Theodore M.
A: Because we wanted them to stand out as different and more important so people
would pay more attention to them. Both Gilbert White and Ed Ackerman felt
one of the problems is that the Congress really doesn't really understand the
importance of proper management of water resources. The whole thrust of
Ackerman's original program was to lay out an academic background on the
theory of water resources, as a way to educate decision makers.
So, at one of the first meetings of the committee, we had the Geological Survey
make a presentation with attractive charts showing all the different aspects of
water resources-of groundwater, water quality and quantity, and so forth.
These charts would not have looked good in a 6 x 9 format, but they looked
good in the larger format, and that became Committee Print Number 1, and
that is why the decision was made.
Maybe it wasn't that important, but Senator Kerr wanted it done, and so we
did it that way. And I'm glad we did because it set our work apart a little bit.
But you're right, maybe it wasn't all that important. But why did they make
such a big deal out of it? I guess I have a stubborn streak in my nature, and
when they said, "You can't do it," I said, "Well, I think we will do it." We
eventually went to Carl Hayden. He was president pro tern of the Senate, but
he was probably also chairman
Q: -the Joint Committee on Printing?
A: I don't know whether it was the Joint Committee on Printing, or the Committee
on Administration of the Senate.
Anyway, the reports were printed in the larger format and lots of people liked
them. Most of the reports were prepared by the federal agencies. These were
the reports on the first phase, developing the background for the analyses in the
second phase.
Q: So in other words, the Corps of Engineers actually prepared the report on flood
control,
A: That's right. It was Howard Cook, and he did a wonderful job, and I think he
prepared one on navigation also. At least he was my contact person. Similarly
in the Interior Department program, there were reports on Reclamation, and
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