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:1;HI6?Q The Western States have certainly not solved their serious water problems by the formation of the Western States Water Council, H the United States Congress cannot - after 20 years of debate and the involvement of the Supreme Court - even agree to report out of the Rules Committee, proposed legislation for projects on the Colorado and in Central Arizona,. certainly a small new organization such as our Council, cannot expect to perform a miracle overnight. . But the wise and experienced legislators, lawyers, judges, engineers, economists, politicians and voters know that there are important state and local responsibilities in developing acceptable and workable water projects. The federal government has begun to realize it needs support and assistance from local and state echelons to assure succesful planning and formulation for large, regional, multipurpose developments, Some state laws may have to be revised, New laws may be required, Adjustments in water rights will be involved. Water needs and problems can best be studied and solved at the lowest practicable political level. The establishment and continuance of a body where honest men with differing views can express freely their thoughts, has not been easy,. nor will it be easy, Those without water will be impatient with those who have water, and those who have water are fearful of those who lack water. However, by the very existence of a forum where differences can be aired, the possibility of an eventual accommodation exists, Like the Security Council of the United Nations, each sovereign state holds a veto power, and the small state and the large state alike need no combination of voting blocs, The basic rules of the' game must be remembered as they tend to become obscured by the cries of alarmists on both sides, They are, " . . , the planning of western water resources development on a regional basis will be predicated upon the following principles for protection of states of origin: (1) All water-related needs of the states of origin,. but not limited to irrigation, municipal and industrial water, flood control, power, navigation, recreation, water quality control, and fish and wlidlife preservation and en- hancement shall be considered in formulating the plan. (2) The rights of states to water derived from inter-basin transfers shall be subordinate to needs within the states of origin, (3) The cost of water development to the states of origin shall not be' greater, but may be less, than would have been the case had there never been an export from those states under any such plan. If we keep these principles in mind, our organization will succeed. But it will take statesmanship, patience, good nature and luck to bring it off, We seek your continuing support, advice, and forbearance, ;:"-.- .- - 31 -