscious
Of the problem of lack of water
supplies as are those in other
sections.
There is less of a problem
here" but it will increase with
population increases" he said. "In
New York twoyears ago the water
shortage in that great city was
so acute hotel dining rooms were
not serving q glass Of drinking
water unless specifically requested
by the patron.
There is a constant fight in
some areas for more water sup
plies, and there's no question that
it will be more intense in the fu-
ture."
Will Retire Soon.
Gen. Pick retires November 80
and plans to be a consulting engi-
neer in Auburn, Ala. He is a ma
tive Of Brookneal, Va, but Mrs.
Pick comes from Alabama.
The general is a big man and
looks bigger than his six feet and
100 pounds. Aside from graying
hair and lines left by the years,
he hasn't changed much from the
days when he was an An-South-
ern Conference tackle at V.P.I.
He was graduated in 1914 and
the start Of the war found him in
charge of a 131-mile railroad be-
tween Greensboro and Goldsboro,
NC. Commissioned as a second
lieutenant. he soon was in charge
of a company in France. Afer
World War I he joined the Regu-
lar Army and there followed the
usual peacetime assignments. in
cluding study at the Engineers
School at Fort Belvoir. Va. and
the old Army War College here.
In 1912, he was appointed
Missouri River division engineer
and directed construction Of mill
tary projects in 10 States. COSTING
SIS billion. He also prepared the
comprehensive program for flooo
control and water use develop
ment of the river basin.
The following year Gen. Pick
moved to the China Burma India
Theater and was responsible for
construction, operation and main
tenance of the famed Ledo Road
Gen, Pick returned to the Missouri
River area in 1945.
Disaster in four Midwestern
States brought Gen. Pick COM
mand of Operation Snowbound
In 1949. Following direction OF
that unique relief operation he
moved here as engineer chief.
AS chief engineer he has been
the Nations biggest contractor