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2 Department that we may be over-ruled in a. hearing on the ground that we based our protest on the fact that all of the available water in the underground channel was already appropriated, then turn around and apply for more in our application for Well N0 -ll', But there is another angle that enters into this, and that is from a practical stand­point: whether it is more important that a rapidly growing city be adequately supplied with water or whether it should be awarded for Irrigation purposes so the land-owners can subdivide a.t a profit. Getting down to basic facts then, the whole subject is right in the hands of the responsible officer, and that is the State Engineer. Therefore, I think we should; First: Stand pat on our protest, so far as Messrs. Taylor and Griffith are concerned. Second: Discuss with Mr. Smith oh your trip to Reno this Sunday whether we would cause him and Mr. Shamberger any embarassment by maintaining this stand, or whether it would strengthen their stated position that the supply of water in the Las Vegas Valley should be conserved. With the end of the war in Germany, there is no doubt that the Department of the Interior will soon sponsor and bring into fact, plans, for further irrigation of acreage for returned' veterans, and I. suppose the Las Vegas valley will soon be high on this list. However, the artesian water should still be conserved for domestic purposes.. A. M. Folger, May 7, 1945.