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Show -96- in the future, have an interest in the beneficial use of the waters of the Republican River Basin, be looked after. I wish to urge that the committee report this bill out, and we, in Nebraska, are very anxious that this compact be ratified by the Congress, so that an orderly planning and development and utilization of the waters of the basin can be had in the near future, I think that is all. Thank you<> Senator McCarran. Any questions ? Senator Butler. Mr. Scott, what is your opinion about the proposed amend- ments? Mr» Scott. I believe the amendments are proper and satisfactory, as far as my personal opinion of them is concerned* . * * * * ? Statement of Floyd 0. Hagie, Secretary-Manager of the National Reclamation Association ¦ Hr. Hagie. Mr. Chairman, my name is Floyd.0« Bagie. I am secretary-manager of the National Reclamation Association. For the benefit of the record, gentlemen, I think it might be said that the National Reclamation Association rather truly represents all of the irrigation, reclamation,, and -water conservation interests of the 17 arid and semiarid States of the West . Because of the costly litigation and the delay in development that has taken place among the 17estern States in the past, through failure to have interstate compacts en the division and use of water among States; and-because of the con- flict of opinion among Federal agencies, and as between the.Federal Government . and the Sta-fces, with reference to water rights, the National Reclamation Associ- ation has a great interest in this particular compact. This compact I think, perhaps more successfully than any other compact, successfully meets the latter of those two issues. Of course this is not the last conflict over control and use of water among the Western States. I think: this committee has before it, or has had referred to it, a bill to grant to the States of the Missouri River Basin the right to negotiate a compact to determine control and use of that stream* There again the States affected are looking toward a compact as a means of settling important issues which can be successfully settled in no other way. The National Reclamation Association, at its last annual meeting in Denver, Col., passeel a resolution on this subject and I think it might be well if this resolution were read here, because I believe the language of the resolution might indicate to you how seriously the people interested in the water resources of the Ylest are considering the v^ery issues that are before your committee today. |