i9o8 EDITORIAL i8i 



others, and that none can be managed "Such a plan should consider and 



independently of others. Effective include all the uses to which streams 



action has been blocked because there may be put, and should bring together 



has been nobody broad enough to and co-ordinate the points of view of 



formulate a plan sufficiently compre- all users of water." And also: "It 



hensive. is not possible properly to frame so 



Such a body is now provided by the large a plan as this for the control of 



conference on the conservation of our rivers without taking account of 



natural resources, which t!ie President the orderly development of other 



has called to meet him in the White natural resources. Therefore, I ask 



House on May 13, 14 and 15. This that the Inland Waterways Commis- 



conference will represent every part sion shall consider the relations of the 



of the country, and all the country's streams to the use of all the great per- 



needs. By direct personal contact, manent natural resources, and their 



the members will be able to come to conservation for the making and 



an understanding of the various inter- maintenance of prosperous homes." 

 related problems and of what will be 

 required of each part of the country 



to make a general scheme possible. All Sections In pursuance of these 



This conference will be the most and directions, the Commis- 



remarkable in the historic mansion. Interests sion soon came to the 



It will deal with problems upon conclusion that the problem was so 



which the continued prosperity of extensive and intricate that a confer- 



the Nation vitally depends. For ence representing all the interests con- 



this reason its deliberations will cerned m all parts of the country 



be more fundamentally important p"§ht to be called to formulate sonie 



and far-reaching than any since broad basis of action Upon their 



the days when the republic was recommendation, therefore, the Presi- 



planned; Never before have the chief dent isstred invitations to the Gov- 



i.- r 11 4.} C4- +^0 . «f ;^ r.r.^ cmors of all the States and ierri- 



executives of all the States met in one ^ . ^ ^ u- ^ • 1 ^u 



, , • , , , .1 „ nu:^f TT^ tones to meet him to consider the 



body presided over by the Lhiet Ex- ■u■^■^■ r • ^u 



;• £ 4.U AT <■• ^^A ^^.r^^ u^ possibilities of preserving the coun- 



ecutive of the Nation, and never be- f , \ . j f u • -^.i 



f 1 ,, , K- 4- u- ^ ^, try s natural wealth, and to bring With 



fore has there been a subject bigger or ^^y^^^^ ^^^^^ representative citizens of 



broader to cause such a meeting. , . __„__.:;_ c.„.p„ Practirallv 



The steps which led to the calling ^^'^" respective btates. Practically 



. ,1 • ^r ^- 1 1 -J^ every Governor has accepted the mvi- 



ot this conference are particularly in- ^ ^. -^ , , ^ , ., ^ 



. • ^, V , . , %, ^„ tation, and many have announced the 



structive in the way in which they ' , . .-^ , -ii ^^ 



, . ^, 1 < . 1 ■• ;^i names of the three men who will ac- 



emphasize the close inter-relation and , ^, . , 



. ,^ 1 , ^r 11 4.u^ f„^oi company them. These men are, with- 



mterdependence of all the natural ^ .• ^ t.- r ^.u^ 



r ^u XT 4.- ' uu „ A fio^ out exception, representatives 01 the 



sources of the Nation s wealth, and the ,,,11 r u^■ ■ ■ a 



, ^ ,, ^ ^^ . . ^ ablest leaders of public opinion and 



fact that any attempt to conserve one ... ,., . ,, . ^ r . 



... -'^ . 1 ^u 4. 4-- t public life in their communities, 

 set will soon involve the protection of ^ . ^ „ . , 

 Q^|.,gj.g Representatives of all national or- 

 ganizations dealing with natural re- 

 First the Last March, in response sources or with practical questions re- 

 Inland to petitions from numer- lating to them have also been asked. 

 Waterways ous commercial bodies The members of the President s Cab- 

 of the Mississippi Vallev, President met, the Supreme Court, the Inland 

 Roosevelt appointed the Inland Waterways Commission, and such 

 Waterways Commission, to prepare members of Congress as can attend, 

 and report a comprehensive plan for will be present. Furthermore, the 

 the improvement and control of the President has sent invitations to a 

 river systems of the United States, number of well-known men who can 

 In the President's instructions to this assist either by their general counsel 

 Commission he said : or by their special knowledge. Among 



