Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-20
CALL TO PLEAD
HARBOR CAUSE
WILL ATTEND CONVENTION AT
WASHINGTON
Hopes to Obtain for Los Angeles Sub
stantiaI Portion of $5o,ooo,ooo
to Be Appropriated by
Congress

Joseph H Call, president of the
Municipal Waterways association, yes
terday was named by Mayor Harper to
represent Los Angeles officially at the
fifth annual convention of the National
Rivers and Harbors congress, which
win be held in Washington, D. c., De-
cember 9, 10 and II.
This will be the first time Los An
gels has been recognized nationally as
seaport and represented at the an
nual Rivers and Harbors congress
Mr.. Call will go to present and insist
upon Los Angeles claim to over l per
cent of the $50,000,000 annual appropria-
ton by the federal government for
river and harbor improvements. Inc
National Harbors congress believes that
its fight to raise the annual federal eX-
penditure on waterways from $4,000, 600
to $50, 900, 900 is won and that the greater
sum will be appropriated at the next
session.
Based on population and business,
with LOCO 900 people directly tributary
to this south coast, Mr.. Call contends
that Southern California should receive
annually from 100000 to $4,000 gov
eminent money for developing OUR
ports. The average for the past twenty
years, even including the $4,OO00OO ex-
pended on the breakwater, which can
not be called a local Improvement, mas
been less than 100000.
II have only succeeded in inducing
Mr.. Call to go to this convention Tor
the city on the ground that 1t is his
public duty as the trip and convention
are an arduous undertaking, and he
urged me to select some other compe-
tent representative" said Mayor Har-
per yesterday. However, the city is
to be congratulated, for, besides being
pre-emineftly the best informed citizen
on waterways generally, on transporta-
ton, on the law and on San Pedro
history and present needs, Joe Call Is
| a fighter who has a record OF winning
his battles almost invariably.
"This move probably means the Win
ming of several millions of dollars OF
additional government appropriations
| for improvement of our ports, and, as
the safeguarding and Improvement OF
a free public harbor, under municipal
control, at San Pedro is the most
vitality important question before all
Southern California today, consider
the action momentous.
Game Worth Pursuing
''I am informed that the United States
| congress has come to the place that 1t
relies almost wholly upon the recon-
mendations of the National Rivers and
Harbors congress in making its appor-
tionments, and, as the total sum is to
be, raised from $20,000,000 to $50, 600, 900,
| it certainly is game worth going after.
Mr. Call will leave for Washington in
about ten days. He will take with him
for distribution to the delegates from
| other parts of the country 1000 copies
of the book issued by the Waterways
association, prepared to demonstrate
what Los Angeles and Southern Cali
fornia are doing in providing water
transportation.
IF we are not fully abreast of the
times today in the matter of water
ways development we will be within a
year If the widespread public interest
| in our movement continues to grow and
bear fruit" said Mr.. Call yesterday.
I'm Los Angels and all over Southern
| California the people are awakening
to the transcendent Importance of pro-
viding water transportation, If we are
to secure manufacturing and commerce
and to contine to grow and prosper. 1t
is the biggest question before this sec
ton today, and citizens generally are
now seeing 1t.
IF the national congress approprlates
| $50, 900, 900 per year for river and harbor
| Improvement we should have 100000
to $3.50, 900, for of the S0,0O0,000 people in
this country there are 100000 tributary
to this south coast and commercially
dependent upon it's ports"
At the last Rivers and Harbors con-
gress there were in attendance more
than 1000 delegates, comprising gov
ernors of states, United States senators
and congressman, mayors of cities,
presidents of the great railway systems
and other distinguished citizens.