pu.di#14,
11th Annual Meeting
NATIONAL RECLAMATION ASSOCIATION
DENVER,
COLORADO
October 14, 15, 16
1942
qoaci Caot Became lite Ma41
ecal
oi 411 2tla4
MatetiNational Reclamation Association
1119 National Press BuildingWashington, D. C.
PRICE $1.00
pk
lk
Washington, D. C.
October 7, 1942. My dear Mr. Warden:
This year, for the first time in its history, the National Reclama-tion AssociaReclama-tion is meeting with the NaReclama-tion at war.
For ten years your organization has been fighting for the development of the arid third of our country by wise utilization of the West's precious water resources. You have had remarkable success in that fight in which I am proud to have been allied with you.
Now, with the needs of the war program uppermost in mind, my message to you is to keep up the good fight. Never before have the west's land and water resources meant so much to the Nation. Never before has there been greater need for their conservation and protection; and, as the requirements of the war dictate, for their efficient utilization.
Reclamation already has made great contributions to the war production program by expansion of its output of electric power to turn the wheels of war industry. It must continue that work and do more. As a greater output of western agriculture is required in support of an all-out program of food production, Reclamation must be ready to assist the West. The response in expanded output I realize will be in proportion to the labor and material available for irrigation construction. You are making, I know, the most of the facilities now in operation.
Those two production programs, based on power and irriga-tion, go hand in hand in the West. They are vital in war. In peace they likewise will serve the Nation. They will stabilize the West, provide employment, and make possible farm homes for returning service men and war industrial workers. Your efforts to advance these programs is a service to the Nation.
Sincerely yours,
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT.
Hon. 0. S. Warden,
President, National Reclamation Association, Denver, Colorado.
"As a greater output of western agriculture is required in sup-port of an all-out program of food production, reclamation must be ready to assist the West."
—From President Roosevelt's letter to the Denver conventimr. "Your Association can be proud of the part it has taken in assisting reclamation to adapt itself to a program of maximum serv-ice to the nation in its hour of peril."
—From Secretary Ickes' letter to the Denver convention. "Reclamation, I would say, is standing forth as an accepted na-tional policy—stronger today than it has been at any time since the enabling act was signed by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1902."
—From President Warden's Annual Address.
"To me it is apparent that along with all other organizations, our chief aim and purpose should be to gear our activities so as to make the greatest net contribution to winning the war."
—From the Secretary-Manager's Annual Report.
"To do this, we must have money, material and manpower. In view of the known facts, I can say to you, upon authority of the Secretary of the Interior, that the Department proposes to urge upon the Bureau of the Budget and upon Congress the necessity for the appropriation of funds to accelerate the completion of pend-ing reclamation projects, and to begin new projects which can be completed in the next three years; that we propose to urge upon the War Production Board with all the vigor at our command that material be produced and made available to enable these projects to be carried forward, taking into account, of course, the competing demands for materials for other war purposes; and that we propose to urge upon the appropriate authorities that due regard be given to the need for manpower for this essential work."
—From Abe Fortas' address on "Reclamation and Western, Development."
"With full priorities for critical materials, with manpower, and with adequate funds for construction, the Bureau of Reclamation can bring water to two million acres of productive land within three years."
—From John C. Page's address on "Reclamation In A World At Wax."
the Reclamation Service has evidenced such an understanding of conservation problems that there have been few major differences between us."
—From address on "The Relationship of Reclamation and Wild-life Projects" by Ira N. Gabrielson.
"In looking ahead toward an exhaustive world-wide war in which mental and physical attrition may equally contribute to the final decision with actual military casualties, how shall we rate the relative importance of guns, ships and planes as contrasted with fuel, food and clothing? Do they not rate equal consideration for the kind of war now looming on the horizon?"
—From "Irrigation In Our War and Post-War Period" by John W. Haw.
"Conflicts between federal and state interests in water have been inevitable, and there is little doubt that serious conflicts will continue as the development of water, and of water law, progresses. So long as serious conflicts remain unadjusted, the public welfare is not being served."
—From Wells A. Hutchins' address on "Some Trends in West-ern Water Law."
"The aggregate indebtedness of the non-federal enterprises, irrigation and drainage, as reported by the census, approximates the total disbursements of $331,276,829 from the Reclamation Fund in 39 years to June 30, 1941."
—From "Investment Status of Private and Federal Projects.' by G. W. Lineweaver.
"It would appear, therefore, that the important question so far as reclamation interests are concerned, is whether adequate provi-sion is contained in the proposed legislation to assure appropriate allocation of power revenues for the benefit of irrigation."
—Front -Analysis of Bone-Smith Amendment to Bonneville Act" by Clifford H. Stone.
"The achievement of coordination in the development of natural resources is not something which can be provided for once and for all through an organization chart. It is a very delicate flower which must be constantly nurtured or it will wither and die."
—From Frank W. Herring in "row-dinntion iii flu 11crelop-molt of Yatural Resources."
"Here it might be mentioned that as the present original sup-plies are doubled by return flows and re-use, it is expected that the new water which, it may be noted, is to be about 40% of our present average original supply, will increase the return flows propor-tionately."
—From 31. Dille's address on -Irrigation Problems in Nm.th-ern Colorado."
These experiments indicate that the use of the soil moisture blocks and application of the water only when needed makes it possible to grow maximum yields of sugar beets with a smaller amount of irrigation water than is sometimes applied.
—From The Effect of Soil and lioisturc Upon Growth of Sugar. by S. R. \ itrkols.
"Our West—the Reclamation West—most assuredly has the answer to the inevitable question that will come ringing down upon us from the lips of 25,000,000 men demobilized from camp and fac-tory. That question will be 'When do we eat?' "
—From -Preparations for Post-War Reclamation Derelop ment" by Dmi C. McBride.
"But I do insist that an insured production of feed crops through many of the valleys from North Dakota to Texas would go far toward enabling farmers to bring their herds through dry years."
—211. 0. Ryan in the panel discussion "The Future of the Water Conservation and Utilization Program."
"A goal has been set for the approval of twelve projects in the fiscal year 1943, and fifteen in 1944."
—From "The Future of the Water Conserration and Utili:ation Program" by -Wesley R. Nelson.
"The increase in efficiency of manpower in handling water on a well-planned farm with properly laid-out and properly levelled fields, as compared to what now exists on many irrigated farms, ex-ceeds 100%. In other words, one man can handle twice as many acres of properly prepared irrigable lands as he is now able to handle of land ineptly prepared. Further than this, experiment sta-tion records on various projects show that double the yield now being obtained can be expected from land so handled."
—Clifford Willson, in panel discussion on -The Future of the Water Cmiserration and Utilization Program."
complished today, great though they are in the eyes of this genera-tion, are little more than scratches on the surface when We consider the overall potentialities. It does not seem too visionary to picture a future in which we shall fully develop the ultimate possibilities of our river systems."
—From Major General Eugene Reybold's address -Post-War Development of Our River Basins."
"The records show that an average acre of sugar beets grown in western United States produces upwards of 3700 pounds of granulated sugar, and in addition, by-products consisting of beet tops, pulp and molasses, which have a feed value equal to average production on .87 of an acre of irrigated land growing corn or alfalfa."
—From Frank I. Kemp in "The Sugar Industry in Continental United States."
