OCR Text |
Show 17 2 WAR FOR THE COLORADO RIVER ". . . I am very conscious of the impending dis- aster, not only financial, but to the social and human values which are painfully real to those of us who can see homes and whole towns facing desolation unless this problem is solved." "My sympathies are always with the underdog," Rep. Lemke told him,224 "as compared with the glamor- ous sister protected with fruit and gold. . . The underdog needs defense and protection. However, there is this question in my mind concerning the necessity of this. You are asking us to build a big dam at consider- able expense. Do you have water enough that legally belongs to you to fill it?" Akin preferred to let engineering experts answer that question, but he remarked that federal income taxes increased by the project would more than repay the gov- ernment. "If the water is used anywhere, it is all going to be used, and is going to make income regardless where it is going to be used," said Rep. Poulson, a cpa.225 Engle brought out that there were statements from competent witnesses diametrically opposed to his, and showing that the project is the "first to be presented to Congress on which irrigators are unable to repay any part of the investment and are unable to pay even the operating cost." He asked Akin to comment on these diametrically opposed assertions, but Akin thought that was a matter for technical experts, too.226 Again the floor bells interrupted, and the hearing closed. April 1, 1949 Murdock told the committee at the start that what he was trying to do was to establish "the need aspect" |