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Show 271 nonfederal. Congress authorized it to bring into "coordina- tion and cooperation the engineering, scientific, and construc- tive services, bureaus, boards, and commissions" 61 of the sev- eral executive departments and commissions created by Con- gress that relate to numerous specified aspects of water re- sources and related subjects, and to report to Congress a com- prehensive plan for development of the waterways and water resources of the United States.62 In so doing, the Commission was directed to give consideration to matters to be undertaken by the United States alone or in cooperation with states and local entities and individuals, with a view to "assigning" to each such portions as belong to their respective "jurisdictions, rights, and interests."63 But the efficacy of the foregoing approach was never tested. Despite its objectives, the Waterways Commission had very restricted powers, being nebulously "authorized" to bring into "coordination and cooperation" the various agencies. More- over, the possible success of the venture was qualified by an appended requirement that nothing in the arrangement should be construed to interfere with navigation improvements there- tofore or thereafter authorized or with legislative action on re- ports theretofore or thereafter submitted. Any attempt to evaluate this plan adopted during World War I would have to be entirely academic, since the seven members author- ized for the Commission were never appointed.64 And during the legislative history of the 1920 Federal Water Power Act, defeat greeted efforts to have the functions of the Waterways Commission transferred to the Federal Power Com- mission or preserved but assigned to different personnel.65 In- deed, the 1920 Act as passed included a provision expressly repealing the legislation creating the Waterways Commission.66 An informative legislative history of the Federal Water etId. 82 Id. For the exact language of the statute, see infra, pp. 403-405. 63 Id. 84 See 59 Cong. Rbc. 1173-1176, 7773. 88 59 Cong. Rec. 1173-1176; id. pp. 1535, 7770-7773; H. Rep. No. 910, 66th Cong., 2d sess., pp. 13-14 (1920). 66 Act of June 10,1920, § 29, 41 Stat. 1063,1077. 911611-51------19 |