The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1952-06-06

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at subsidized rates, without adequate
protection and concern for the gen.
eral public, the small private user
and the rural electric co-operatives.
This has been source of much ten
sion in the Basin, has given rise to
the splitting of allegiance, and has
contributed further to the mainten-
ance of power politics" exercised,
or capable of being exercised, by es-
tablished vested interest groups in the
Basin.
Lack of Cooperation Between
Existing Development Agencies
There has always been and there
continues to be lack of cooperation
between existing agencies now oper-
ating within the Basin. The agen-
cies have now operated for suffi
cient length of time that there should
be specific evidence of such cooper
alton if it is to be Forthcoming. There
is no satisfactory evidence to that eff
feet at present.
l. There is still the basic lack of
cooperation between Reclamation
and the Army Engineers that has be-
deviled the Basin since the first Pick
Sloan proposal.
2. The O'Mahoney Amendment to
the Flood Control Act of 1914 cannot
proven the eventual conflict between
upstream and downstream interests.
This division of function (water for
irrigation west of the 98th Meridian
and for navigation east of that Mer-
ldian) is a theoretical one. Many
OF the Army construction activities
are to the west of the 98th Meridian.
The Army will prevail 1t will seek
its final authority in the orders to
the Lewis & Clark Expedition to ex-
plore the entirety of the Louisiana
Purchase Territory. The O'Mahoney
Amendment is only paper work.
3. The Garrison Dam water level
struggle has been temporarily sup
pressed. However, it is an example
of other issues that will emerge and
are constantly emerging. Some of
them will come as late as the time
when reservoirs will be silted to such
an high point that flood control and
navigation downstream are in danger
of loss of efficiency.
4. The stagnation and virtual kill
ing of the program of the Depart
ment of Agriculture for the Basin.
prepared in 1913 and with a
date for 1919, it is still
in committee or has died there.
(See Huffman article in other col
on this page.-PV Editor.)
5. The Inter-Agency Committee
weaknesses. Without authority, the
Agency cannot coordinate the work
If the existing agencies.
o. The tension and unrest in con-
lection with the western part of the
1lssouri-Souris project, that part
vest of Minot and Mohall. :.
z. Lack of coordination in the fl
lanclng of the individual projects in
luded IN the Basin programs, so that
he entire program is subject to criti-
ism and embarrassment.
Here, then, is evidence that
there is a pressing need for an inte
grated and unified plan for re-
source development in the Missouri
Basin and that there is not now in
existence unified program for de-
velopment.
This evidence of the need of CO.
is on the level of Cd less
IAN desirable results from the lack
unified efforts so far accomplish
d. Coupled with (2) evidence of !
lie lack of cooperation between ex- :
ting development agencies, the is ;;
lie becomes clearer. When to this !
added the lack of overall co-ordin-
ION arising from the divergent pur-
oses and policies of the agencies on :
national scene, the need for a uni !.
ed Missouri Basin plan stands out r
marked relief. 1t would appear :
lat the trend of conditions in the de- :,
slopment program is pretty clear. !.
he sum total of these pieces of evil
9nce is that the present programs j..
ID activities are not adequate to =
e needs and the possibilities.
'me Incidental Benefits From The h
resent Program