UMATILLA RAPIDS DAM APPROVED BY HOUSE GROUP

Electric Energy Talk Revived
Authorization for the construction of the Umatilla Rapids dam was approved Wednesday by the House of Representatives rivers and harbors committee. It had previously been approved by the committee on Commerce. The bill provides $23,7000,000.00 for a navigation dam including foundations for installation of machinery for generation of electric energy.

The bill includes projects in every state in the union except four at an estimated cost of $500,000,000.00, with appropriations to be made by congress for each project as funds are needed. It is expected to pass the house of representatives, and also the senate without much, if any, opposition.

The measures no surprise to local advocates of the Umatilla Rapids project, who have kept in touch with the development of sentiment for this particular project.

Support of the Umatilla dam has now many forces which were inactive during the past several years. Paul J. Raver, administrator of Bonneville and Grand Coulee has stated publicly frequently during the pst year that the Umatilla would soon be needed for power within a few years, and that board of army engineers have considered it justified in the early future.

It is also figured as necessary for the defense program on the Pacific coast. Another feature of the last move is to provide employment as soon as the defense program slackens, and the President has said he would approve appropriations for any such projects as would aid national defense.

The location of the Umatilla Ordnance Depot here will strengthen the need for more power and better use of the Columbia river for transportation. Senator Chas. L McNary and Congressman Walter M. Pierce have kept a watchful eye for the proper opportunity to inject the Umatilla dam into national legislation. For many months reports from Washington and other sources have carried assurance that the news just received would reach the public before the summer months arrived.