"I would be less than honest if I did not place myself before you as one who believes that the war holds a first mortgage upon every ounce of steel, or copper, or aluminum that we can produce —who believes that every claim should be judged by the hard standard—`does this use of this material promise to further the war effort more effectively than would any alternate use to which it might be put?' "
—From address of Stacy May, "Progress of War Production." "Your Association can contribute most effectively to meeting our war-time needs for food, feed, and fiber by helping to see that the irrigated land part of our national farm plant is kept in efficient, producing condition, and that it is ready at all times to meet emergency calls that may be made upon it."
—From Secretary of Agriculture Claude I?. Wickard's letter to the Denver convention.
"Aluminum and magnesium production lead to new and en-larged fabricating and manufacturing plants. It all has to start at the grass roots, and the market for low-cost power from the water conservation and flood control projects is to be found in processing the mineral and forestry raw materials."
—From "Western Industrial Dev6lopment" by George IV. Malone.
"Who today can give a complete, accurate picture of post-war conditions? But this much is sure—there will be modifications of the capitalistic system, with growth and development. There will be the adaptation of changing conditions and changing times. There will be a leveling-off process, with fewer huge incomes, with a greater number of middle-class citizens, with far less poverty."
1119 National Press Building
0. S. WARDEN ORA BUNDY
numbers of men and at the same time, in addition to preparing them to defend our country, we are showing them the way to a future that is almost without limit."
—From remarks by Major General Curry at the Annual Banquet.
"Current appropriations and unexpended balances totaling ap-proximately $128,000,000 are available for carrying forward the construction program of the Bureau of Reclamation during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1943."
—From presentation of construction facts before Board of Di-rectors at Denver, by Chief Engineer S. 0. Harper.
"Our primary concern is land. Our interest in power is incident to the development of the land. Important as electric power is to agricultural interests, the National Reclamation Association should not become in its majority activities a power enterprise."
—From a letter to Denver convention from Marshall V. Dana, first president of National Reclamation Association.
National Reclamation Association
Washington, D. C.
1942-1943
OFFICERS ROBERT W. SAWYER J. A. FORD FLOYD 0. HAGIE DIRECTORSHUGO B. FARMER, Yuma, Arizona J. R. FAUVER, Exeter, California CLIFFORD H. STONE, Denver, Colorado N. V. SHARP, Filer, Idaho
E. PORTER AHRENS, Scandia, Kansas 0. S. WARDEN, Great Falls, Montana H. D. STRUNK, McCook, Nebraska A. M. SMITH, Carson C;ty, Nevada
President First Vice President Second Vice President Treasurer Secretary-Manager
E. W. BOWEN, Tucumeari, New Mexico HARRY E. POLK, Williston, North Dakota FRANK RAAB, Canton, Oklahoma
ROBERT W. SAWYER, Bend, Oregon W. D. BUCHHOLZ, Newell, South Dakota Wm. B. ARNOLD, San Antonio, Texas ()RA BUNDY, Ogden, Utah
A. FoRD, Spokane, Washington PERRY W. JENKINS, Cora, Wyoming
October, 14, 15, 16, 1942
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14
9:00 A. M. to 1:00 P. M.—REGISTRATION OF DELEGATES— Lobby of Lincoln Room, Shirley-SaVoy Hotel (Note: The registration desk will be open from 7 p. m. to 11 p. m.
Tuesday evening, October 13, for the convenience of those who wish to register early.)
10:00 A. M. to 12:00—STATE CAUCUSES
Delegates will caucus by states at the Shirley-Savoy Hotel to consider the following order of business:
Elect member of Legislative Committee Elect member of Resolutions Committee Elect Director
Discuss reclamation problems and policies of the state, includ-ing budget, state quota and any resolutions which the state desires to foster
State caucus rooms as follows will be available throughout the convention:
Arizona—Empire Room California—Colorado Room
Colorado—Lincoln Room (main floor) Idaho—Room 234
Kansas—Lincoln Room (north balcony) Montana—Spruce Room
Nebraska—Lincoln Room (west balcony) Nevada—Main mezzanine floor (north end) New Mexico—Lincoln Room (south balcony) Oklahoma—Main mezzanine floor (south end) North Dakota—South mezzanine floor
Oregon—Centennial Room South Dakota—Room 465 Texas—Room 460 Utah—Room 134
Washington—Rooms 104-106
Wyoming—Lincoln Room (main floor) Wednesday Afternoon Lincoln Room—Shirley-Savoy Hotel 1:30 P.M.—FIRST CONVENTION SESSION
President 0. S. Warden, presiding 1:35 P.M.—INVOCATION
Rev. W. Scott McMunn, United Presbyterian Church, Denver 1:40 P.M—WELCOME TO DENVER
Mayor B. F. Stapleton of Denver 1:45 P.M.—COLORADO AND RECLAMATION
Hon. Ralph L. Carr, Governor of Colorado 2:05 P.M.—THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Dr. 0. S. Warden, Publisher, Great Falls, Tribune, Great Falls, Montana
James A. Ford, Manager, Spokane Chamber of Commerce, Spokane, Washington
2:45 P.M.—SECRETARY-MANAGER'S REPORT
Floyd O. FIagie, Secretary-Manager, National Reclamation Asso-ciation, Washington, D. C.
3:10 P.M.—REPORT OF STATE CAUCUSES
By Director of each 'state (5 minutes each) 4:00 P.M.—ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ADJOURNMENT
Wednesday Evening
6:30 P.M.—DIRECTORS' ADVISORY COMMITTEE DINNER Colorado Room—Shirley-Savoy Hotel
Includes Directors, Members of Legislative Committee and Reso-lutions Committee and two others from each state chosen by the Director, and such others as may he invited by the Board of Directors.
President Warden, presiding
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15 Lincoln Room—Shirley-Savoy Hotel
President Warden, presiding
9:45 A.M.—"RECLAMATION AND WESTERN DEVELOPMENT"
Abe Fortas, Under Secretary, Department of the Interior, Wash-ington, D. C.
10:10 A.M.—Questions from floor and discussion
10:15 A.M.—"RECLAMATION IN A WORLD AT WAR"
John C. Page, Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation, Washington, D. C.
10:45 A.M.—Questions from floor and discussion
10:50 A.M.—"RELATIONSHIIP OF RECLAMATIOIN AND WIILDLIFE RESTORATION PROJECTS"
Dr. Ira N. Gabrielson, Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, Wash-ington, D. C.
11:15 A.M.—Questions from floor and discussion
11:20 A.M.—"WESTERN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT"
George Malone, Managing Director, Industrial West Foundation, Reno, Nevada
11:35 A.M.—Questions from floor and discussion 11:40 A.M.—OFFICIAL CONVENTION PHOTOGRAPH
Mile High Photo, Denver 12:15 P.M.—LUNCHEON
Empire Room—Shirley-Savoy Hotel Vice President Ora Bundy, presiding
ENTERTAINMENT
12:45 P.M.—"IRRIGATION IN OUR WAR AND POST-WAR PERIOD" John W. Haw, Director, Agricultural Development Department,
Northern Pacific Railway Co., St. Paul, Minn. 1:15 P.M.—Questions from floor and discussion
Thursday Afternoon Lincoln Room—Shirley-Savoy Hotel
President Warden, presiding
2:00 P.M.—"SOME TRENDS IN WESTERN WATER LAW"
Wells A. Hutchins, Senior Irrigation Economist, Division of Irri-gation, Soil Conservation Service, Berkeley, California 2:25 P.M.—Questions from floor and discussion
VILLE ACT"
Clifford H. Stone, Director, Colorado Water Conservation Board, Denver, Colorado
2:55 P.M.—Questions from floor and discussion
3:00 P.M.—"INVESTMENT STATUS OF PRIVATE AND FEDERAL PROJECTS"
G. W. Lineweaver, Acting Director of Information, Bureau of Reclamation, Washington, D. C.
3:25 P.M.—Questions from floor and discussion
3:30 P.M.—"COORDINATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES"
Frank W. Herring, Assistant Director, National Resources Planning Board, Washington, D. C.
