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Show Menace Seen to Utah In Colorado River Bill ' Representative Robinson Halts Attempt To f. Cut Up-River States From Hearings SALT LAKE CITY . . .Warmly praising the timely intervention of Representative J. W. Robinson of Utah, officials of the Clorado River-Great River-Great Bnsln Water Users association associa-tion called attention to the danger In railroading hearings on the Colorado Colo-rado River reorganization bill now before the House of Representatives Representa-tives in Washington. The action was warmly endorsed by Senator William H. King and Representative Representa-tive Abe Murdock. Representative Robinson brust into an irrigation committee hearing hear-ing on the bill last Friday and in a stormy session halted hearings which would have excluded testimony testi-mony from representatives of upper up-per Colorado River states vitally affected by the bill. Although a member mem-ber of the committee, Representative Representa-tive Robinson had not been notified noti-fied of the hearings a fact he charged was "trirkprv" "I hope," Mr. Kimball said, "that Utah people realize how important every step in this important matter is to them. Although the state as a whole is naturally concerned, there are fourteen counties vitally affected." As these counties, he listed Cache, Boxelder, Weber, Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, Millard. Juab, Sanpete, Sevier, Duchesne, Uintah, Grand and Emery. "This Is just another move," Mr. Kimball emphasized, "to divert more resources of the Colorado River basin and to attach more financial benefits to the lower basin states. Our watersheds provide most of the water and so far our benefits from Colorado River development de-velopment have been practically microscopic. I view as dangerous the current proposal for revision, unless constructive protection for the upper basin states is included. If the lower states get all the wa This charge was made against Representative White of Idaho, committee com-mittee chairman, rnd Representative Representa-tive Scrugham of 1,'evada, sponsor of the bill, in calling the hearings without proper notification. The Utah congressman went even farther far-ther as he brought these facts to light: 1. The bill was Introduced on March 26, and the hearings called for March 29 a time so short, he charged, that interested persons from states concerned could not reach Washington to appear before the committee. 2. Despite this short notice, the hearing room was crowded with witnesses from California and Arizona who, Representative Robinson Robin-son charged, "could not have gotten here after the bill was introduced." 3. Contrary to usual procedure, no report on the bill had come from the department of the interior before be-fore the hearing was called. 4. Both representatives from Montana concurred with Mr. Robinson Robin-son in criticism of the bill. Rebates Proposed Under terms uf the Scrugham measure, large amounts would be remitted to California power users. In addition, interest rates would be ter, and we get none, the permanent damage done to Utah and its neighboring neigh-boring states can never be repaired. "Water is in very truth the life-blood life-blood of our state and the Colorado Colo-rado River is the only source of considerable supply. We need permanent assurance of both water and power development from this source. I see no compromise with these facts." Utah To Be Heard As a result of Representative Robinson's successful protest in the committee last week, hearings have been delayed until this week. The Utah congresman promised that he would see that hearings are continued con-tinued until Utah and every other upper basin state is allowed to present pre-sent Its views. . This state will be represented by a number of witnesses. Mr. Kimball and a number of other capable engineers en-gineers will attend the hearings. Gus P. Backman, secretary of the Salt Lake chamber of commerce, is now on his way to Washington to appear before the committee. Final episode of Representative Robinson's protest against the committee's com-mittee's action of calling the "hurry-up" hearing involved a Mr Scattergood, chief lobbyist for the : bill. Mr. Scattergood attemnfpd tn it-uuceu euecuve trora 1:137. Finally, Final-ly, the bill would authorize pav-ments pav-ments to Nevada and Arizona of $300,000 a year each, besinninsr not now but from li37. This retroactive retro-active feature of the bill drew especially es-pecially strons Are from the Montana Mon-tana delegation. Of vital importance to Utah is any matter conceruins revision of the Koulder Canyon Project Act. L. H. Kimball, engineer-manager of the Colorado River-Great Basin TVater Users ;,ssociatin pointed out at hjs pflce in Salt Lake Citv. placate the Utahn as the meeting broke up. Instead, Representative Robinson flared: "This trickery of yours may kill your bill. So far as I am concerned, I am against it from now on. I resent such an attempt to railroad this bill in my absence when, as a member of the committee, I am entitled to full notice of what is going on. You are trying to put something over on us, and for one I don't intend vou shall get away with it. You can't get this bill out of committee by any such unfair tactics." |