CASE HISTORY

It is hard to grieve over the precarious state of the Passamaquoddy dam project; even its sponsors seem unnaturally nonchalant while their child is being strangled, Perhaps, in truth, since Quoddy has served its purpose, its death--if only it be a quiet one--would be welcomed by the embarrassed parents. One might even suspect - the analogy is tempting-that the murdering technicalities are merely hired thugs, who will discretely disappear after their work is done, Nevertheless, little Quoddy must depart unsung; its story is enlightening and should be preserved for a wondering posterity.

The scheme of harnessing the tides for electrical production was conceived several years ago, and a charter granted for an experimental development at Eastport. Perhaps the plans were practical, perhaps not. At any rate they were presented to the appropriate government agency early in the New Deal, and firmly rejected. The reasons: (1) There is already an oversupply of electrical energy in Maine (2) the cost of construction would be greater than any possible economic benefit. This was done of a sort, but apparently not ultimate truth. In 1934, just before the Congressional elections the scheme was re-embodied and vitalized by an appropriation of several millions. Now it seems to be fading once more, but meanwhile a Democratic Congressional delegation has been elected.

These are the facts, dull enough in themselves. They are interesting merely, as a study in technique - the technique of recovery perhaps; more accurately the technique of political science, known familiarly as politics.