3:50 P.M.--Questions from floor and discussion
4:00 P.M.—ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ADJOURNMENT Thursday Evening
WATER USERS' FORUM
Lincoln Room—Shirley-Savdy Hotel-7:30 P.M.
Presiding: John S. Moore, General Supervisor, Operation and Maintenance, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, Colorado 7:40 P.M.—"IRRIGATION PROBLEMS IN NORTHERN COLORADO"
J. M. Dille, Secretary-Manager, Northern Colorado Water Con-servancy District, Greeley, Colorado
8:00 P.M.—Questions from floor and discussion
8:10 P.M.—"THE EFFECT OF SOIL AND MOISTURE UPON GROWTH OF SUGAR BEETS"
S. B. Nuekols, Associate Agronomist, Bureau of Plant Industry, U.S.D.A., Scottsbluff, Nebraska
8:30 P.M.—Questions from floor and discussion 8:40 P.M.—Motion Picture: "IRRIGATED PASTURE"
L. H. Mitchell, Irrigation Advisor, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, Colorado
9:10 P.M.—Questions from floor and discussion
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ADJOURNMENT FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16 Lincoln Room—Shirley-Savoy Hotel
President Warden, presiding
9:45 A.M.—"PREPARATIONS FOR POST-WAR RECLAMATION DE-VELOPMENT"
Don McBride, Director, Division of Planning and Water Resources, Oklahoma Planning and Resources Board, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
10:10 A.M.—Questions from floor and discussion
10:15 A.M.—"THE FUTURE OF THE WATER CONSERVATION AND UTILIZATION PROGRAM"
Panel discussion by—
M. 0. Ryan, Executive Secretary, Republican Valley Conserva-tion AssociaConserva-tion, McCook, Nebraska
Wesley Nelson, Chief Engineering Division, Bureau of Recla-mation, Washington, D. C.
Clifford Willson, Area Director, Farm Security Administration, Denver, Colorado
Major General Eugene Reybold, Chief of Army Engineers, Wash-ington, D. C.
11:25 A.M.—Questions from floor and discussion
11:30 A.M.—"THE SUGAR INDUSTRY IN CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES"
Frank Kemp, President, Great Western Sugar Company, Denver, Colorado
11:55 A.M.—Questions from floor and discussion
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ADJOURNMENT 12:15 P.M.—LUNCHEON
Empire Room—Shirley-Savoy Hotel President Warden, presiding
ENTERTAINMENT
12:45 P.M.--"PROGRESS OF WAR PRODUCTION"
J. A. Krug, Deputy Director General for Priority Control, Wash-ington, D. C.
1:15 P.M.—Questions from floor and discussion
Friday Afternoon
Lincoln Room—Shirley-Savoy Hotel President Warden, presiding
2:00 P.M.—A FOUR-MINUTE MESSAGE FROM THE AMERICAN RED CROSS
2:05 P.M.—UNFINISHED BUSINESS OF CONVENTION 2:15 P.M.—BUSINESS SESSION
Report of Audit Committee Report of Budget Committee Report of Legislative Committee Report of Resolutions Committee Selection of 1943 Convention City 3:45 P.M.—MEETING OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Friday Evening 7:30 P.M.—ELEVENTH ANNUAL BANQUET
Lincoln Room—Shirley-Savoy Hotel
Auspices of Denver Chamber of Commerce and Denver Conven-tion Committee of the NaConven-tional ReclamaConven-tion AssociaConven-tion
(Informal) TOASTMASTER
Hon. Edwin C. Johnson, Senator from Colorado INVOCATION
Rev. Raymond A. Waser, First Plymouth Church, Denver Colorado MESSAGES FROM FRIENDS OF RECLAMATION
President Warden ADDRESS
Major General John F. Curry, U. S. A., Fourth District Headquarters, Denver, Colorado
ADDRESS: THE CHALLENGE OF CHANGE
Eric Johnston, President, Chamber of Commerce of the United States, Spokane, Washington
(Through the courtesy of the Denver Convention Committee, copies of the Resolutions passed by the convention will be distributed at the close of the banquet to those desiring copies to take home.)
PROCEEDINGS
OF
THE
ELEVENTH ANNUAL
MEETING
*
1942
National Reclamation Association
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON October 14, 1942
Lincoln Room, Shirley-Savoy Hotel Denver, Colorado
President 0. S. Warden, presiding CALL TO ORDER
1 :30 P. M.
President 0. S. Warden: The convention will please be in order. We will have the invocation by the Reverend W. Scott McMunn.
Reverend McMunn with delegates standing gave the invocation. Mr. Warden: It was expected that we would be in the city of Bakersfield, California, this afternoon at 1 :30 o'clock. There were some circumstances in that part of the country which caused us to hesitate, and after consultation with our Board of Directors, it seemed that its choice was the city of Deliver. I suppose this was partly central location—it was partly because we were here three years ago and had a fine convention—a wonderful welcome.
I believe we were welcomed then by the same Mayor who will address you today. We are not advised how many terms a Mayor can be elected in the city of Denver, but we are glad to have Mayor B. F. Stapleton speak to us at this time about his home city. (Applause).
WELCOME TO DENVER
Mayor B. F. Stapleton, Den rer
Mayor Stapleton: Mr. President and members of the Associa-tion: Of course it is seldom that an outsider is even interested in how many terms a mayor can be elected anyway. They have troubles of their own and we have troubles of our own, but we are sorry indeed that anything occurred that would interfere with the hold-ing of the convention in Bakersfield or any other place that you had selected, but I want to congratulate the officers or the executive committee of your association in the good judgment they displayed when they decided that since they couldn't meet at Bakersfield they would meet at the best place in the country to have a convention, and for that reason you are here. (Applause).
We are glad to have a report from your President that your meeting was successful and enjoyable three years ago. Now we • hope that you won't charge this convention up against us when you
again should come back here because this one shouldn't count. Now I want to congratulate the organization in the work you are doing. The enterprise you are showing in trying to develop the
undeveloped land in this area. This land that we have already developed has proved very beneficial, and very essential in the solution of the food problems of this country. For instance, without the sugar beets that are raised in many of the states you represent, sugar rationing would be rationing in reality. We are contributing to the feeding of America, our own country and we are contributing in a very large degree to feeding other parts of the world and much of this food is coming from this irrigated area. Without our fruits, apples, peaches, plums, pears and grapes and the many other kinds of fruit, we would be having to supply that same need somewhere else and it is not available at this time from any other areas ex-cept the irrigated areas of the United States.
