Statement on Mississippi River Flood Control.

IN RESPONSE to press questions, the President stated:

"A group of Senators and Representatives interested in the Mississippi flood control have placed before the administration a brief requesting that the proposed contracts for initiation of works should be suspended pending entire reconsideration of the plans and authorities under the Flood Control Act. Some of them contend that the entire flood control plan should be revised, that, in fact, the conflicts between the Mississippi [p.154] River Commission plan, estimated to cost some $750 million and the Jadwin plan estimated to cost about $325 million should be reconsidered.

"The act provided that a special engineering board should be set up to make the determination as between these plans and to report their conclusions to the President. This was done. The report recommended the Jadwin plan and President Coolidge promulgated it by a definite order.

"The effect of other suggestions is that the Government should purchase flowage rights over lands along stretches of the river where there is to be no additional waterflow out of the main channel. Where the United States is required by the law to purchase land, or flowage, or pay damages, this will be done in any event. Monies have been scheduled for such payments out of funds so far appropriated.

"Before the merits or demerits of the subject can be gone into I must first determine the legal questions involved as to whether or not the plan and method have not already been conclusively determined by the Flood Control Act and the Executive decisions of President Coolidge. I have submitted the questions to the Secretary of War and the Attorney General for study and report."