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<br />, <br /> <br />OQOH6 <br /> <br />-16- <br /> <br />of the waters of the Nation's rivers; to facilitate the considera- <br /> <br />tion of projecLs <br /> <br />_ ~_~~~ _D ______~___~___ __~ ____~~~~+^~ <br />un d Ud,i::i.4::i V.J. \';;VIII}l~-'t;:ut:::uOJ-Y1;;;: Q"u.... ....""v... ......u.................. <br /> <br />development; and to limit the authorization and construction of <br /> <br />navigation works to those in which a substantial benefit to <br /> <br />navigation will be realized therefrom and which can be operated <br /> <br />consistently with appropriate and economic use of the waters of <br /> <br />such rivers by other users." <br /> <br />In my judgment, few appreciate enough the importance and effectiveness <br /> <br />of this enactment. It is a "milestone on the road II to adjustment of conflicts <br /> <br />in authority and interests in a dual for~ of eovernment. Such conflicts are <br /> <br />often accompanied by confusion in public views in the important business of <br /> <br />utilizing and controlling a basic natural resource. <br /> <br />This enactment by the Congress and the effort of that time to establish <br /> <br />Federal river valley authorities were largely the incentive for the creation of <br /> <br />Inter-agency Committees for three of the great river basins of the Nation. These <br /> <br />committees are made up of Federal and state representatives and have accomplished <br /> <br />much in composing views and integrating interests of the central government and <br /> <br />basin states. <br /> <br />I believe it can be safely concluded that proposals for Federal Regional <br /> <br />Authori ties have met vnth overwhelming public condemnation. These proposals <br /> <br /> <br />constituted a mechanism for centralized Federal control over the basic water <br /> <br />resource, for government through a Federal corporat~on shaping the future <br /> <br />economic and social welfare of the people, for the effectuation of legal prin- <br /> <br />ciples to defeat the integrity of state-created water laws, and for the advance- <br /> <br />ment of an ideology .nth a decided socialistic trend. Yes, these proposals have <br /> <br />been rejected by a people who desire to retain, as far as possible, that element <br />