Los Banos Rotary Club History
Oakley Hunter Is Speaker Here

Congressman Oakley Hunter, who is seeking re-election as U.S. Congressman from this district, addressed members of the Los Banos Rotary and Lions Clubs here Tuesday.

Confining his talk mostly to non-political comment, Congressman Hunter briefly reviewed the actions of the last Congress, with particular emphasis on the generally improving agricultural situation, and to his own efforts on behalf of the Grasslands Water Bill, and to the San Luis Project.

Hunter was largely instrumental in securing passage of the Grasslands bill through the House, and he credited Senators Kuchel and Knowland with getting the measure through the Senate. Instituted by the Grasslands landowners of the west side in order to obtain a continuing water supply for migratory wildlife in this area, Hunter hailed the bill as being of great perpetual benefit to this section and said he was happy in having achieved its passage.
Regarding the proposed San Luis Project, Hunter discounted rumors that he was not in full accord with the project, and reminded his listeners that he is not only heartily in favor of the project but is the author of the one and only bill that will enable its eventual construction. He expressed himself also as favoring the Trinity project, pointing out that the electrical power generated there is necessary for the economical operation of the San Luis Project. In this connection he warned that power development on the Trinity should be primarily aimed for benefit of agricultural development, and priority rights for such power should be incorporated into the bill when the facilities are authorized.

Referring to the sharp criticism that is being raised against him by the Fresno and Sacramento Bee newspapers, Hunter said such criticism is mostly motivated by the Bee interest's personal selfishness as evidenced by government's sale of power to the City of Sacramento, for less revenue than could have been obtained by the wholesale sale of power to established utility companies. Hunter declared the Bee papers have made misstatements and gave incomplete news coverage to his assertions on this matter, and that they are misleading the people of this area into thinking the contract giving Sacramento the power which rightfully belongs to this region was a good contract for irrigation users of the valley. Actually, Hunter said, the Bureau of Reclamation commitments for sale of firm power has saddled farmers of the valley with $4 million in extra costs.

Hunter promised that he will do all in his power to insure construction of the San Luis Project and urged his listeners to work arduously in its support.
Regarding the cotton program, Hunter pointed out that his work in securing additional cotton acreage for California last year was for a one-year period only and warned that the determination of acreage allotments for all states will again be determined by Congress soon after the first of the year. He said he was hopeful that California can again retain all the additional acreage that was finally granted it last year.

Hunter stressed his interest in the valley's great dairy industry and pointed to the Congressional appropriation of $50 million for the school milk program as one beneficial step in alleviating the surplus milk problem with which the industry continues to be confronted.

At the Rotary luncheon the Congressman was introduced by Judge D. Oliver Germino, who pointed to Hunter's record in Congress, and to his recognition as a member of the all-powerful appropriations and the agriculture committee, in which connection he serves agricultural policy makers for agricultural legislation for the entire California delegation. "I know of no one," Germino said, "who has given more of his attention to the people of the west side than has Congressman Hunter."

October 22, 1954

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