We in Denver are very much interested in irrigation and conservation and we have felt for some time that there was only one big problem and that was to win the war, but if we have any spare time as we go along it should be used in planning for some kind of programs that will furnish employment after the emergency is over. The city administration for many years has taken an active part in the development of water in this area. We financed, that is the city did, as far as Colorado is concerned our part, the state's part, in the Boulder Dam Compact. We sent one of our citizens and one of our able lawyers and who was then considered very efficient because he and the President were classmates and the city paid the expense. Whatever expense was paid in trying to get an agreement on that Boulder Dam program was paid by the city and county of Denver.
We have for several years been working on a project which principally benefits the farmers and land owners adjacent to Denver.
We have grown more in the last couple of years than some of us thought we'd like, but be that as it may we have provided water which no one else claims and which is rather peculiar to have water in this area without someone else claiming it, as you know, but we have water upon which there are no claims filed, sufficient to fur-nish domestic water and industrial water for a city twice the popu-lation that we have: but we feel that the development of the agri-cultural areas around Denver, between Denver and the Nebraska line, is the finest and most substantial development that we could possibly aid and as a result the water department of Denver, the city administration proper, are cooperating with the Reclamation Service in preparing—and we hope we will have it completed so that we can begin work very shortly, on a project somewhere from thirty to forty million dollars in this area immediately after this emergency passes. I feel that instead of waiting until this is over and then asking the Reclamation Service to furnish us a program and then going down to Washington—when all you gentlemen will be there wanting some help as we will from Congress to finance a program of this kind in your particular location or your state—
that we ought to have our facts and figures ready so that it can be presented and we ought to have a contribution on our own part that we can make, because the projects that are worthwhile are eventually self liquidating projects and that is why we are putting in considerable time on developing this one particular project.
Where ever a community or a state can develop land that is worth irrigating, it is worth studying now in our opinion and being ready to develop after the war is over. As I said, the first thing is to win the war and we have all kinds of people in our community and you have all kinds of people in your community and we have some people who want to tell the army and the navy and the marines and coast guards how to run the war. Having been in one war my-self for a while I am satisfied to let the commander-in-chief and the generals and the admirals run the war and I feel that as far as the city administration is concerned, as long as I have anything to do with it, that is going to be our position regardless of who happens to be the commanding general or the commander-in-chief and we believe from our slight observation and little experience the war will be much easier won that way than having a lot of fellows—but you notice our papers and we have letters from the people that they publish—well, everybody has a right to write all that he wants to and can find some newspaper to use the ink and energy to print it for him, now those fellows are not going to be much help to us or anybody else. But I didn't come over here to tell you how to win the war, but we are going to win the war, we are going to have to work together the same as on any other proposi-tion. It takes cooperaproposi-tion.
We are glad you are here and don't count this meeting against us when you start to arrange for the next one and we will have a good mayor regardless of when it comes. (Applause).
Mr. Warden: Mayor Stapleton, we thank you for your timely remarks and for your practical suggestions. I can say this much— I hope there is a return engagement because we enjoy it every time we come. I am pleased to add the city of Denver and the state of Colorado have been a pillar of strength in the National Reclamation Association. We have always had cooperation and support in every-thing that is good. I hope you get your big project after the war. Gentlemen, it is a custom at this time for the President of your Association to present some of the intimate problems of the moment.
THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
President 0. S. Warden, Publisher Great Falls Tribune. Great Falls, Montana
I think you all understand that it is not easy at this time to speak with confidence about a great many things. I thoroughly agree with Mayor Stapleton, we ought to win the war and then return to much civic work that now has to wait.
When a great nation goes to war, there are two armies des-pvrately in the conflict--one, the boys at the front fighting until there is a determining victory—the other carrying the burden of labor and business—supplying the food and weapons, and the money in an abundance that will not flinch.
When the present war burst upon Europe, the United States, standing at the head of world democracies, volunteered to help with food from the farms, and with the fabrication of industry. In the pile-up of turbulent events, we have now taken on the majoring brunt of the fighting in an engulfing war. We are on the march with food from the farms, and with the weapons that kill. We are in the war with two great armies--at the front and in the home com-munities—neither must fail.
The United States is under a solemn national responsibility, as we begin deliberations at the opening session of the Eleventh Annual Convention of the National Reclamation Association. I have again the high privilege, in my seventh year as your president, of re-viewing what has been done in a twelve-month period. We are ready to study continuing problems as well as the difficulties—if there are any, and it is correct to add there have been difficulties. I believe, however, they have been quite completely met and cleared away—about as you would have directed if you had been in con-vention assembled all the while. Furthermore, I wish to give you, in the middle of this dismal war, a personal conclusion. Reclamation, I would say, is standing forth as an accepted national policy— stronger today than it has been at any time since the enabling act
N'as signed by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1902.
If this much be true, it is no longer necessary to delve into pioneering historical experience of the seventeen member states of this association. We can skip visions, and the ambitions of President Thomas Jefferson, a frontier farmer of his day, who purchased a chunk of western land at four cents an acre, and opened the door to a great area where we are building comfortable homes—homes such as always defy attack when a war pinch comes along. Lewis and Clark, the explorers, pushed up into the northwestern country. The nation was looking westward. No one knew in that day where the Missouri River came from, or the thread of its course. The great Columbia, flowing the other way, was not upon the map. The deeply cutting Colorado was hidden in an unexplored desert canyon. From those early days until now, the snows in the mountains, and the ditches in the valley, more than all things else, have inspired a new civilization—have put nearly twenty billions of property values into seventeen sovereign western states. A venturesome pioneer people have also created a home market greater than has been so far found in the foreign trade traveling out of our country, over all of the seven oceans where ships can go. Therefore, I am squeezing the year by year history into a paragraph. You know the story as well as I do.
I suggest it will profit us more if we push into a consideration of the intimate problems that pertain to enterprises under way, but which are hindered in a world of tragic uncertainty, if we talk about feasible projects yet to be planned, if we are finally to reach a complete utilization of resources as they continue contributing to domestic water supply, to navigation, to flood control, to the production of power and all other uses.
Looking then into the future as far as we can see, and con-sidering what we clearly know, I hope you will believe that in ad-vance of speaking at this opening session of your convention I have felt an unusual responsibility, and a sincere wish to be helpful. I have been trying to reach wise conclusions, so that we may chart a safe and sane course for reclamation through the uncertainties of today and tomorrow—to the end that we may enable a more steady progress after the fog of war has cleared away.
Our problems have multiplied in the eleven years of associated effort. We now plan multiple projects in a broadening field of en-deavor. There is, however, no cause for discouragement on this account—at the half-way station where we now are in organized effort.
It is an easy prophecy that reclamation will move on progres-sively to the end of the trail, if the Government and the states work together for a complete development of western land and water re-sources. Please believe, however, and remember that reclamation will not fully succeed in any other way. To be sure there are rights that belong to the states, and they should be guarded with a continuing solicitation—but always with a friendly considerate solicitation. It is well to be careful and to be thoughtful while we are looking out for the rights of the states—keeping well in mind from whence have come the millions of dollars of generous federal appropriations. We shall need equal or greater contributions of funds, just as much as we have needed the appropriations heretofore made. The Govern-ment naturally and quite consistently will have much to say about what is constructed, and what is done afterward. There will have to be fair give and take investments if Uncle Sam continues to pull the zipper of an Open pocketbook.
