davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-04-22
UPSTREAM STATES HAVE TROUBLE KEEPING
THEIR FAIR SHARE OF WATER
BY CONG. LEE METCALF

The problem faced by upstream
states in attempting to assure their
fair share of their water was drama
tically demonstrated in two recent
hearings before the Interior and In
uslar Affairs Committee, of which
am member.
One of the bills being heard would
authorize development of the upper
Colorado River. By the other, the
Committee chairman, Congressman
Engle of California, sought to assert
the priority of a county or origin TO
the use of the water in the Tuolumne
River.
Three agreements deal directly with
distribution of waters of the Colo
RADIO River. There is the Colorado
River Compact, which apportions the
water between the upper and lower
basin states. It has been ratified by
the seven basin states and approved
by Congress. The second is also
compact. 1t divides the upper basin
water among four states-Colorado
New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
Then there is treaty with Mexico,
providing for delivery of a specified
amount of Colorado River water to
that nation. In addition, California
has agreed to limit it's consumptive
use of the water to a specified
amount.
Despite these agreements, argu-
ments continue over who is entitled
to what water where.
AS I pointed out in this column
last week, good part of the testi-
mony on the Upper Colorado Project
was devoted to a dispute between
upper and lower basin states, with
two of the downstream states-Cali-
fornia and Arizona-also disagree
ing among themselves.
The states in the lower Colorado
basin have agreed that upper basin
states may have their share of sur
plus or excess water. But the upper
basin states can only get such water
by storing it. To store it, they must
build dams. While the reservoirs be-
hind these dams are being filled, the
flow of the river is being cut down
stream. This is a violation of the
compact, downstream states argue.
Congressman Engle's bill would
give the Tuolumne Water District
the right to develop power house at
a site filed on, but neglected for over
40 years, by the City of San Fran
cisco. Representatives of that city
told the committee that if Congress
passed the bill, the city would tie it
up in the courts for from five to 10
years.
'In short" Congressman Engle
says, ''we were informed that we were
being pretty impudent to ask for any
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-04-22

thing on the river that originates on
our mountainside and that San Fran
cisco would beat us if they had to do
it by litigating us until we wore out
or went broke"
"All of this makes it very plain
that the mountain areas of California
have their work cut out for them
if they are going to safeguard any
of the water which originates in their
area" Mr.. Engle continues.
eff any lesson is to be drawn from
this performance it is that the noun
tain areas should get busy and tie
down anything that is left" Con-
gresham Engle concludes.
Both these cases demonstrate that
upstream states, like Montana, must
constantly be on the alert to protect
their interests in their water. The
upstream states in the Colorado River
basin thought they had protected
themselves by compact. They find
that they hadn't-and the compact
now is being used against them.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-04-22
lOBJEGTIVITY I'm news
aid TO E)EMhnOGUE

STATE COLLEGE, Pa.-(LDNS)
The cloak of "objectivity" in news
reporting helped the political promo
tions of Sen. Joseph r. Mccarthy and
may do the same for other dema-
gogues, the Pennsylvania Society of
Newspaper Editors was told here.
The editors were addressed by
Robert T. Estabrook, editor of the
Washington Post and Times-Herald
editorial page. He said newspapers
dominated by the idea of "objectiv-
itv'' can become "mere tools for
demagogues skilled in taking adj
vantage of our gullibility."
VICTIMS OF FORMULA
Discussing the rise and fall of
Senator Mccarthy, Estabrook asked:
"Were we not the victims of our own
formula, under which the more out
rageous the charge the bigger the
play it was given?"
How many newspapers, Estabrook
asked, tried to determine independ-
emily the truth of McCarthy's
charges?
Controversy, he said, is properly
the business of newspapers and on
controversial issues newspapers have
q three-part duty:
First, to report all sides of the
issue as fairly and fully as possible;
second, to conduct an independent
of the facts and to lay
the facts before readers in complete
and compelling form; third, to analyze
the facts editorially and to come to
some conclusion about them.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-04-22
Bad Weather Blamed
MARCH EMPLOYMENT $500 UNDER
SAME MONTH In 1854

