The Washington times., 1915-12-08
|REDF|ELD REPLIES TO.
WATERWAY CRITICS.
Urges Rivers and Harbors Con-
gress Deny Intent to Serve
Purely Local Interests.

An open and avowed reputation Of
any intent to serve purely local inter-
ests was recommended by Secretary OF
Commerce Redfield in his address be-
fore the Rivers and Harbors Congress,
which began its sittings at the Willard
this morning, as means of stllling
the cry OF pork" so frequently used
In connection with waterways improve
ments.
More than 1000 delegates from every
State and large city in the country were
present in the large ballroom when
Senator J. e. Ransden OF Louisiana,
president of the Congress. called the
congress to order. After an invoca-
ton by the Rev. DR.. Earle Wiley, OF
the Vermont Avenue Christian Church,
Secretary Redfeid was introduced.
Replies To Criticism.
Mr.. Redfield referred to current
criticisms of the rivers and harbors pro-
gram. and was roundly applauded when
he said: There Is no righteous as
sociation Of your cause with any such
small and greasy idea. Many fruitful
cause has been delayed and In some
measure distorted. because we Ameri-
cans must have our laugh at any cost.
1t is easy to say pork but I have
yet to be assured there is any founda-
ton for the expression.
IT have never felt sympathy for GER
tain critics of river and harbor i'm
provements. particularly those who
speak OF what they call the conflict be-
tween rail and water transportation,
All my life l have been familiar with
conditions along the Hudson river. That
stream is now paralleled on one side by
two railroad tracks and on the other by
four tracks. and yet Its present Meet ls
the largest In its history.
Transportation Plant Unbalanced.
"In the United States we are getting
an unbalanced transportation plant. be-
cause it is characteristic of US that in
paying such close attention to things
that are. We pay too little to things that
arc to be. In this country we cultivate
only As per cent OF our arabic land. and
little OF that approximates its capacity
production. What would happen to the
TRANSPORTATION systems here II the pro
ductiop per acre suddenly became that
of Denmark?
There is not railroad in. the corn
belt but would be almost hopelessly
swamped II some OF the things the mem,
bers of our Boys Club are doing should
be duplicated by their fathers. Without
both kinds of Transportation we shall
not be able TO get along. We must de-
velop our waterways no that we shall be
able to keep our national plant going
Mr.. Redfeld said manv canals had
fallen into disuse because you cannot
handle a great commerce by mule DO" :
err" but that with the development OF
the internal combustion engine and us
use on barges such WATERWAYS were
again being developed.
N.-x:-. &c C1ouIor
A wider use of waterways. the de-
velopment of waterway terminals and
the completion of a series OF intercostal
canals for ma ational defense purposes
were the salient points of the annual
address of Senator Ransdell.
Waterways have been the victims OF
much slandcr, especially during the
last two wears" he said. The lump
sum appropriations in the last two
river and barbor bills were very un-
satisfactory. and we must prevent
repetition of such bills
The proposed intercostal canal from
Boston to Jacksonville, and first class
water communication between Pitts
burgh and New Orleans. Chicago. and
New Orleans. st. Paul. and New Or
leans and Kansas City and New Or
leans. would. beyond question. prove
OF inestimable benefit in time of war.
permanent and strong organizations
at large river points, composed of 100
or more leading men regularly incorpo-
rated. should be formed to put boats
on the rivers and operate them, not for
few months. but year after year and
in a businesslike way. Terminals are
essential. Boats cannot compete with
railroads without every facility for
loading and unloading freight"
Other Speakers.
The other speakers at the opening
session were former Gov. A. o. Eber-
hart. Of Minnesota. whose subject was.
who is Responsible for the Failure to
Develop Our Waterways?;" Col. c.
Med. Townsend. of the Corps Of En-
gineers. u. 8. A. and Paul w. Brown.
of st. Louis.
The speakers this afternoon included
Mayor Martin Behrman, of New Or
leans, who spoke on The Port OF New
Orleans" and Logan Waller Page, di-
rector OF the office of public roads in
the Department OF Agriculture. whose
subject was The Relation OF Good
Roads to Waterways"
There will be a session this evening.
and three sessions tomorrow. The
business session, which will be the final
one, will be held Friday morning.
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