Let's keep the crystal clear. Contention will not win much in Washington, or anywhere else. Courts hinder the shovel and the plow. It is better to try hard keeping out of them. Considerate ap-preciation is a virtue. Agreements that aim to be fair and not selfish —this is the gate that will open to the best development of far reaching watersheds—regions that should be friendly because they have related natural resources. Reclamation can surely continue to, win in this way.
Somewhere I have read—"The engine that hath not sand in its: sand box, proceedeth not up the grade." It is my belief that in-telligent, fairly planned effort—that is the sand for our sand box..
The courage we have always had, and the cool judgments we try to reach will enable us to play out a winning game in a righteous cause. The reclamation engine is geared to roll along on the level, or up the grades to the end of the line, and into a terminal of national satisfaction.
I would like to review briefly what has happened in Washington since the Phoenix Convention. The administration and the Congress have continued to be generous in the appropriation of funds for expenditure by the Bureau of Reclamation. The amount going directly into reclamation has been reduced. The Governmental atti-tude, however, and the look ahead, present a clear sky of con-fidence. The sum total appropriated by the present Congress, in amount $88,000,000, plus unexpended balances is as great as the Bureau can use with advantage. Many engineers have been taken away for war service. It is further of present and continuing in-terest to note that while the existent department of interior ap-propriations were jockeying through the Congress, a food shortage siren came out of the department of agriculture, calling for 10,-000,000 new acres of agriculture to increase farm production. Your association appeared at the congressional hearings. Following these sessions, more than $5,000,000 was added to the appropriations for distinctly irrigation items. The sums for general investigation were deservedly maintained, or increased, along with several other de-sirable adjustments. It was established in abundant clarity that with reclamation assistance, the seventeen member states of this association are already making in this year 1942 a great contribution to a varied food production—and that too near the Pacific Ocean— saving time and transportation costs to Pacific Ocean Army and Naval bases. The harvest of this year in the western area where we live is bringing a valued gift to the nation's food and stock produc-tion supply. Like a rainbow in the sky, it lights the way ahead to further increasing production upon thousands of acres in 1943 and 1944, if there is studied enabling provision in the reclamation items of the Interior Department bill that will shortly be prepared, and considered by the next Congress.
The rationing of essential foods has already begun—and can only be stopped by additional production. It will be sensible and useful, if every state where reclamation can expand upon existing projects, without using strategic metals, shall collect and furnish as much information as it can to the Bureau of Reclamation right away. The suggested expansion may be assisted by supplemental water supply, ditch extensions or other enlargements. With the number of local engineers still available, you can help secure the information justifying congressional appropriations to add perhaps 3,000,000 new production acres in the next two building seasons. It is clearly our duty to do this much.
There is another intense problem, looking to the future, that flags the attention of this convention. I do not think there should be further delay. We need to make ready for reclamation after the war. The American people—the most of them—like to be up and doing. This national characteristic, manifesting itself in differing effort, is evidenced in Congressional measures looking to far reach-ing developments in some of our more important watersheds. We hear these proposals classified as "regional authorities." Whatever merit there may be in this measure or that measure, I believe such proposals will persist in the Congress, and in the minds of impatient people who are their proponents, unless something is done about it. The issue of whether post-war land and water reclamation proj-ects are to be undertaken by the old construction agencies of the government, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Army Engineers and the Soil Conservation Service of the department of agriculture, or by regional authorities in each stream basin, is still an open question, and will quite surely remain so until or unless the present con-struction agencies, through closer coordination of planning, stream-lining and expansion of capacity to construct, have convinced the administration, and the country at large, that they can deal quickly and effectively with stream basin development on a scale probably many times as large as anything yet undertaken. I am quite sure that valuable time is rapidly moving around the clock. Having studied this problem for a year or more, qualified or not, I am ventufesome enough to suggest to this convention the essentials of a law that I think would be one way to win popular approval through reenergized accomplishment. If such a statute is prepared, it must be inclusive of adequate planning, and reach all the way through to the details of benefit and use. The statement of national policy in such a measure ought fittingly to be a declaration whereby land and water planning and development, water control and use shall be carried on by the Department of the Interior, the Corps of Army Engineers and the Department of Agriculture in accord with existing laws, or hereafter enacted statutes—the Government and the states working in cooperation—the full and ultimate object being to bring about, throughout all of the watersheds, the greatest sum total of useful benefits, taking into account all advantages to be secured, in the best selected order of construction, through do-mestic water supply, irrigation, flood control, navigation, the pro-duction of power and all other uses.
To effect these purposes, I wish to suggest operating functions in some detail. First, general regional investigation and recommen-dations might be supplied by a board of seven members with the following personnel: One member recommended by the Secretary of the Interior—one member recommended by the Secretary of War— one member recommended by the Secretary of Agriculture—one member recommended by the Chairman of the Federal Power Com-mission—these four members to be approved by the President—also
three additional members chosen by the President, who should have residence—one in the east—one in the middle west and one in the western portion of the United States.
In the course of procedure, many proponents of a new co-ordinating law would provide that this water resources board make studies of the watersheds of the United States, sufficiently com-plete with engineering to determine where there should be units of developments under the provisions of the act, through the ex-penditure of funds appropriated and made available by the Con-gress. There might well be conference with local regional planning boards or special advisory committees, appointed by the governor of any state. Having selected projects as provided, the board should once a year-60 days before the convening of Congress—submit findings to the President, to the Bureau of the Budget, and to the Congress. There, of course, would be other details of selection, and choices in an advantageous order of construction.
The old experienced agencies could then carry on from this point with their own detailed engineering and with construction under existing law, or as amended by the Congress.
Under this plan, the Department of the Interior would have jurisdiction and authority, and exercise all powers delegated by the National Reclamation act, or as that act may be amended, over projects designed for the development of water resources by irriga-tion, or the development of water resources by multiple-use projects intending to irrigate land as well as produce coincident power.
The Corps of Army Engineers would have jurisdiction and authority in the preparation of detailed plans and in the construc-tion of navigaconstruc-tion and flood control projects as heretofore pro-vided by federal law, or as such statutes may be amended by the Congress.
The Department of Agriculture would have jurisdiction and carry on the work of land development, soil conservation and utiliza-tion, agricultural economics, crop research and family welfare, coming on after the construction of reclamation projects as hereto-fore provided, or as made effective through executive order.
In the development of multiple projects initiated or constructed or primarily undertaken by these agencies, the allocations of costs incurred could be fixed according to the benefits to be secured, as determined by the department having primary jurisdiction of the project.
In the case of development of power in connection with the construction of a water resource or water control project, a plan, agency or administration to properly market such power could con-sistently be set up by the construction agency itself, or by the Con-gress in the act making appropriation of funds for the building of the project—if this is found to be the more advantageous economic plan.
This much comment, of course, does not present a statute ready for congressional enactment. I shall be abundantly content if it points to one sensible way out. I believe the administration and the congress are ready to enact some fairly devised statute. The sooner the present controversies are smoothed out, in the Congress and elsewhere, the better it will be for reclamation. I have taken considerable of your time upon this subject. The foregoing remarks are not particularly entertaining, but this is the most important problem in our legislative field today. There has been a large crop of conversation during the last year—discussion of how to bring about closer coordination of government departments from plan to crop. I hope the word "coordination" is not worn out in the talking. I would like to .see—if you will permit the homely wording—the present convention walk into this subject with both feet.
