11/2/1947 Burnet, Texas - News Release on Soil Conservation Movement

BURNET, Texas, November 2, 1947 The unanimous opinion of at least 154 civic minded citizens of counties all over central and south central Texas is that the soil conservation movement has been given a new lease on life. The opinion of these citizens -- through spokesmen at a meeting held in the administration building at Buchanan dam near Burnet -- was that the decision of two great river authorities to activoly enter woil consorvation work would stand out as a landmark in soil conservation Some of the speakers, notably V. C. Marshall, the exocutive secretary of the State Soil Conservation Board, predicted that the step takon by the two Central Toxas authorities would be adopted by overy rivor district in the United States. Marshall WALS one of soveral authoritativo speakers at a meoting callod by Congrossman Lyndon Johnson, whose personal appeal led both the Lower Colorado Rivor authority and the Guadalupe Blanco River authority to enter the soil conservation ficld. Johnson also callod the mooting at Buchonan Dam, in order that citizens from all over the area sorved might personally be informed about it. Present were county Judgos, Commissioners and Agents; directors of local soil conservation districts through which the river authorities will work; directors and officiols of the state and Federal soil con- servation agencies; members of rural electrification cooporative boards of directors; and others interested in betterment of rural living. Johnson explained that he had suggested only two basic stops to tho tiro nuthorities, with other plans to be worked out by them: First, the employment of the best available mon by each district to head up a soil conservation division; and second, the immediate purchase of heavy nachinery for terracing work, at rock-bottom cost to the farners. - 1 -