Hungry Horse news. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1948-current, 1955-10-14
Doubt Wisdom Of GLACIER View Now


A Spokane story Sunday had Con-
Lee Metcalf saying nov
vas the time to build Glacier View
Dam" A Kalispell story said Met
calf was definitely opposed to Gla-
cier View.
The Hungry Horse News wrote
Congressman Metcalf at his Helena
office and received the following
reply:
II said in response to the question
that | would not introduce a Glacier
View dam bill at this time | did
not say l was opposed to Glacier
View dam or that l would not in
troduce such bill at some more
opportune time in the future-this
is not the right time to start pushing
for Glacier View DAM"
COLORADO COMPARISON
Metcalf continued: 1.-The Upper
Colorado Project is an analogous
case from which we in Montana can
learn a lesson. The Upper Colorado
was one of the two new starts asked
for by the President in his State of
the Union message. 1t had the en-
thusiastic support of the admins
trative agencies. 1t was being spon-
sored by a bipartisan group of ex-
perienced and influential Senators
and Congressman. Yet their insist
ence in keeping the Echo Park dam
as part of the project has imperiled
the whole program. Even though
the Upper Colorado passed the
Senate and had been granted a
Rule in the House the proponents
didn't bring it up last session be-
cause the whole bill would have lost
by 70 to 80 votes according to whip
checks. And that was after Echo
Park was finally out of the bill. But
by then the damage was done.
+" In his Legislative Roundup at
the end of the session, Charles Call
ison of the National Wildlife FEEDER
alton pointed to the Echo Park fight
and said that it was about time that
the reclamationiSts learned that they
could not invade the National Parks
Il dIlu lVdIlUIldl uOIuliiChto.
i The Metcalf letter continues: Nov
don't want to get any more OPP
position to our Montana water re-
source development than we already
have. don't want to have the whole
development of the Upper Columbia
identified with an attempted invas-
ion Of Glacier National Park as the
Upper Colorado has been identified
with the invasion of the Dinosaur
; National Monument. Those who are
: pressing for immediate introduction
of bill for Glacier View are doing
disservice to the people of Flat
! head County. The temper of Con-
gress is such that it would be i'm
! possible to get the project authorized
at this time. But its introduction
:, would create additional opposition
! to other projects in the vicinity. Civ
: ing the impression of a possibility of
early passage of a Glacier View au-
thorization just creates false hopes. Z"
GLACIER VIEW LEAST LIKELY
3 Insofar as the projects in north
! western Montana are concerned, /
= would say that Glacier View is the
/ least likely to be approved. There
:, is better chance for Libby, but
{. as Governor Jordan wrote to Sen.
y ator Mansfield, it is several years
!. away at best"
= Then Congressman Metcalf point
: ed out what he believes may be
the most feasible western Montana
!; water resources development.
= MIDDLE FORK POSSIBLE
- Metcalf continued: 1.-THE creates
} chance for a project is in the pro
Z posed diversion of the Middle FOrl
" into Hungry Horse. 1t would seen
to me that we should devote oul
energies to the task we have ;
chance of accomplishing at the pre-
sent time. For the Middle Fork div
isiOn we do not have the admins
d trative opposition that we have TO
s, Glacier View, or the Canadian stale
III mate that we have at Libby; we d
r. not have the active opposition O
Id dozens of national conservation or
CARNATIONS, such as the Izaak Wal
~ ton League, the National Parks AS
I'll ISOLATION, the National Wildlife Fed
:. GRAFTON, and the like 1t seems to m
- at this time that we should unit
ca and get behind project that ha
Is a chance of passage instead c
ae wasting our efforts on Glacier Vie
ne that at this time, at least, is hope
" less. Signed Lee Metcalf.
H. II. NEWS STAND
Senator Mike Mansfield this ia
and last spring commented thu
chances for Glacier View Dam col
IN structiOn were dim" Mansfield hs
M consistently supported the projet
I'm and still does. Congressman Metca
IN believes Glacier View is a hopeles
lg;; project at this time. Secretary
ed Interior Douglas Mckay, leadt
no OF the Republican party, is con
pletely opposed. There are diver.
,ro national organizations opposed
: the project such as the Clio. Who {
=, the national scene favors Glaci,
10 View and feels there is a chance
4 can be built in these years?
mo Inc hungry Horse News question
his what purpose is served by the CO
~ slant stimulation of the Glaci
- View project at this time.
On the otherhand leaders in Il
for flathead seem rather cool to Il
proposed Middle Fork diversion, al
be q major project. We believe, and Y
feel they do, that industrial grow
hat OF the Flathead is definitely limit
rds without further development of wat
will resources.
on There does not seem to be mu
ur- chance of full meals ahead, if
for depends on Glacier View prospect
ED what man on the national scene
heves there is the likelihood for Gl
the cler View, even if he favors it. N
mes
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