of the opening of the land to entry, or that it contain provision for making at least a part of this land subject to Secretary Lane's soldier-settlement plan. We are wiring Secretary Lane and Representatives H. Z. Osborne and William C. Kettner. WALTER BRINKOP, Chairman Los Angeles Post, American Legion. BERKELEY, CALIF., August 27, 1919. Hon. MOSES P. KINKAID, Washington, D. C. The State land settlement board and other State agencies strongly favor early construction by United States Government of canal to water mesa land. Sale of public land in advance of reclamation is objected to. Believe ownership should be returned by Government until water for irrigation is provided and then land settled under State soldier-settlement act and national soldier-settlement act. Letter giving reasons follows. Hope action on Kettner bill by committee can be deferred until it reaches you. ELWOOD MEAD. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, MY DEAR MR. KINKAID: I inclose herewith for your consideration copy of telegram sent me by the Los Angeles Post, American Legion, relative to H. R. 6044, commonly known as the Imperial Valley bill. Cordially, yours, Hon. M. P. KINKAID, F. K. LANE, Secretary. Chairman Committee on Irrigation, House of Representtives. Hon. FRANKLIN K. LANE, LOS ANGELES, CALIF. Interior Department, Washington, D. C. We request that House Bill 6044, Kettner Bill, include provisions giving all persons honorably discharged from the military or naval service of the United States a preference right of entry for a period of six months from the date of the opening of the land for entry, or that it contains provisions making at least part of this land subject to Secretary Lane's soldier-settlement plan. We are wiring Representatives M. P. Kinkaid, H. Z. Osborne, and William C. Kettner. WALTER BRINKOP, Hon. WILLIAM KETTNER, Chairman Los Angeles Post, American Legion. NEWPORT BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. KETTNER: At a regular meeting of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce, held Thursday, September 4, 1919, the bill, introduced in Congress by you, entitled "To assist in increasing the productive agricultural area of the Imperial and Coachella Valleys, Calexico, and for other purposes," was heartily indorsed. Yours, very truly, W. W. WILSON. WEST SIDE IMPERIAL IRRIGATION Co., Mr. MOSES P. KINKAID, Committee on Irrigation of Arid Lands, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: The bill now before Congress known as the Kettner bill, H. R. No. 6044, for the relief of Imperial and Coachella Valleys, whereby the Government is to underwrite the bonds so that the people of these valleys will be able to build an all-American canal, now has the indorsements of the following: Board of county supervisors of Los Angeles County. 185833-2023 Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, with recommendations for conserva tion. Mayor and the City Council of Los Angeles. Chamber of Commerce of San Bernardino and the board of county supervisors. Chamber of Commerce of Riverside and the board of county supervisors. Board of County Supervisors of Orange County. We wish to state that there are at least 500 people living in Los Angeles who are holding claims or own land in these two valleys who will be affected by this bill. The building of this canal will open up an empire comprising 500,000 acres of rich farming land which is now a waste, but which with proper development will greatly affect the future and prosperity of Los Angeles. Yours, respectfully, MOSES P. KINKAID, HARRY WM. ELLIOTT, President, C. L. WELCH, Secretary, All-American Canal Association. EL CENTRO, CALIF., September 2, 1919. Chairman House Committee on Irrigation of Arid Lands, Washington, D. C.: Respectfully urge speedy and favorable action on bill H. R. 6044 for protec tion Imperial Valley water supply. We must have relief at earliest possibl date. Crisis confronts us. Further action on our part now held up pending report of your committee. IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT. By J. H. NICKERSEN, President. MOSES P. KINKAID, EL CENTRO, CALIF., September 18, 1919. Chairman House Committee on Irrigation of Arid Lands, Washington, D. C.: Board of directors of Imperial Irrigation District by resolution adopted request that House bill 6044 be so amended as to provide, under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior, that a preference right to purchase the vacant public lands described in the bill be granted to persons who served in the military and naval service of the United States in a period of war, should they receive honorable discharge, such purchases to be made under terms prescribed in the bill. Hon. MOSES P. KINKAID, M. C., F. H. McIVER, Secretary Imperial Irrigation District Board. BERKELEY, CALIF., September 17, 1919. Washington, D. C.: Imperial irrigation district favors conference at Berkeley to consider legislation for reclaiming and settling lands of Imperial Valley. Meeting called for October 1. Entire State interested. Hope action on Kettner bill can be deferred until after that date. MOSES P. KINKAID, Chairman Arid Lands Committee, ELWOOD MEAD. EL CENTRO, CALIF., September 22, 1919. Washington, D. C.: Board of supervisors of Imperial County, Calif., in regular session this 22d September, request that House bill No. 6044, including amendment for soldiers' preferential right, be reported out of committee without delay. W. H. BROOKS, Chairman