37i 
meeting  of  the  Congress  held  at  Spokane  by  a delegation  of  six 
members.  The  aim  of  the  delegation  was  to  press  the  claims  of 
Hawaii  and  to  secure  the  endorsement  by  the  Congress  of  the 
project  to  extend  the  Reclamation  Act  to  this  Territory.  In  this 
quest  we  were  successful.  The  resolutions  adopted  by  the  Seven- 
teenth National  Irrigation  Congress  contain,  among  other  recomb 
mendations,  this  clause : “We  urge  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States  to  extend  the  Reclamation  Act  to  the  Territory  of  Ha- 
waii.” 
♦ Similar  favorable  action  was  also  secured  at  the  First  National 
Conservation  Congress,  held  at  Seattle,  August  26-28,  where  one 
of  the  resolutions  adopted  was  in  favor  of  this  project. 
One  other  point  gained  may  also  be  noted  in  this  connection. 
Largely  through  the  active  interest  and  influence  of  Mr.  F.  H. 
Newell,  representatives  of  Hawaii  were  given  an  opportunity  in 
Seattle  to  appear  before  the  Senate  Committee  on  Arid  Lands, 
then  en  route  on  a tour  of  the  West  to  investigate  various  recla- 
mation projects.  It  is  before  this  committee  that  the  bill  to  ex- 
tend the  Reclamation  Act  to  Hawaii,  introduced  at  the  last  ses- 
sion of  Congress  by  Prince  Kuhio  is  now  awaiting  consideration. 
The  comtmittee  listened  with  apparent  interest  to  a presentation 
of  statements  in  favor  of  Hawaii’s  contention,  following  which 
briefs  were  filed  giving  the  arguments  at  greater  length. 
These  are  all  steps  in  the  right  direction  and  properly  followed 
up  should  be  of  no  small  help  in  bringing  about  the  desired  result. 
But  it  is  only  the  beginning.  To  be  successful  the  campaign 
must  be  unceasingly  waged  until  the  object  Hawaii  desires  is  se- 
cured. One  of  the  reasons  why  we  were  successful  at  Spokane 
and  Seattle  was  that  we  knew  precisely  what  we  wanted  and  went 
after  that  one  thing.  What  is  needed  now  is  that  the  points* 
gained  so  far  be  followed  up.  We  have  a law  enabling  the  Terri- 
tory to  cooperate  with  the  Federal  Government  by  beginning  a 
study  of  the  local  problems.  Water  experts  are  already  on  the 
ground.  Other  experts  are  on  their  way  here  to  ascertain  the 
exact  situation  and  need  in  the  way  of  maps.  What  is  wanted 
now  is  a better  understanding  by  the  general  public  of  the  reason 
for  these  investigations  and  the  end  toward  which  they  lead.  It 
cannot  too  often  be  said  that  the  final  goal — the  essential  purpose 
of  all  Conservation  work,  here  or  on  the  mainland,  is  the  making 
possible  of  more  American  homes.  An  enlightened  public  senti- 
ment helps  tremendously  in  backing  up  such  work  and  keeping 
it  going.  Much  local  interest  already  exists.  This  interest  will 
increase  when  the  people  know  more  about  what  is  intended  and 
what  is  being  done.  The  diffusion  of  such  information  is  pecu- 
liarly the  duty  of  such  an  organization  as  this.  The  members  of 
the  Hawaii  Branch  of  the  Woman’s  National  Rivers  and  Har- 
bors Congress  can  do  no  more  useful  work  than  by  posting  them- 
selves accurately  on  this  subject  and  then  passing  the  word  along. 
Over  in  the  Pacific  Northwest  one  of  the  best  of  the  many 
