we shall endeavor to attend the hearing in order to give the committee our thoughts on the merits of the bill. In order that you may know where we stand on the matter, permit us to say that (1) we are heartily in favor of setting up a Division of Water Pollution Control in the United States Public Health Service. (2) We recognize that the grant-in-aid feature, to municipalities at the present time not able to finance adequate sewage treatment plants, will certainly go a long way in overcoming present financial obstacles and in reducing stream pollution. (3) The need for some central authority to supervise the problem, to coordinate stream-pollution activities, and to carry on research for the purpose of reducing present costs of sewage treatment and finding methods of treatment for certain industrial wastes, is very essential in the solution of our particular State problem. (4) The feature which provides that the supervision of stream-pollution control shall remain with the respective States is in line with good government policy. Our sanitary engineering bureau has given considerable study to the entire question of stream pollution, and we are requesting our chief engineer to write you more in detail on the various technical angles of our Texas problem. We are enclosing herewith copy of a resolution adopted by some 75 waterworks and sewage-plant operators at a convention held at College Station, February 15-20. This resolution, as you will note, endorses the Barkley bill, S. 702, which is identical with your bill, H. R. 2711. In conclusion, please permit me to compliment the Congressman and Senator from the State of my very good friend, Dr. A. T. McCormick, for having taken the initiative in sponsoring such a far-reaching and meritorious bill. If there is anything further that we might do in expediting the passage of this proposed legislation, please command us. Very truly yours, GEO. W. Cox, M. D., CITY OF DALLAS, TEX., March 13, 1937. Hon. FRED M. VINSON, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. SIR: We have read H. R. 2711, same being a bill to create a Division of Water Pollution Control in the United States Public Health Service. We add our hearty endorsement to this bill, believing that it will be of untold value to our States and communities. Cordially yours, J. B. WINDER, Superintendent of Water Works. EL PASO-HUDSPETH COUNTY HEALTH UNIT, Congressman FRED M. VINSON, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: We wish to express our hearty endorsement of the proposed Water Pollution Act, H. R. 2711. This proposed bill, if passed, will enable this country to rectify a condition which is a serious public-health problem. We urge the adoption of this bill. The Honorable FRED M. VINSON, J. W. TAPPAN, M. D., Director, City-County Health Unit. CITY OF FORT WORTH, DEAR SIR: I have read with interest your proposed bill no. H. R. 2711 relative to the creation of a Division of Water Pollution Control in the United States Public Health Service. I am very much in favor of this bill with the exception of section 6, which makes it possible for industries to obtain Government aid in carrying out their part of the program in the abatement of pollution. I believe that in dustries are financially able to take care of wastes produced in their plants, and if they obtain Government loans they will eventually be passed along to the taxpayers for payment. The necessity of the bill to my notion has been apparent for a long time and I would urge that it be passed as quickly as possible. In my experience I have found that industries and municipalities in many instances have shown a desire to purify their wastes but have hesitated to embark on any construction program because of lack of sufficient knowledge as to whether the plants they propose to construct will be satisfactory. The Public Health Service, if they had such a department as proposed, could do much toward speeding up necessary construction to end the pollution of our streams. Yours truly, W. S. MAHLIE, Chemist in Charge, Water and Sewage Purification. Cc. Congressman Fritz Lanhan, V. M. Ehlers, State Board of Health. Hon. FRED M. VINSON, House of Representatives: [Telegram] SAN ANTONIO, TEX., March 15, 1937. I have studied your House bill 2711 creating a Division of Water Pollution Control within the United States Public Health Service and fully endorse this measure. I am wiring our Congressman to lend his support to this bill as the city of San Antonio is deeply interested in its successful passage. Hon. FRED M. VINSON, Congressman, Washington, D. C. CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, By C. K. QUIN, Mayor. CITY OF WACO, Waco, Tex., March 15, 1937. DEAR SIR: I wish to endorse your measure creating a Division of Water Pollution Control within the United States Public Health Service. This control is very muchly needed to protect our streams and lakes in Texas. Yours very truly, CLYDE C. HAYS, City Chemist and Bacteriologist in Charge of Sanitation. Cc. Hon. W. R. Poage. STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, Hon. FRED M. VINSON, Congress of the United States, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. VINSON: Dr. McClue has asked that I acknowledge your letter of March 6, with which you forwarded a copy of the stream-pollution