I have thought that I might well add something about the production of power as it relates to reclamation. Only a few years ago when I was in kindergarten class, and that sturdy veteran, Dr. Elwood Mead was the teacher—reclamation was the A B C of what it is today—it was just the elementary diversion and distribu-tion of water. After a while the producdistribu-tion of power began to assist irrigation construction costs. In those early days there was no vision of Boulder Dam, with its seventeen big installed and con-templated generators, or of the tremendous Grand Coulee.
I suppose many of you have now read the reclamation handbook for 1942. If so, you know that by the end of this year power plants on Bureau of Reclamation projects will be capable of producing more than 10,000 million kilowatt hours of electric energy. Two big strapping kids have been born—irrigation and power—they have been called the Siamese twins of reclamation. All the while the National Reclamation Association has continually and consistently endeavored to promote feasible reclamation projects, trying always to work in harmony with the federal government, careful to keep activities of the association within the provisions of the constitution, the judgments of its directors, and the conclusions of its annual conventions. Finally in the course of human events, nearly all recla-mation enterprises are multiple purpose projects—they produce power—some of them a lot of it. The disposal of this power here and there leads to fierce conflict between public and private power investments. Of course, we as promoters of reclamation, perforce of physical circumstances, must have an intimate interest in the dispo-sition of power produced by a multiple purpose project if it is making a contribution to irrigation construction—the water users cost. Of course, again there is a like intimate interest in power pro-duction that makes a joint contribution to reclamation and to the general welfare of the region where a multiple project is developed. Where power has to do with and benefits reclamation, it is directly our concern. There, however, have been and are instances where
these differing interests, to use a homely phrase, pull at our apron strings, asking for influence where there are contending questions of whether private power companies, or some arm of the federal government, or some joint arrangement of the two shall,distribute power to the ultimate consumer. In the consideration of these uses, your association has endeavored to keep the middle of the road— to remain neutral. I think it may wisely continue that policy.
Speaking of policies and convention deliberations, I often go back into the resolutions of former years. This happened in the case of sugar. In the last three annual conventions, the National Recla-mation Association has resolved, asking that the sugar act be amended to allow progressive expansion of an essential home in-dustry. The beet growers and the cane growers have had to face an opposing attitude of the Department of Agriculture, the Depart-ment of State and a non-sympathetic Congress. And we may as well fully realize that a combination of influential business men having a selfish interest, and a considerable number of powerful persons in high public office, apparently would like to destroy root and branch the sugar industry that we have. I hate to criticize the great departments of my Government, but in all truth they have been a better friend of American capital invested in foreign plantations than they have of the United States farmer, who would like to build an industry at home. To his everlasting credit, the American farmer has shown a fine civic patriotism, as he harvests this year a 16 percent increase in sugar beet acreage—an all time record. A few months ago his Government would not let him plant a single additional acre. The rationing of sugar is a national mistake. The rationing of sugar and the rationing of rubber are twin mistakes— inexcusable if we had looked a little ahead. History teaches the stern lesson that every great nation, if it would stand invincible through the centuries—so far as its natural resources will allow— should produce a controlling percentage of commodities and mer-chandise that are reckoned among the necessities of comfortable living and essential business. Today sugar beets are grown in 19 states and are processed in 85 factories—reaching all the way from the Great Lakes to California. You might expect that 38 senators and a comparable number of congressmen would be interested. They will when all of the beet growers, all of the cane growers and the processing factories unite their petitions, asking for a reasonable progressive national sugar policy. Until this happens, the bankers and others who have money in Cuban plantations may have their way about it. Housewives may continue to stand in line an hour or so to get enough sugar to sweeten a jar of United States peaches. Meanwhile, keep this much in mind—if given a chance the sugar industry can become the most beneficial farm development in the west, because of what can be accomplished within itself added to a tremendous contribution it can make in the successful growing of livestock.
There are several other subjects that invite your attention. There has recently been conference in Washington because war has made inoperative the Case-Wheeler Water Conservation act which was assisted by W. P. A. labor rolls and man power from C. C. C. camps. This legislation well conceived was later improved by amendment. It would have quite soon brought about the construc-tion of many much needed projects in the Great Plains area. Several were undertaken. I recommend that the delegates of this convention give serious attention to revitalizing the Case-Wheeler program, be-cause it might still help to stabilize our western farm and ranch operations, from whence comes in large extent our present food and meat supply. The Bureau of Reclamation is collecting information. Another problem comes bouncing back to the Convention—per-haps a resolution was passed without sufficiently complete informa-tion. At the Phoenix Convention a year ago federal legislation was recommended whereby a group of private irrigation districts would be excused from the payment of interest upon their indebtedness on the plea of equity. A recent study seems to reveal, and it is tentatively stated, that as a class these districts that seek the pro-posed modification already enjoy lower repayments than either the remaining private districts or the federal projects with which comparisons are made. Therefore, in fairness to all concerned the previous commitment ought to be examined. I understand detailed findings will be presented to the Convention.
Five member states have organized Reclamation Associations since we met a year ago, as a means of bringing together the irriga-tion and water conservairriga-tion interests of their respective states in the development of reclamation programs and an endeavor, with the help of the National Reclamation Association, to more effectively promote the use of our land and water resources. I wish to con-gratulate these states upon this forward step, and I urge upon the delegates of other states the desirability of such organization. Reclamation is a long-time job and should be approached as such. You will be delighted to know that I shall not add much to this imperfect review except to say—we ought not to be discouraged because the whole world is in a whirl—because there is confusion —national and international. To be sure the work of today is hard. The sacrifices hurt. Nevertheless, it is a time for a fighting faith. tempered by cool thinking and careful acting. Well considered judgments have a golden value now. Loyalty is a brilliant jewel that shines undimmed through the night, as long as the flag is still there. If we remain patient in tribulation, humble in spirit, firm in the faith that so far has kept us free, failure cannot come in the conflict. There will be, not so far away, new opportunities for this Association—a chance to try just as we have tried before. On the platform, through the air, before the altar at the church, at the fire-side in the homes—a great nation says it is fighting to preserve the American way of life. There is worthy resolve in the wording.
After the victory, and in the fruition of peace, there can be a new, a greater and a better national accomplishment, if in the hearts of all of our people, if in the counting room of business, and in the homes of the factory worker, as well as in the homes out on the farm—where perchance may live the rich or the poor, if the way of life that we then cherish keeps within its concept, the welfare of every group and the fireside of every home. If this shall be our chosen "way of life," it will be pleasant to walk in it and America, will continue to be free.
Mr. Warden: I thank you. (Applause).
Mr. Warden: Now we can turn to something more pleasant. I said to our Treasurer yesterday—we have a good treasurer. I base that conclusion upon the fact that his treasury is in splendid shape. He is better off, relatively speaking, than the treasurer of the United States of America. I wonder if Treasurer Ford is ready to make his report at this time.
TREASURER'S REPORT
Treasurer .I. A. Ford, Managing Secretary, Spokane Chamber of Commerce, Spokane, Washington
Mr. Ford: First we will give you the relative quotas—how we stand state by state. Now it would be a tiresome job to read all those figures. They will be published in the year book. I will tell you enough so that you will get the general picture. The following are the banner states that raised their quotas. You understand our fiscal year ends on September 30. Our books are audited both at Spokane and at Washington, D. C. and we try to close our books on that date. At the time our books were audited these states had made their full quota or more: Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. They are the banner states. The others were either close or not so close to raising the entire quotas. Since we have gathered here at the convention they have been shoving checks at Mr. Hagie and myself. Oklahoma and Colorado made it about forty minutes ago and Arizona made it as I walked up the aisle.
