OCR Text |
Show are power possibilities on the river involving the creation of millions of horsepower of hydroelectric energy with which to put into operation and maintain vast industries furnishing profitable employment. The possibilities of agricultural and industrial development are so great and their ramifi- cations so far-reaching as to dwarf any values in the use of this river for navigation# Navigation and diversion for agriculture may not proceed economic- ally together, for one necessarily impairs the other. These are the con- siderations which induced the declaration that the use of water ftfor the purposes of navigation shall .be subservient to ths uses of such waters for domestic, agricultural, and power purposes." It has been suggested that the approval by the Congress of the paragraph as to navigation might be considered violative of the international obligations of this country toward the Republic of Mexioo: Upon this subject I call your attention to some expressions of official opinion* Hon» Albert B. Fall, Secretary of the Interior, in a letter to Hon. Addis on T. Smith, chairman of the Committee on Irrigation of Arid Lands of the House of Representatives, discussed these international features and reached the following conclusion regarding this provisions The said paragraph (a), Article IV, of the compact would, in my opinion, be regarded as a violation of the rights of Mexico and, to say the least, might be made the basis of a claim against the United States. I am clearly of the opinion that said paragraph should not be approved by the Congress of the United States. Under date of December 30, 1922, Hon. Charles E. Hughes, Secretary of State, wro-te Mr. Smith, in part, as follows: 1 have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of December 21, 1922, transmitting a copy of the bill (H. R. I3I4.8O) grant- ing the consent and approval of Congress to the Colorado River compact, and requesting me to furnish your committee such information and sug- gestions as may be proper regarding the proposed legislation. The compact does not pertain to matters coming within the juris- diction of this department, except in so far as the control and use of the waters of the Colorado River system may possibly affect the inter- national relations of the Government. The fact that the Colorado River has international aspects and the possibility that questions of an inter- national character concerning the use of the waters may arise, necessi- tating action by the Federal Government with respect to the distribution of the>- waters., appears to be recognized and adequately provided for by Article III (c) of the compact. On December 12, 1895, Hon. Judson Harmon, Attorney General of the United States, in a letter to the Secretary of State (21 Op. Atty. Gen. 27I4.),,dis- cussed fully the obligations of the United States toward Mexico in relation to the Rio Grande, both.as to navigation and irrigation, international rights on that river being governed by the same treaties as on the Colorado. He |