1854 the same comparison was il, 500,
in 1858 it was $4,000, and in 1853
only 1900.
Unemployment by seasonal indus
try is expected to quicken its pace
during April and May, the commission
says. but is starting full month late.
Absorption of the 1880 decline from
last August within the next four
months would border on the phenom-
email.
March labor supply as indicated by
applicants at offices of the en-
ployment service in Montana were
$4,000 on March Is, an increase of
900 over the available labor supply
a year earlier, and 2,700 greater than
at the same time in 1853 or 1862.
Greatest concentration was at Kali
spell, Billings, Great Falls, and Mis-
soula, with from 1900 to 1,550 job
seekers listed at each. Butte had $50,
Helena $50, Bozeman 500, Havre and
Poison 470 each.
UCC CLAIMS DECLINE
An encouraging light is cast on
employment progress by figures on
claims for unemployment compensa-
ton during the first week in April,
The first week in March had 10000
claims while last week the number
had declined to S,400, twenty per
cent shrinkage in a month. A year
ago the claim level was $500, which
indicates that the volume of re-em-
ployment has rebounded from the
March slump. Last year the claims
increased 500, from March to April,
while this year there were 2,100
fewer claims.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-04-22
HOME BUILDERS,
MONEY Lenders
DISPUTE TREND

Home builders and money lenders
have been at serious odds over the
significance of the present high rate
of home construction and record level
of the home mortgage debt.
Bankers and mortgage investment
experts are openly pessimistic over
the economic impact resulting from
the continued boom in on-the-cuff
home construction.
The current mortgage debt is esti-
mated at upward of $75 billion and
together with other liens on real es-
tate, the aggregate is expected to ex-
ceed 500 billion and possibly reach
1926 billion by the end of the year.
The money lenders say further that
home construction, at the present
rate of IA to 1.5 million units year,
is building toward a serious bust.
They argue that there just isn't a
market to support the building boom.
Home builders insist there is, pro-
viding sufficient mortgage money is
available at reasonable rates and a
large part of organized labor supports
this contention.
A survey of builders by Fortune
magazine indicates an all-time record
of housing starts for 1855. The build
ers are clearly optimistic that they
can sell the houses. But at least a
third of those surveyed were feeling
the pinch of frightened supply of
mortgage money.
A chief argument of money lenders
against the present rate of home con-
struction is that families are not be-
ing formed sufficiently fast to pro-
vide market.
The builders, however, say that
there is sufficient market in replace
ment alone to sustain present con-
struction rates several years, provid-
ing mortgage money is available.
2-MILLION RATE NEEDED
CLIO housing expert, Leo Goodman,
notes that "this question of credit
goes to the heart of the availability
of housing for the American people"
Goodman says there is an obvious
need Tor SOIH0 Z,OOO,OoO hCW h0ihiSo
a year for at least the next 10 years.
He asserts that the thesis that
family formation is the sole basis
for calculating new housing construc-
ton" has been widely rejected.
Many economists who previously
based their projections for new hous-
ing on family formations are now
convinced that such factors as in
creased security in old age; the in
creasing propensity to spend; the up
ward shift in average income; con-
tinued growth in personal income;
and the continued high birth rate, are
all equally important and indicate a
need for continued high rate OF
home construction.
The availability of persons to buy
new homes does not appear to be the
problem. AS Fortune puts it: "The big
question is whether the supply OF
mortgage money will be adequate to
sustain the 1,450,000 annual rate
of home building.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-04-22

Mr.. HeIburn is on the staff of
Montana State College, Bozeman. In
announcing the program, he said there
will be three public sessions at which
leading Montana conservationists,
businessmen, educators, stockmen
and farmers, professional men and
homemakers will express their views
on the many problems and appor-
tunities for recreational develop
ments in Montana.
On Friday morning, April 20, there
will be panel moderated by the
president of the Council, Winton
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-04-22