CASH STATEMENT FOR 1942 Cash on hand, September 30, 1941 $ 8,062.61 Budget collections from Oct. 1, 1941, to
Sept. 30, 1942 24,929.91
Total Cash Receipts for 1942 $32,992.52
DISBURSEMENTS, 1942:
Remittances to the Secretary $24,000.00 Treasurer's bond renewal premium 37.50
Bank exchange charges 2.10
Audit for 1941 27.50
Treasurer's expenses; postage, telegraph,
misc., office supplies 91.00
Total Disbursements by Treasurer,
1942 $24,158.10
Cash on hand in treasury Sept. 30, 1942 $ 8,834.42 QUOTA STATEMENT September 30, 1942 State Arizona California Colorado Idaho Due from 1941 Quota 1942 Quota $ 1,200.00 4,667.00 1,667.00 1,000.00 Paid on 1941 Deficit Paid on 1942 Budget $ 632.50 4,468.00 1,576.76 1,000.00 Balance Unpaid $ 567.50 199.00 90.24 Kansas 385.00 385.00 Kansas 500.00 76.00 424.00 Montana 1,000.00 1,008.00 Cr. 8.00 Nebraska 386.50 280.00 106.50 Nebraska 500.00 500.00 Nevada 123.00 123.00 Nevada 267.00 147.00 120.00 New Mexico 446.00 446.00 New Mexico 500.00 100.00 400.00 North Dakota 250.00 355.00 Cr. 105.00 Oklahoma 353.00 353.00 Oklahoma 500.00 120.00 380.00 Oregon 1,000.00 1,008.00 Cr. 8.00 South Dakota 250.00 259.00 Cr. 9.00 Texas 658.75 396.00 262.75 Texas 500.00 500.00 Utah 464.00 464.00 Utah 1,000.00 1,000.00 Washington 303.50 303.50 Washington 4,667.00 3,210.50 1,456.50 Wyoming 1,000.00 1,101.00 Cr. 101.00 Miscellaneous 10,000.00 6,358.41 3,641.59 $ 3,119.75 $30,468.00 $ 2,750.50. $22,420.17 $ 8,417.08
STATEMENT OF CASH RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS OF THE WASHINGTON, D. C. OFFICE, F. 0. HAGIE, SECRETARY-MANAGER,
FOR THE PERIOD OCTOBER 1, 1941, TO SEPTEMBER 30, 1942 Cash on hand, September 30, 1941 $ 2,133.51 Cash received from J. A. Ford, Treasurer 24,000.00
DISBURSEMENTS $26,133.51 Budget Allowance for One Year President's budget, including
travel and expense $ 2,000.00 Secretary's traveling expense 3,000.00 Furniture and fixtures 300.00 Rent ($40 extra, electric current
for airconditioner) 1,850.00 Office supplies 300.00 Printing and mimeographing 3,818.00 Postage and express 1,200.00 Telephone and telegraph 600.00 Books and publications 100.00 Salaries and extra help 14,900.00 Miscellaneous and general expense,
in-cluding social security and D. C. taxes 2,400.00
Expenditures for the Period Oct. 1, 1941, to Sept. 30, 1942 892.52 44.21 1,720.00 303.15 3,894.90 1,117.45 359.50 91.00 12,798.50 2,092.52 $30,468.00 $23,313.75 TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS, OCTOBER 1, 1941,
TO SEPTEMBER 30, 1942 23,313.75 Cash balance, Hamilton National Bank, Washington, D. C.,
as at September 30, 1942 $ 2,819.76
Treasurer Ford: That, of course, being in addition to the balance in the hands of the treasurer at Spokane. Now since com-ing to the convention, as I told you, there has been a rush to see how quickly they could get under the wire and the following checks have been received which haven't been entered. Arizona $550.00, Colorado $100.00, Utah $125.00, Nebraska $200.00, Oklahoma $380.00 and Texas $100.00. That, as I told you, brought Arizona, Colorado and Oklahoma into the banner class with the others by raising their completed quota, so that makes a total of $1,455.00.
Now to summarize our statement so that you can get it in a nut shell.
Cash on hand with Treasurer $ 8,834.42
Cash on hand with Secretary-Manager , 2,819.76 Checks received since books were closed 1,455.00
Total now in hand $13,109.18
As compared with same time a year ago 11,771.12 Showing a gain for the year of $ 1,338.06
Mr. Warden: Perhaps you will agree with me now that we have a good treasurer. In any event I think it is a fine showing on the part of our budget committee and treasurer. With all the dis-turbance of war and everything else we have $2000 more money on hand than we had a year ago. Of course, you have to keep in mind that in order to run adequately we need this surplus as there isn't muc,h money coming in for three or four or five months as we start a new year.
I hope you will pardon me because I did not tell you before I began my remarks that Governor Carr was unable to be here this afternoon on account of other engagements. He will speak to us on Friday afternoon, using the same subject that appears on the program for this afternoon.
Now we come to the report of our Secretary-Manager and it. I presume, will reveal some of the ways the money is expended as it comes into the treasury. .
REPORT OF SECRETARY-MANAGER F. 0. Hagie. Secretary-Manager.
Washington, D. C.
Mr. Hagie : Mr. Warden and members of the National Recla-mation Association:
In the ten months and seven days since Pearl Harbor, America's thinking and planning have been reversed and her actions greatly accelerated. As a people we are fast becoming united on a common goal. That goal is the earliest possible defeat of the Axis powers. Since December 7th the officers of the National Reclamation Association have been attempting to determine what part, and how, the irrigation, reclamation and water conservation program of the arid and semi-arid West can make its maximum contribution to the nation's all-out war effort.
You men here today in attendance at this meeting, together with the officials of the Bureau of Reclamation, the Irrigation and Reclamation Committee of the House and Senate, and the sub-committees of the Appropriations Committee which deals with Interior appropriations, and a few high federal administrative offi-cials in Washington—a comparative handful of the 132,000,000 citizens of this country—probably represent and possess 95% of the knowledge available in the entire United States among those who can determine how and to what extent the federal government's irrigation, reclamation and water conservation program can be ad-justed and applied to serve the nation and our allies best in this
greatest of all world 'crises.
It would appear that one of the big jobs of this convention is to see how near we can agree among ourselves as to what that con-tribution, if any, should be and how best to implement that contri-bution and make it effective.
The conservation and utilization of the mighty streams of Western America are not generally understood by the other nine-tenths of our population. It is, therefore, no reflection on the Army, the Navy, the Maritime Commission, or the War Production Board, or any of the men or agencies directing our war efforts, that they may not know of the food, the fiber, and the power which the irri-gation-reclamation projects now completed are producing, or that they do not know how much of these three vital war necessities can be produced, if needed, by a speed-up of portions of the reclamation program. The managers of this war may not need any more of food, fibre, or power. Let us hope that they do not, but in case they do need what our program can produce, we have taken the position in Washington that it is our duty to acquaint them with how, when and on what terms these three war essentials can be made available through the program which this Association was organized to foster.
To me it is apparent that along with all other like organizations, our chief aim and purpose should be to gear our activities so as to make the greatest net contribution to winning the war.
