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Show )Tt CLIFF MEMMOTT. Editor '! ffAGE VIGILANT FIGHT FOR APPROVAL ( Of ECHO PARK RECLAMATION PROJECT .... )fl One of the "hotest" reclamation issues in the nation at r (be moment is "Echo Park." . . . and the Uintah Basin is U definitely being discussed from the coast of New England lo the Gulf of California. . . Some are for it some are op-yj. op-yj. posed to it and others don't know where they stand at the moment, but can be influenced one way or another. . . . Xhat, in general, is the situation where several million dollars dol-lars of our mony is involved, j The western states are almost universally and emphat-I emphat-I Ically in favor of immediate approval of the project, as was f indicated by those who attended a special meeting in Salt Lake City last Sunday to present their views before a special committee, brought from Washington by Representative Reva Beck Bosone, D-U). , The hearing attracted more than 100 persons to the i State CapitoL Members of Mrs. Bosone's committee were " Reps. John R. Murdock (D. Ariz.), Clair Engle (D. Calif.), A Wesley A. D'Ewart (R. Mont.), James G. Donovan (D. N.Y.), jcd Wayne Aspinall (D. Colo.). . The coBgressment asked few questions, content to hear the JP numerous witnesses present their cases for early authoriza-Son authoriza-Son of the project. Representative Bosone set the tone of the meeting. She said that "sincere, but uninformed" conservation groups opposing construction of Echo Park in the monument were 0 unwittingly doing the "front work for real opponents of the project." Only one person appeared to voice opposition to the 0 project. Dr. R. G. Frazier, Salt Lake City, member of the l American Geographical Society, objected to building Echo Park, because, "water backed up behind the dam would I cover the tracks of early explorers of the river an histor-! histor-! ical record that should be preserved for posterity." A very enthusiastic group of Vernal Chamber of Commerce Com-merce members, headed by past-mayor B. H. Stringham and I frank Ward, executive Chamber of Commerce secretary, ! rather deflated Dr. Frazier's contentions when they showed I i colored film that proved the reservoir, when built, would I ojen a scenic area to thousands of people where only 10 to I Umen, each year, dared to risk their lives to navigate the ' Generous river. ' A . Dr. J. E. Bro?jdu one ci the first promoters of Bryce Ifld national Parks, aided the Vernal delegation's cause v,,t rith the following statement: "We could do nothing greater than to make this gran- deur available to all America by the water-ways that would V, result from the Constrution of the dam, . f The ruggedness of the monument precludes roads." l It was encouraging to hear the members of Mrs. Bo-JJ Bo-JJ Kme's committee express assurance that Secretary of In-y, In-y, terior .Oscar W. Chapman was not vacillating on his pre- vious announcement that he favored the proposed site in f preference to any .other. Mrs. Bosone defended Mr. Chapman ;) in a recent speech he made in New York that his .statement was made only to "be fair and just" to critics on the plan, ! and that he had not changed his decision. A decision was f reached to put the matter squarely before the secretary as jj won as the gr6up returned to Washington, by asking him S for a definite answer. , J! To devote space in again emphasizing the tremendous tftect Echo Park would have on this area and the state of I Utah, as a Whole, Is not necessary at the moment but it jj is important that the' Uintah Basin and the entire West, j which will stand to benefit so greatly, keep eternally work-5 work-5 ing for the approval of the project by Congress, and en- wuraging our congressional representatives to forget party lines, if that should . crop into the picture, and work as a . tour-man team in an early victory. 5 It isn't important that the dam be built next year, or in five years. . . but it is important that congressional ap- n proval be had immediately, so that appropriations could be S made when the national budget is capable of shouldering j! the burden.. j vEv 5 "We will never have a truly moral, truly effective, truly j democratic government as long as our officials are chosen J minorities with special axes to' grind." U. S. Senator jj varies W. Tobey. if vEv 1 "I do not know how any honest business can prosper ( Wthont adding to the prosperity and welfare of our whole I Kiety." Benjamin F. Fairless, president, U. S. Steel Corp. 5 v E v j , There are too many people putting too few thoughts into k i 100 many words." Archbishop of Canterbury, refusing to speech. 30 |