u. S. oil and coal producers built
up strong pressure during March in
favor of congressional action to limit
oil imports from Venezuela and the
Middle East.
Their testimony before Senate
committee focused attention on the
amazing growth of oil imports in re-
cent years and on increasing troubles
among small and Independent domes-
tic producers and refiners. 1t also
promised to have bearing on the final
outcome of legislation to extend the
Reciprocal Trade Agreement Act.
Governor Raymond Gary of Okla
homa, testifying before the Senate
Finance Committee, blamed increas-
ing imports for unemployment in his
important oil-producing state.
"There still is much oil to be found
in Oklahoma" the governor said, "but
in order to find this oil there will
have to be healthy economic eli
mate"
RISING FLOOD
Bernard J. Barney Majewski of
Chicago, president of the Great Amer
lean Oil Company and long associated
with the Deep Rock Oil Corporation,
in lengthy testimony before Senator
Neely's labor and welfare subcom-
mittee said:
unrestricted imports are a ris-
ing flood threatening to engulf the
domestic oil industry and the econ
omy of our oil-producing states.
Foreign crude oil is a cut-price
product. 1t is cheap because it is
produced from tremendous under
ground pools which are not subject
to pro-ration or sound conserva-
ton practices"
Maiewski submitted figures show
ing that the average oil well in the
United States in 1854 produced 12.5
barrels per day as against an average
of 246 barrels in Venezuela, 1856 in
Saudi Arabia, and 6,051 in Kuwalt
Con the Persian Gulf.
He also read list of some go re-
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-04-22

Conservation Recreaona Lands will be the general
theme of the 1855 annual meeting of the Montana Conservation
Council Nicholas Helburn chairman of the annual meeting
program has announced.
The annual meeting will be held in Dillon on April 20 and ~
and all Montana citizens invited to attend Mr. Helburn said
The annual meeting will climax Conservation Week activities
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-04-22
LABOR GROUP TO MEET

WINDSOR, Ont.-The 10th an
nual convention of the Trades and
Labor Congress of Canada will con-
vene in the Prince Edward Hotel,
Windsor, Ont, at 10 a. M, Monday,
May 80, 1866.
Evening star., 1955-11-10

Snort Washington housewives have
learned thot for better foods, top
quality and economy, the 6iont
shopping habit is essential. Ever
the leoder IS quolity, 6iont is con.
stontly wotchfulond eorefut to see
that only the finest food goes to
your table. Join the host Of smort,
thrifty foodshoppers Who'ue learned
thot better meals begin OF Giont.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-04
Ruling IsSought
On Judge Issue

The Republicans have a candi-
date for the Juvenile Court
judgeship now held by a Demo-
cratic appointee but unless they
can find their way around a legal
roadblock. they won't be able
to do anything about it until
Congress comes back.
That was the situation out
lined today by George L. Hart
jr.. chairman of the Republican
State Committee of the, District
THE State committee does
have a well-qualified candi-
date" he said. I'VE shall put
this candidate forward. How
ever. there may be a legal diff
ficulty until Congress returns In
January. An answer is now
being sought"
The legal difficulty is a pro-
vision in the law which re-
quires that an incumbent hold
an Office until a successor Is ap-
pointed and confirmed by the
Senate. That would appear to
bar recess appointment.
The present incumbent is
Judge Edith Cockrill, whose term
expires Saturday.
Mr.. Hart declined to say who
the Republican candidate is.
One Of those mentioned for the
$l7,500 Job has been Assistant
Corporation Counsel Olive G
Faircloth, former president Of
the District Women's Bar Asso-
citation and one of those who
aspired to the Juvenile Court
judgeship in 1949 when Judge
Cockrill won out.
Mrs. Faircloth told The Star
she had made no effort to get
the judgeship this time and
knew of no one else who had,
She said. however, that If the
post were offered to her, she
would accept.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-04
Starlight Movies y
Playground Film
Programs for 7 onieht

Program sponsored by the
Evening Star in cooperation
with the Film Center Of Wash
ington and the recreation de-
partments of the District and
Alexandra and Arlington, Prince
Georges and Montgomery coun-
ties:
Washington, at Dusk
stoddsrt;;, Thirty-ninth and Calvert
PARK View. warder and Otis street,
Taft. Eighteenth and Perry streets
kalorama. Nineteenth street and Co.
Bundy Fourth and o streets NV.
RosedaleI Seventeenth and oalei
streets NE.
-. Ke I.ly., , KsnilWorsh avenue snt
Buchanan. Thirteenth and D street.
Draper. Wheeler road and walter
Fort dreble. Nichols avenue anc
Chesapeake street S,W.
Arlington County. $50 pm.
yorktown. SOL North Twenty -eightf
Nellie Gusts. 712 South Twenty-t third
street.
Prince Georges County, $3.50 Pm.
Adeiphi Playground. Adelphi Mill
Rigs road, Adelphi.
Hiilcrest Heights Elementary school
Heights
MONTGOMERY County. $50 pm.
Wheaton Recreation Center, Claridgs
road OF viers Mill road. Wheaton.
Forest Grove. 9S06 Cameron drive
Silver Spring
nue.. Rockville
Alexandria, $50 pm.
Patrick Henry Playground. Shirley
Duke Development.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-04
Primary Setup Is Broke,
But Fast Start Is SOUGHT

