Evening star., 1952-11-21
Mckay Is Advocate
Of Federal Power,
II States Take Part
BY the Associated Press

big Federal power projects pro.
vided the States have a voice ii
their operation. e.
He appears to reflect Gen
Elsenhower's views on domestic
problems almost exactly. He ha:
opposed a Columbia Valley Au.
thority.
He favored State ownership Of
all tidelands and statehood fol
Alaska and Hawaii.
Once his appointment was an
nounced, the Governor refused ia
discuss these or any other policies
He said he would confer first with
Gen. Eisenhower.
Reaction Largely Favorable.
There were a few cries of ere
dictionary when the appointment
was announced yesterday. but
generally the reaction appeared
favorable to the 59-year- old Nc
Kay among off1ceholders and
newspapers of the West.
Among Republicans of Oregon
he is generally considered a mod
erate-and his stand on public
power is cited as an example. He
has made his position clear in re-
peated speeches over the four
years he has been Governor.
The Mckay stand is that
private utilities should be given
first chance to develop water
resources. When the job is too
big for private investors, the Fed
eral Government should take over.
But the Government should not
have full say on how to develop
or run the projects. The State
also should have a hand in run
ming things. Gov. Mckay calls
1t Federal-State cooperation.
On that basis he opposed a
Columbia Valley authority. So
did the general.
Admired by Democrats.
Also on that basis the Cover
nor has participated actively in
the Columbia Basin Inter-Agency
Committee, a group of Federal
and State agencies that advises
on how to develop the Columbia
basin.
This stand has won him some
enemies, especially among liberal
Democrats.
On the other hand, some Demo-
Gratis like his appointment.
"A very fine choice" said Oscar
L. Chapman, present Secretary of
interior.
"Oregonians of both parties like
Doug Mckay personally" said
Monroe Sweetland, Democratic
national committeeman.
Among those shouting "reac-
tlonary' were the State Demo-
cratic chairman. Howard Morgan,
and Senator Morse of Oregon, who
has feuded bitterly with the Gov
lernor.
Senator Morse, who bolted the
Republican Party in the recent
campaign, characterized Gov. Nc
Kay as "stooge of the tidelands
oil thieves, the private utilities
gang and the selfish interests" Il
Couldn't Turn Ike Down.
When an Associated Press rep
resentative yesterday told him in
a meeting of the State Banking
Commission that word of the ap-E
pointment had been released, the
meeting broke up with State off,
cials crowding around with con-
gratulationS and astonishment.
The astonishment came because
Gov. Mckay has often Said-when
asked If he would run for the Sen
ate against Senator Morse, that
he never would live in Washington
because his wife wouldn't let him.
But he accepted appointment
because I couldn't turn Ike
down."
He was an early backer of
Gen. Eisenhower for the presi-
dency and issued frequent press
releases during the campaign to
answer the Democrats. One of his
strongest statements ties in with
his new job: He said that multi
purpose dams would continue to
be built on the rivers on the Pa
ciflc Northwest under a Repub-
lican administration.
Paul j. Raver. Bonneville power
administrator, issued a statement
lauding Gov. McKay's appoint
ment as selection of a man who
has evidenced vision and wis
dom in seeking solution of North
west problems.
Rated as Top Administrator.
State Capitol newsmen rate
him superlative administrator,
but thin-skinned to criticism; slow
to reveal his stand on controver-
sial matters: almost intuitive in
picking the right men to fill ap-
pointive jobs.
He is on a f1rSt-name basis with
an astonishing number of people.
He is an ardent, and excellent,
horSeman and likes to dress in
the Western trappings of a sher-
ifs mounted posse and take part
in rodeo paradeS. His horseman-
ship is hampered not at all by
World War I wound. which for a
time threatened to leave his right
arm crippled.
When World War II broke out,
he was in line for the State Sem
ate presidency, but his public
Office holding was interrupted
when he volunteered for military
service. He was commissioned
and stationed at nearby Camp
Adair.
Elected Governor in 1948.
In 1948, he won the governor
ship to fill out an unexpired term,
then in 1850 was reelected for
four years.
After schooling at Portland and
at Oregon State College, he start
ed selling automobiles. He now
has the Salem Chevrolet and
Cadillac agency, a highly profit
able operation. The State has
ChevI-0lets anono itS Heet ood