bill upon which hearings have been set before the Committee on Rivers and Harbors, Wednesday, March 17, at 10:30 a. m. I will endeavor to be present and set forth concisely the reasons why the State Department of Health of West Virginia feels this is an admirable bill. Very truly yours, Hon. FRED M. VINSON, E. S. TISDALE, Director, Division of Sanitary Engineering. STATE BOARD OF HEALTH, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. Madison, Wis., March 12, 1937. DEAR MR. VINSON: Your letter of March 6 with enclosed copy of the stream pollution bill that you have introduced in the House of Representatives during this session of Congress, have been received. The provisions of the bill have been carefully reviewed by our State committee on water pollution, and after a review of other pending bills, has gone on record as being in accord with the_type of Federal legislation proposed in your bill, calling for the establishment of a Division of Water Pollution Control in the United States Public Health Service to cooperate with the States, and to provide grants and loans for financing improvements in abatement of pollution. A brief has been prepared by Adolph Kanneberg, chairman of our State committee on water pollution, a copy of which is enclosed herewith. It sets forth more in detail the reasons why it is believed that the type of legislation proposed in your bill and in S. 702 is the kind of measure that will most effectively aid in carrying forward constructive activities by the States and Federal Government in securing abatement of stream pollution. In the event that further information is desired from us concerning the proposed Federal legislation, kindly let us hear from you. Very truly yours, C. A. HARPER, Mr. VINSON. We insert herewith statement showing manner in which sewage is being disposed of in cities of 100,000 population and over as requested by the chairman. This statement was prepared by the United States Public Health Service. SEWAGE TREATMENT IN CITIES OF 100,000 POPULATION AND OVER IN THE UNITED STATES-NEITHER EXTENT OF TREATMENT NOR EFFICIENCY SHOWN Mr. VINSON. Will the gentleman from Rhode Island come forward? The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Vinson, I will tell you what I think we ought to have: I think we ought to have a list of the States that have passed State laws on this subject, and which States have not, and have a brief synposis of the State laws, which would be helpful, to be put in the record. Mr. VINSON. I will make an effort to procure them for the benefit of the committee, yes. The CHAIRMAN. And also a statement showing the cities that have installed sewage disposal plants. We have had a good deal said about Cincinnati and New York and a few other places, but San Francisco, Louisville, Cleveland, St. Louis, Philadephia, and other cities-if we could get something from them, it would be helpful. Mr. VINSON. Along what line, Mr. Chairman? manner in which their sewage is disposed of? You mean the The CHAIRMAN. Yes; disposed of at the present. Mr. MOSIER. Mr. Chairman, the thought occurred to me that we had what you might call the "sour" side of this picture. Can we not have the side that shows what the cities are actually accomplishing, where they are actually accomplishing something, what they are doing, as a sort of guide as to what the rest of the country can do, if they follow that? Mr. VINSON. I am perfectly willing if the gentleman has any information or evidence that he can adduce, to have it go in. The CHAIRMAN. I think you can obtain that without trouble here in Washington. Mr. VINSON. I think I can get the information that the Chairman asked for. Mr. MOSIER. The thought occurred to me, Mr. Vinson, after it was suggested to me by one of the newspaper men today, and I am wondering how anybody in the world ever lived in the Ohio valley. Mr. VINSON. I never like to take issue with a friend whom I know has the interest of the people at heart, but I have heared the testimony here that indicated that much has been done, if I recall correctly. It seems to me that much has been done, but there is yet much to be done, and it is a continuous job. Mr. MOSIER. Yes, but that 52 percent, as I recall it, was not done in the Ohio valley. Mr. VINSON. This is not particularly an Ohio River Valley problem. This is a national problem. I have saved the Ohio witnesses, and grouped them together, to have them concentrated, because if there is one State that has given serious consideration to this problem and contributed much to the progress of this cause up to the present point, it is Ohio, including my friend from Cleveland. The CHAIRMAN. Well, the Ohio River, of course, I suppose, is the most serious problem of any river in the country. Mr. MOSIER. If it is too onerous job to put in the record the conditions in the cities that have really tried to cope with this problem, could we not have two or three of them put into the record? Mr. VINSON. I will undertake to get that, but I never understood that it was particularly my job. I will be glad to make available, as far as I can, the sewage disposal methods in the larger cities. Is that what the gentleman wants? Mr. MOISER. That is what I had in mind. Mr. VINSON. All right, I will do that. Now, we will hear the gentleman from Rhode Island. |