Leaders Of political parties ir
the District are seeking a way
to set up primary election sys-
TEN even though there is nc
money to pay for It.
And it cannot be a slipshod
job, if Congress is to be i'm
pressed into permitting greater
voting rights to Washingtonians
they say.
On its last day. Congress
passed a bill giving District resi-
dents a vote on delegates to
presidential conventions and fol
national committeeman ant
committeeman here.
President Eisenhower is ex.
pected to sign the bill. He We
toed one similar to 1t last yeal
because it had a provision ex.
empting District residents from
Hatch Act operations. This new
bill does not have such a clause
$4,000 Item Slashed
The primary election bill hac
not passed when lawmakers
were pruning the District ap.
preparations, and they whackec
out a $4,000 item that was tc
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-04
paid Tor SETTING up election

nave PAID Tor setting UP election
machinery.
Party leaders expect Congress
to hand over the money next
January. Meanwhile they plan
to confer with the District
Commissioners on what can be
done to get ready for the pri-
mary.
Sturgis Warner, an attorney
who helped write the bill, said
"a great deal can be done in
the next six weeks or two
months"
If the District has any money
1t can lend to the primary move.
ment, the first thing to be done
Is appoint a paid Board OIL
Elections. he said. Then the
board can approve a registra.
ton form.
Party leaders expect the Law
would nullify any formal actor
by a board that wasn't being
paid.
Mr.. Warner thinks an unpaic
board could work unofficially
however, and have things linec
up for official approval when the
time arrives for taking Office
legally.
Hope to Meet Commissioners
George L. Hart, jr., chairman
of the Republican State Contra
Committee, today said he wa!
uncertain whether an unofficia
board could go so far as Il
divide the city into voting dis.
tricts. He said he hopes to con.
fer with the District Commits.
sioners on the entire problem
when the Commissioners car
spare time from the transit
tieup.
Melvin D. Hildreth, Democratic
National Committeeman for the
District, said he was confident
the National Committee would
accept the delegates elected
here even though there might
be a dispute over the Election
Boards legal status.
He said the bill "is a ster
forward that will lead to real
home rule, and we won't let
money stand in the way"
The bill permits the election
board more freedom in deci-
sions than most States allow,
Mr.. Warner said. It will let the
board act faster-when the
board is formally sworn in
than if the primary were held
under a State law with accumu-
lations of years of amendments.
Registrations for next Mays
presidential primary should
start here in November, but
won't. because of the money
mixup. Instead they probably
will begin in February. party
leaders said,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-04
Air Force to Honor
Godfrey, 2Others

Air Force Secretary Talbot
announced today that he was
presenting the departments Eek
ceptional civilian service award
to Arthur Godfrey.
Two other civilians will get
the awards at the same time,
MIR. Talbot said. They are
Frances v. Drake, special as
sistant to the secretary and a
magazine writer. and Grover
Looming. aviation pioneer and
now a consultant on research
and Development to Mr.. Talbot.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-04
County Voter Use
Sours to New Hioh

A record 636 million gallons
|of water was consumed by
Prince Georges and Montgom-
cry County residents yesterday.
setting a record mark for the
Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission.
The previous high mark, So
1l7,000 gallons, was set last July
I22. Our storage tanks are
pretty near full" said Harry B.
Shaw. the commissions chief
engineer. "The 65-million-gal-
lon-a-day Patuxent filtration
plant can pat out even more in
"a pinch"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-04
D. {. Jurors Gel
Sewer Case

