Presidential Papers, Doc#1259 To Rowland Roberts Hughes, 18 January 1955. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower
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Document #1259; January 18, 1955
To Rowland Roberts Hughes
Series: EM, AWF, Administration Series
The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XVI - The Presidency: The Middle Way
Part VII: "Nothing could be worse than global war"; January 1955 to May 1955
Chapter 14: "We must show no lack of firmness"

 

Memorandum for the Director of the Bureau of the Budget: When you have heard further from Senator George I should like to be informed.1

When Senator George spoke to me about the project of the Hartwell Reservoir he used words about as follows, "I ask inclusion in the present budget only if the project is fully endorsed by the Corps of Engineers." The statement in your memorandum of today's date says only that "This project is recommended by the Engineers as having favorable benefit ratio to cost."2

This seems to me to be a very limited endorsement, particularly in view of the fact that to realize the benefits they must charge 10 mills per kwh.3 While Senator George is doing his investigation, it would appear to me that the Corps of Engineers should be required to make their meaning unmistakably clear. For example: if, as would appear from this memorandum, a steam plant could be built to produce power for 6 mills per kwh, why should this dam be constructed? This seems to me to be a very pertinent question in view of the fact that flood and navigation considerations combine to only about 5% of the total cost.4

I have a tremendously high regard for Senator George, and I particularly like the conditions that he placed upon his own recommendation. However, I am sure that since he has made a condition of his request the "full support of the Corps of Engineers" we should require that the Chief of that Corps put himself on record in unmistakeable fashion.5

1 Georgia Senator Walter F. George had spoken to Eisenhower four days earlier regarding his interest in the proposed Hartwell Dam to be constructed on the Savannah River in northeastern Georgia (for background see no. 1255). In an earlier telephone conversation, Hughes had promised the President that he would talk with Senator George about the possibility of private power companies and the state of Georgia sharing in the cost of construction (Telephone conversation, Eisenhower and Hughes, Jan. 15, 1955, AWF/D).

2 The Corps of Engineers had endorsed the project because it would increase the power production of the existing Clark Hill Dam and be "slightly beneficial to the AEC operation near Savannah," Hughes said. There was not, however, "very much evidence to support an argument for urgency for this project this year" (Hughes to Eisenhower, Jan. 18, 1955, AWF/A).

3 Kilowatt-hour.

4 See Hartwell Dam, Georgia and South Carolina, Data Sheet, January 18, 1955, AWF/A, Hughes Corr.

5 On this same day Senator George would write Hughes that neither the State of Georgia nor South Carolina would participate in the construction of the Hartwell Dam. "The river is the dividing line at the site of this project and I am assured that no satisfactory participation agreement can be worked out, certainly not at this time," George said. He also reported that the private power companies in Georgia would not agree to sharing the cost of constructing the dam (George to Hughes, Jan. 18, 1955, ibid.). For developments see no. 1303.

Bibliographic reference to this document:
Eisenhower, Dwight D. To Rowland Roberts Hughes, 18 January 1955. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 1259. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/first-term/documents/1259.cfm

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