Show BOULDER DAM m DISCUSSED CUSSED BY OD Utah Must Look to future J Congressman Congress- Congress man mari Says i j Utah must look to the when S hen tho people c consider consider n ider the ad advantages advantages advantages ad- ad vantages of tho Colorado river coni coni- con con- pact declared Congressman E. E d. d Leatherwood Leatherwoo 1 in discussing the Col Cot Colorado Colorado orado river controversy before th the members of the chamber of COli commerce com coth merce at the weekly luncheon Wednesday S In fact the legislator impressed upon the chamber members that thal the upper basin states namely Utah V Wyoming and Colorado must guard against losing priority of waters waters wa wa- tel's which he said might be the case in the event that the Boulder dam darn damas Avas ras constructed Immediately Congressman pointed out that all the states in the Colorado Colo- Colo rado river basin had adopted adopted- and were disposing of ot the waters Vaters of the streams of the states under th the til's doctrine of or prior appropriation the exception of ot California The supreme court of the United States State has recognized the prior ap appropriation n i theory Mr Leatherwood Leather Leather- wood pointed out in handing hanging down opinions on the Kansas Colorado-Kansas and Colorado Colorado- Wyoming Colorado V cases MUST BE ALERT The upper basin states must re rC remain remain main alert declared the congress man While hUe there Is no Immediate need to divert the waters from the river for Irrigation yet et we must look to the future Our in mediate need Is for water for t th power development I am frank say that I believe the federal power power pow po er commission would grant the power to sa say that I believe the fe federal fed feda A Aeral eral power commission would the power permits The Colorado river compact of 1922 allocated feet of water wa wal walter ter to the upper basin and feet to the lower basin The Swing-Johnson Swing bill which proposed the construction of ot a dam darn near or at t Boulder canyon was en er entered e Into by Congressman Leath- Leath erwood He said that the specifIcations called for a of feet above water at normal stage and which would be sufficient to to gene gen generate rate horse horsepower ower of el electrical energy The measure has been be before before before be- be fore the last two congresses MEASURE OPPOSED The upper basin states opposed the passage of ot the measure at least until the Colorado river compact was ratified by all the states and by congress o 01 on the ground that the construction of such a t dam darn would practically given the lower basin basl priority of ot the water and work to the detriment of Utah Colorado and andY Wyoming Y oming Congressman Leatherwood said he denied that congress had the power to allocate the waters of the river and held that such action was unconstitutional He lie declared the controversy between the states was sas a question for or the Judicial de department department de- de and not for the legisla legisla- tors He said that if It the state could not agree then the judicial branch should step in The Colorado river In the United States has wonderful power potentIalities potentialities poten poten- the co congressman gressman declaring that it had a capacity of developing develop develop- ing horsepower CH CHARGES DISCUSSED The congressman went vent into the alleged charges that the upper basin was seeking to protect the thins private power interests and that private corporations were furnish furnish- ing lag funds and support to put down the Swing-Johnson Swing measure We Vo showed that officers of vanous various van vari ous associations had spent to bring about the passage of oC t the e Swing-Johnson Swing bill Congressman Leatherwood said while on the theother theother theother other hand the private power companies coin corn com did not contribute one cent toward the defeat of the bill It was notable th that t the Imperial Valley Valley Valley Val Val- ley Irrigation company paid patti officials officials who were interested In toe bill A few months ago Secretary Hoover suggested that if Arizona continued to refuse to ratify the pact that the other six states California California Cal Cal- Nevada New Mexico Utah Colorado and Wyoming enter into an Ignoring Arizona Mr Leatherwood said 1 I |