Board of Supervisors, Imperial County, Calif. Hon. M. P. KINKAID, EL CENTRO, CALIF., September 18, 1919. United States House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.: While El Centro Post of the American Legion has accepted Dr. Meade's invitation to send delegates to a conference requested by him to be held at Berkeley, the executive committee in meeting to-night explicitly disclaim any desire to further postpone action on House bill No. 6044, containing the soldier preferential right provision by the Committee on Arid Lands, and has directed me to so notify you by wire. J. P. HERTEL, Secretary Executive Committee, El Centro Post, American Legion. EL CENTRO, CALIF., September 24, 1919. Hon. MOSES P. KINKAID, Chairman Arid Lands Committee, Washington, D. C.: Board of directors of Seeley Chamber of Commerce urgently request immediate action of your committee on Kettner bill, H. R. 6044, with soldier settlement preference. WILEY A. MAGRUDER, Secretary Seeley Chamber of Commerce. Hon. MOSES P. KINKAID, Chairman Arid Lands Committee, EL CENTRO, CALIF., September 25, 1919. Washington, D. C.: The board of trustees of El Centro, Calif., urgently request your committee to take immediate action upon Kettner bill H. R. 6044, with preferential right for soldiers. GEO. WATKINS, Mayor. EL CENTRO, CALIF., September 30, 1919. MOSES P. KINKAID, Chairman of Arid Land Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.: At a mass meeting held under the auspices of All-American Canal Association of Imperial County, as president of said association I was instructed to wire you as follows: We emphatically protest against terms of Hayden bill for the following reasons: First, it absolutely ignores prior rights to Imperial irrigation district in waters of Colorado River; second, it does not provide for All-American Canal delivering waters in Imperial and Coachella Valleys; third, it vests arbitrary discretionary power in the Secretary of the Interior; fourth, it will delay any legislation for our relief which must come quickly and is complicated and will bring oppositon that the Kettner bill does not provoke. By this we have no reference to soldiers' preference which we indorse; and fifth, it permits the Secretary of the Interior to recognize rights of Mexican lands to water and to contract therefrom in oppositon to opinion rendered by the Department of the State. ALL-AMERICAN CANAL ASSOCIATION OF IMPERIAL COUNTY. By LEROY HOLT, President. M. P. KINKAID, BERKELEY, CALIF., October 1, 1919. Arid Lands Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.: A conference held at the State University to-day attended by 68 delegates, representing departments of the State Government, the American Legion, and various organizations of the Imperial Valley recommends the following amendments to the Kettner bill and the Hayden bill: "That the State of California shall have the right as its option for a period of 12 months next after the passage of the bill to acquire from the Government by purchase or otherwise the title to 50,000 acres or any part thereof of the public lands susceptible of irrigation by the canals and works mentioned in the bill for settlement under the provisions of the State lands settlement act provided, however, that the State of California or the settlers therein shall pay the full costs and charges per acre which provided therein to be paid for construction and storage purpose of the act which shall be assessed by the Secretary of the Interior provided that the charge of $10 an acre shall not be paid on lands reserved for settlement under the State land settlement act or for soldier settlement the lands described in said bill remaining in Government ownership and lying south of the third standard parallel and east of Imperial irrigation district not selected by the State of California shall be set apart and reserved for one year or until water is brought to said land for soldiers' and sailors' and marines' perferential entry or settlement, and also, that said bill shall be amended to provide for a district appropriation by Congress or the issuance of Government bonds in amount sufficient to cover the proportional cost of construction of the works specified in said bill of all lands lying outside of Imperial irrigation district," and recommend that the Kettner bill be reported out at the earliest possible moment with the amendments theron. A conference held at the State university to-day, attended by 68 delegates, representing departments of the State government, the American Legion, and various organizations of the Imperial Valley, recommends the following amendments to the Kettner bill and the Hayden bill: "That the State of California shall have the right, at its option, for a period of 12 months next after the passage of the bill, to acquire from the Government by purchase, exchange, or otherwise, the title of 50,000 acres, or any part thereof, of the public lands susceptible of irrigation by the canals and works mentioned in the bill for settlement under the provisions of the State lands settlement act: Provided, however, That the State of California, or the settlers therein, shall pay the full costs and charges per acre which are provided therein to be paid for construction and storage purpose of the act, which shall be assessed by the Secretary of the Interior; Provided, That the charge of $10 an acre shall not be paid on lands reserved for settlement under the State land settlement act