Show MARQUIS CHILDS TV TVA A Shows Decentralize t. t Can Be A Accomplished WASHINGTON WASHINGTON-If the speeches made during the late lato campaign on the theme of re restoring restoring restoring re- re storing local government ov were laid end to end they would undoubtedly undoubtedly undoubtedly un un- circle the solar sy- sy tem When the oratory in the incoming Republican Congress begins we will wll hear henr a lot more moreon moreon moreon on this same subject It brings to to mind Mark Twains Twain's comment about the weather Everybody talks about It but nobody does anything about It Few orators ever venture venture venture ven ven- ture to tell us how to cure the spreading evil of f tion That Is what gives point to a speech made In Philadelphia by David E. E Lilienthal It was Lilienthal's Lilienthal's Lilienthal's Lil- Lil hail and farewell as chairman of at the Tennessee Valley Valley Val Val- ley Authority a post he has now given up to become chairman of at this country's atomic energy commission Not Inevitable lne Sp Speaking aking before the National Municipal league Lilienthal denied denied denied de de- de- de nied that big government In Washington Is inevitable He pointed to the pattern employed under T V A to show there is another another another an an- other way Under T TVA V A Congress set the national policy polley The act creating creating creating creat creat- ing the vast experiment in the Tennessee valley provided for tor flood control the restoration of at soil navigation and the sale of electric power But In carrying carrying carrying carry carry- ing out the mandate from Congress Congress Congress Con Con- gress T TVA V A used local agencies government The T TVA V A Lilienthal said i has by persistent effort delegated delegated delegated dele dele- gated and thereby decentralized its functions so that most of at them arc are carried out not by federal federal federal fed fed- eral at all aU but by local and state personnel This is effected effected ef ef- ef- ef I by scores of contracts setting up joint partnership between between between be be- tween T TVA V A and cities towns counties state boards of health state conservation commissions city power boards farmers cooperatives cooperatives cooperatives co co- co- co operatives county extension services state agricultural colleges colleges colleges col col- col- col leges state geology departments I I could continue this list al almost almost almost al- al most indefinitely T TVA V VA A Different In private utility systems as Lilienthal pointed out one company company company com com- pany customarily generates transmits and distributes elec elec- In the Tennessee valley valley valley val val- ley the T TVA V A a central agency agency agency agen agen- cy operates the generating plants and miles of transmission transmission transmission trans trans- mission lines that carry electricity electricity electricity electric electric- ity over an area as large as Great Britain But the power is distributed by locally managed managed managed man man- aged locally financed d distribution distribution tion agencies This In 1 distinction of major Irn im O pc Congress must and e termine national field This policy POlley does doC In 1 no not t however that ad that policy must bo on oa wide tion-wide or centralized centralize d bit bee Since t the T V A haa over to loch local oca stratton states In the rt areti l developed new Ct planning and development f Tennessee and AI Alaba number of local p pl c missions Increased from tW t 1935 r to 35 r in 1946 Theae missions arc are helping g the two states to take a tb most advantage of or th the newt and recreation areas Greet creat T TVA V A. A A rapidly deve tourist trade has no groom around these assets This Is Example Here is an example A for Republicans to toll follow ow if g greally Jj 1 really want to d eminent It is a practical to reach the goal that ii I everyone agrees Is ia desu de The federal government t dispenses the money C cir J serve the right to lay do j tain taro standards on how the tha thee i the states the counties aril arid subordinate agencies shall shaU i I the money l Talk TaUt o of f decentralization goes very much further this is la largely wishful this Since the age of the horn hark buggy the e nation has been and and not by the thewl Wi j the whim of any so call It has been c cK by the railroad the r 1 car the airplane by co cor cor that leap over all alII boundaries In their far tar far B That kind of took place long Jong before th the Deal brought national l lav labor relations and soda octa The power wa was c i before 1933 in New rather than in Washington Washingto it was centralized and was exercised throe very narrow channel Tc Ti scramble that kind of c ceo ten technological technological fineIs fine fin is is obviously Impossible The T TVA V A is practical that you can pass admin live Uve authority on to the than Speaking Speaking- in the r II a west recently Secretary c o Interior J J. A. A Krug pro that the Columbia River i ibe be developed undera under a agency decentralize autonomous rather than I Ithe the direction of his depart in Washington Here is iJ 1st s a sto ato to get government back it belongs belongs back back in the thai community fj w |