Evening star., 1960-04-13
Randolph to Back
River Survey
Ends Objection
To Recreation
And Dam Study
BY JAMES G. DEANE
Star Staf Writer

objections to inclusion of flood
control and water supply dams
in an Army Engineer study OF
Potomac River basin develop
ment.
The Senator also has decided
to back inclusion of recreation
needs in the study, which was
barred from these two fieIos by
congressional action last year.
His action is expected to be
a major boost to plans for con-
Servation, anti-pollution and
water supply development in
the District-M -Maryland-Virgini
area.
Senator Randolph played q
key part in a ban on dam
studies clamped by congress
sional committees on the Army's
river planning last year. He
said he decided today to switch
his position after a meeting
two weeks ago with Army men
ether officials and other area
Senators.
Small Dams Sought
Army spokesmen at the ses.
sion repeated recent public
assurances that they do not
contemplate high dams for
power purposes. but stressed
the desirability of including
smaller water storage dams and
recreation potential in the
long-range study they are now
making.
The Senate Appropriations
Committee last year expressly
limited flood control planning
to channelization and levees
and excluded recreation from
the scope of the Army study.
I The limitations, strongly pro-
tested by conservation and cffi-
cial groups, were requested by
the Senate Public Works. Com
mittee at the behest of Sem
ators Randolph and Byrd,
Democrat of West Virginia.
Senator Randolph plans tc
ask Chairman Chavez, Demo-
crat of New Mexico, of the
works group to ask the Appro.
priations Committee to drop
these restrictions.
Others Present
The recent session at which
Senator Randolph discussed
the Potomac study with kew
leaders was attended by SEN
ators Byrd and Beall and rep
resentatives of Senators Byrd
and Robertson, Democrats of
Virginia. The Army was rep
resented by Brig. Gen. Thomas
H. Lipscomb, Army District En-.
gineer, and Brig. Gen. Alvin c
yelling, District Engineer Com.
missioner.
Senator Randolph's change
OF heart was disclosed as back
erS of a broader Potomac study
appeared before a House Ap-
preparations subcommittee con-
sidering funds to continue the
study.
A Senate Appropriations SUBJ
committee heard a similar
group yesterday.
At the closed-door House
session Chairman Cannon,
Democrat of Missouri, indi-
Gated surprise at pleas to lift
the restriction on a broader in
vestigation. He was quoted as
asking, What restriction"
Senator Elleneder, Democrat
OF Louisiana, was quoted by
witnesses as making a similar
inquiry.
100000 Fund Urged
/ 1t was theorized that neither
Of the Appropriations groups
may have been fully acquainted
with the request of the Senate
Public Works Committee made
last year at the request of the
West Virginia Senators.
Spokesman for several civic
groups strongly urged at least
a 100000 appropriation for
the study, with an additional
$1,000 to speed it if possible.
They also stressed the need
for lifting any restrictions
which would bar the Army En-
gineerS from producing a COM
prehensive report.
Witnesses at the House hear
ing included Harold Gray of
the Citizens Council for a clean
Potomac, Mrs. Haskell Rosen-
bloom Of the District League
OF Women Voters and Ellis S.
Tisdale, of the Interstate Com
mission on the Potomac River
Doe;xo