To this end your Washington Office, aided and supported by President Warden, your officers and directors and committees, with splendid support by an active and interested membership, have helped stimulate irrigation farmers throughout the West to the greatest possible production on lands now under ditch and in pro-duction.
We advocated and Congress supported with increased appropri-ations an accelerated construction of projects designed to supply additional water to irrigation farmers who are now farming with an inadequate water supply—where a small amount of additional water might easily double or triple their present agricultural pro-duction.
We advocated and Congress supported with increased appropri-ations an acceleration in the construction of new reclamation proj-ects which were half or two-thirds completed which could bring into production new irrigated land within the next few years, or where power plants could be finished in time to help power our war industries.
We advocated and Congress supported with increased appropri-ations a more adequate system of guarding and defending against possible attempts at sabotage the diversion and storage dams and power plants of the entire reclamation system.
We advocated and Congress supported with increased ap-propriations a more adequate protection against forest fires through-out all the watersheds of the West. We, in Washington, and many of you throughout your own states and regions worked with the War Relocation Authority in the relocation of more than 100,000 American-born and alien Japanese on nearly a score of inland stream basins, most of whom are now engaged in putting water
onto land in order that these people can not only soon become self-supporting, but can eventually help produce food and fiber for our people, our fighting forces, and our allies.
We worked with congressional committees and with the Depart-ment of Agriculture and with our members throughout the South-west in the establishment and extension of the government's guayule rubber production program. Guayule is a desert rubber-producing shrub, which is adapted to irrigation farming in southern California, southern Nevada, Arizona, Texas and parts of New Mexico.
With still a vivid memory of the dusty bowls which followed the plowing up of the Plain k during the last war to produce more food, we have advocated that to the extent the Great Plains area is called upon to increase its agricultural capacity to meet the food and fiber needs of this war, such expansion this time should not come from again breaking sod, but by the development of water conser-vation and utilization projects under an amended Case-Wheeler Act which would permit that program to proceed during the present emergency without the aid of WPA labor or CCC camps, both of which are no longer available.
These, and many other efforts and accomplishments have grown out of the organized and persistent effort of our individual and organization members, and their representatives who come and go to Washington, or who are stationed there permanently, working, with the western congressmen and senators, the congressional com-mittees, and the administrative departments of our government.
Other matters of interest to our membership upon which at-tention has been given by your Washington office, your officers, directors and committees during the past year should be mentioned. Considerable time and effort was given to trying to bring to-gether in closer coordination the old construction agencies of the federal government which have to do with the development and use of our land and water resources, such as the Bureau of Reclama-tion, the Army Engineers, the Soil Conservation Service and other agencies, so that they jointly might accomplish, and on a similar scale, all that might reasonably be expected of regional authorities. This was done in the hope that any post-war stream basin develop-ment program might be undertaken without the necessity of es-tablishing regional authorities which do not seem to be adapted to the arid and semi-arid half of the country where our develop-ment thus far has been under a system of complicated state water laws which do not yield readily to regional development under a federal agency. We find it to be a difficult problem, but I think some progress has been made.
The question of whether private companies or an arm of the federal government should handle the disposal of the surplus hydro-electric power which is generated by multiple-purpose reclamation projects, has been an issue during the year. Your Washington office has taken the position that this question affects other groups and
agencies more vitally than it does the irrigation and reclamation interests of the West; therefore, we have attempted to assume a neutral position in this growing conflict. We are, of course, vitally concerned with protecting our water rights, and in seeing that the irrigation benefits from power revenues are preserved.
Both sides in this controversy have at times tried to force us to take sides. The question is largely one of private enterprise versus federal operation, and in my judgment, should be left to the people of the nation and their duly chosen representatives to decide..
As a result of resolutions passed by this body, in support of interest-free money for government refinanced non-federal irriga-tion districts, in order to make their repayment charges in line with, or competitive with, the repayment charges of federal reclamation projects which enjoy interest-free money, your officers called upon the Bureau of Reclamation and the RFC to make a detailed study of the investments and of the repayment charges of all federal and non-federal projects involved. The result of this study was recently mailed to each member of the Association for his information and consideration. The study reveals that even while paying interest, the refinanced non-federal districts have a lower repayment charge than the interest-free federal projects. The man who made that study for the Bureau will appear on this program to review the study and, I hope, to answer any questions.
If time would permit, I would enjoy singling out for you and paying tribute to a score or more of men—some of whom are here today—who have contributed more to the success of many of our undertakings than have I. Many of you know who they are—men whose associations, water boards, or irrigation districts, send them to Washington to work on specific projects and to help the general reclamation cause. In Washington these men inevitably team up to-gether and work for the Association's program as if they were on your payroll.
I could list another score or more of members, committeemen and affiliated organizations who follow our program closely and constantly interpret it to their governors, congressmen and senators in the light of its local application, so that nearly all senators and congressmen, busy as they are now with national and world affairs, are kept abreast of and constantly informed concerning the West's goals in all irrigation, reclamation and water conservation matters. These are the men and the agencies which make the National Reclamation program click and which keeps western reclamation in the forefront as probably one of the greatest of the development
pro-grams of the federal government. •
Throughout the year we have attempted to keep our members informed by timely bulletins and special mailings of importance and interest. Some fifteen bulletins were mailed to our members during the year.
Your Washington office is the headquarters for project repre-sentatives who come to Washington during the year. We maintain an office, desk and phone for their exclusive use and many con-ferences take place there during any given twelve-month period.
President Warden has been unusually helpful this year in Wash-ington, having made 6 trips to WashWash-ington, spending 43 days, largely devoted to helping translate your Association's reclamation and allied programs into action. These Washington trips were both timely and productive.
In closing, I wish to commend to you the speakers who are coming here during these three days to discuss with you some very interesting problems and phases of problems which face our joint effort. I hope you all will make the most of their presence here. Many have come at great inconvenience and personal sacrifice to contribute their part in the advancement of our program at a time in the nation's history when food can really become the most critical of all war materials. Ours has always been a working convention; this one should set a new high mark of accomplishment.
Mr. Hagie : I thank you. (Applause).
Mr. Bannister: Mr. President, I desire a bit of information from the Washington office. The report rendered to this association shows great accomplishments during the past year, but in another field I wish to ask a question. I note that by resolutions 13 and 16 of the year 1941 and the resolution 16 of 1940, we went on record on the fundamental principle that is the foundation stone of our super-structure project, namely that legislation passed authorizing projects should contain provisions under which the water uses of those projects be conformative with state law. I know that there have been dozens of projects under flood control acts, a few of them out here, that do not contain the provisions. I have talked and written to chairmen of congressional committees and sent telegrams and the response comes back that nobody has appeared in favor of state law in control of projects, and I' want to ask what the director of our office in Washington has done to carry out those regulations which were passed by this association?
Mr. Hagie : Mr. Bannister has opened up a subject that is of vital interest to quite a few people in this association. He refers to resolutions which have been passed in years gone by which call upon this association to write into proposed legislation paragraphs that would guarantee that western water laws be observed at all times and he asks me to make a report to you as to what has been done in that regard.
Now if I were to answer that question it would take me a long time because there haye been Supreme Court decisions which have affected fundamental principles and I, therefore, am going to say to Mr. Bannister that I am not going to attempt to go into detail in any way. We all belong to organizations that have resolutions passed demanding that certain action be taken and many resolutions
