The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1952-01-04
Continued from page one)

DuG CHe HUCn century IOrceQ Cne
Federal government to take on many
other tasks in river valleys because
the states exercised their rights" not
to undertake them-they cost too
much. Irrigation and hydroelectric
power had arrived; the need for soil
conservation and preservation of our
forests; the public health as affected
by stream pollution, domestic water
supply for cities, towns and large in
dustries; wild life preservation. as
examples.
A new engineering concept had
also arrived, that river control was
a land as we'll as a water PROPOSE
ton, from source to mouth, requiring
an integrated plan under single
management.
TEDDY FOUGHT AND FAILED
President Theodore Roosevelt and
his advisers in 1907 perceived the
West Pointers were not competent
to render decisions on grave prob
lens for which they were not trained
and proposed civilian commission
to coordinate the work of all the
bureaus. The engineers fought him
and he failed. President Hoover, in
the interest of economy. endeavered
to transfer the civil functions of the
Corps to the Department of the In
terror. The engineers fought him and |
he failed
Then came President Franklin D.
Roosevelt and we find described at
length how he endeavored to compel
the Corps to cooperate with him and
the Reclamation Bureau and the Ma
tional Resources Planning Board, in
particular. And he failed.
This writer can bear witness to
he firmness of ''FDR's" intention.
N 1887 he called me in for half
lour conference, and outlined his
'lan to extend IVA principles to sew
N other river valleys which were
embodied later in the bill introduced ]
~ Senator Norris. During the con- '
-ersation | observed "The Army En- }
rneers will fight you on this" In re- /
'ly, the Presidential right arm cut G
swift full circle in the aid, and ac-
ompanied by stern look, landed '
humb down.
Whether he would have succeeded {
ut for World War II is a matter for +
onjecture. But the Army Engineers =
nd conservatives in the Reclamation
bureau devised the ill-considered
Plan which was inserted :
y Congress in the Rivers and Har- :,
Ors Appropriation Act of 1914, des- :,
tie 'FDR's" opposition, and he was :,
ompelled to sign it or stop all CON =
5ruction in war time. D
ORPS PLAYS SMART POLITICS j
DR.. Mass gives many examples of u
DIV the Corps has defied both Presi- Il
ents Roosevelt and Truman, as well n
other Presidents. This raises the l
lestion why such arrogant conduct pr
permitted to continue. The answer u
that the Corps plays smart politics
teaming up with private interests w
'werful in state and national poll or
IS and which maintain strong Wash tn
gton lobbies.
AS examples, the author cites the ~,
/ National Rivers and Harbors Con- L;
ess which, by the way, is dominated
levee and dredging contractors, the tb
7ctric utilities, and the Ohio Valley M
reservation and Flood Control Con- AZ
ess organized in 1888 by 25 city all
ambers of Commerce. He might ha
We added, if he had had space, the va,
5. Chamber Of Commerce. the Ma =
nal Manufacturers Association. the HG
lerican Bankers Association, the y
ison Electrical Institute, Associ- u
d Contractors, Inc, the New Eng n
d Council and many others. Hence y
re has grown up tri-partite al n
Ice of special interests, the Corps p
conservative congressman. The
ult of that is dealt with in the
most stunning chapters of the r
k. 1t is held that while the engi- r.
rs are good technicians they are e
'bsessed over navigation that they [H
unjustifiable canals and r.
er ways and play down hydro u
trio and other things in multi II
pose projects. II