A District grand jury is in
Ivestigating complaints of irregt
Iularities in sewage installation
program at the Marshall Heights
'low-cost housing development in
Southwest Washington.
United States Attorney Lee
"A. Rover said the complaints in
volyed the Consolidated Engi-
Ineering and Distributing Co. OF
America, Inc. 400 H street NE
The prosecutor said that
Originally the homes were with
Iout water or sewage connec-
lions. Recently, he said, home
owners stated that the engi.
Ineering Company contracted
with individual owners to install
water and sewage facilities.
According to the complaints
payment was not to be made
until the work was finished II
fashion satisfactory to The
Iowrers.
But. Mr.. Rover said, certain
liens and mortgages against
some Of the properties made ou1
lin favor of the engineering com.
pany have been brought to light
The compliments, numbering
about IS, denied signing mort.
cages or notes.
Today, Samuel 'Lieberman
head Of the engineering firm, ap.
peared before the grand jury
bearing records as subpeohaed
Yesterday he had refused tt
bring the records and cited the
Fifth Amendment safeguard
against Standardization, Mr.
Rover said. But Federal Judge
Burnita s. Matthews instructed
him to comply.
The grand Jury is also investi-
eating complaints from other
home owners in the Southeast
The Marshall Heights homes
Originally sold for about $500
each. The recently uncovered
deeds'of trust were said to vary
from $4,000 to $4,000 per home
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-04
ZOO HERE RECEIVES
2 KING COBRAS TO
REMEDY SHORTAGE

The Zoo was back in the
king cobra business today
with the arrival of two of
the lethal snakes.
DR.. William M. Mann'S
park has been without a
king cobra since the last one
died several months ago,
mourned by few friends.
The new ones measure
about 10 feet each.
King cobras are found
from India to Southern
China. They pack a punch
like a thunderclap. II don't
know of a single case of a
recovery from their bites"
DR.. Mann said.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-04
Water Plant
In Alexandra
Sound
Experts Advise City
To Buy Company
From Privote Firm

The city of Alexandria today
received an engineering report
advising that it is economically
sound" for the city to buy the
privately owned Alexandria Wa
ter Co. for $50 million.
The engineering study, made
by Gannett. Fleming. Cordry q
Carpenter, was authorized by
the city council last winter to de-
termine If the city should con-
denim, or otherwise acquire, the
private utility that serves all
OF Alexandria and parts of FAIR
fax County,
City Manager Ira Willard
said the engineers report COW
erred city purchase of all physi-
cal properties of the water COM
pany, including the reservoir
at Occoquan and transmission
lines.
The engineers said their con-
|clusion that the proposal was
economically sound" was pred
Heated on the city's ability to
finance the transaction by the
sale of 8 per cent, 40-year reve-
|nue bonds, not exceeding q total
Iof sos million.
Acquisition OF the Virginia
Water Co., a subsidiary of the
Alexandria Arm. is not con-
templated by the engineering
report. City ownership Of both
utilities was considered at first,
but the study later was confined
/ to the Alexandria Water Co. only
with the expectation that Fair
fax County is likely to proceed
with acquisition Of Virginia
Water Co.
Alexandria Water Co serves
Alexandria's 10000 residents.
plus 1880 people in adjacent
sections Of Fairfax County. Vir-
GINA Water Co, which also gets
Its water supply from the Oc-
coquan reservoir. serves 10.400
residents in Fairfax County.
Mayor Leroy Bendheim has
been the principal sponsor Of the
movement to study acquisition Of
the water firm. He complained
that water rates seemed too high.
and criticized the company be-
cause there was a water shortage
last summer. So far this year.
the company has not found it
necessary to impose any water
use restrictions. A new trans
mission line was completed in the
fall, relieving the conditions that
caused last summers difficulties
The engineers. however. FORE
see no immediate rate reduction
LII the city takes over and the
report assumes continuance Of
existing rates" 1t does mention,
however, that the Alexandria
Water Co. may find it necessary
/ to increase rates for further con-
struction If it retains ownership.
According to the engineers.
Alexandria Water Co. has a net
annual revenue of 1897. 375,
which represents a 5.18 per cent
return on the company's invest
ment. The report comments that
it does not appear the utility
is earning in excess of a fair
rate of return.
| Alexandria Water Co. is the
areas largest private water firm.
It is a subsidiary of American
Waterworks. Lake Bancroft for.
merly served as the company'S
reservoir, until the new facili-
ties were installed at Occoquan
Greek at the southern end Of
Fairfax County five years ago.
officials of the company have
indicated they are not inter-
ested in negotiating a sale to
1.-THE city,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-04
Guard Bond to Pluy

The 91st Army Band Of the
District Of Columbia National
Guard will give a free concert
from 7 to 9 pm. tomorrow in
Banneker Recreation Center.
$500 Georgia avenue NV.