or for soldier settlement, the lands described in said bill remaining in Government ownership, and lying south of the third standard parallel and east of Imperial irrigation district, not selected by the State of California, shall be set apart and reserved for one year or until water is brought to said land for soldiers' and sailors' and marines' preferential entry or settlement, and also that said bill shall be amended to provide for a district appropriation by Congress or the issuance of Government bonds in amount sufficient to cover the proportional cost of construction of the works specified in said bill of all lands lying outside of Imperial irrigation district," and recommends that the Kettner bill be reported out at the earliest possible moment with the amendments thereon. MOSES P. KINKAID, E. KIRK, Secretary of Conference. EL CENTRO, CALIF., October 7. Chairman Arid Lands Committee, House Office Building, Washington, D. C.: I emphatically protest against the terms of the Hayden bill. It absolutely ignores prior rights, Imperial irrigation district, to waters of Colorado River. It does not provide for all-American delivering waters to Imperial and Coachella Valleys. It will delay any legislation for our relief which must come quickly, and is complicated and will bring opposition that Kettner bill does not provoke. By this I have no reference to soldiers' perference, which I indorse. My kindest regards to members of the Arid Lands Committee. MIKE LIEBERT. EL CENTRO, CALIF., October 9. M. P. KINKAID, Whereas two legislative enactment bills have been introduced in the House of Representatives of the United States, known as H. R. 6044, by Hon. William Kettner, and H. R. 9421, by Hon. Carl Hayden; and Whereas a conference of representatives of interested organizations was called by Dr. Meade, to be held in Hilgard Hall, in Berkeley, Calif., on the 1st day of October, 1919; ard Whereas at the conference held as called recommendations were made and adopted that amendments be made to the bill H. R. 6044 providing the State of California shall have the right at its option for a period of 12 months next after the passage of the bill to acquire from the Government, by purchase, exchange, or otherwise, the title to 50,000 acres or any part thereof of the public lands susceptible of irrigation by the canals and works mentioned in the bill for settlement under the provisions of the State land-settlement act: "Provided, however, That the State of California or the settlers therein shall pay the full charges per acre provided therein to be paid for the construction and storage purposes of the act, which shall be assessed by the Secretary of the Interior," "provided that the charge of $10 an acre shall not be paid on lands reserved for settlement under the State land-settlement act or for soldier settlemer t," the lands described in said bill remaining in Government ownership and lying south of the third standard parallel and east of the Imperial irrigation d'strict not selected by the State of California shall be set apart and reserved for one year or until water is brought to said land for soldiers', sailors', and marines' preferential entry or settlement, and that said bill shall be amei ded to provide for a direct appropriation by Congress of the issuance of Government bonds in an amount sufficient to cover the proportional cost of cor struction of the works specified in said bill of all lands lying outside of the Imperial irrigation district: Therefore be it Resolved, That the board of supervivors of Imperial County approve the amendments as recommended by the said Meade conference; and be it Resolved further, That the board of supervivors of. Imperial County does hereby urgently request that the Arid Lands Committee of the United States Congress do report out of committee favorably the Kettner bill, ́ H. R. 6044, with the amendments incorporated, or any other bill containing the said provisions of H. R. 6044, with amendments incorporated, as the committee may deem proper; and be it Resolved further, That a copy of this resolution be wired to the Arid Lands Committee, to Hon. William Kettner, to the Secretary of the Interior, and to Serators Johnson and Phelan, Washington, D. C. Hon. MOSES P. KINKAID, M. S. Cook, County Clerk. SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF., October 12. Chairman House Committee on Irrigation of Arid Lands, Washington, D. C.: American Legion of California in convention assembled yesterday unanimously adopted resolution recommending that so-called Kettner bill, H. R. 6044, be amended so as to reserve for soldier settlement or entry all public lands in Imperial Valley lying south of third standard parallel and east of Imperial irrigation district except that not exceeding 50,000 acres of above-described area shall be optioned to State of California for settlement purposes, and for immediate enactment of the legislation. We are confident your committee will give this recommendation thoughtful consideration. FRED F. BEBERGALL, Secretary American Legion of California, EL CENTRO, CALIF., October 14. MOSES P. KINKAID, Chairman Arid Lands Committee, Washington, D. C.: The following resolution was adopted unanimously by the district board: Resolved, That the board of directors of the Imperial irrigation district does hereby indorse and approve of the principle of State and soldiers' land settlement as affecting the sale and disposal of the vacant public lands in Imperial |