The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-09-06
COMMERCE And
DEFENSE DEMAND
GREATER CANALS
Open Battle for Deeper Inland
Waterways.
Could Use Canals i'm Place of
Railroads.
+ 7pTS FOR SUBMARINE DEPICTS
Chesapeake and Delaware
Should Be Kiel of America.
Preparedness in All Ways To
Be Theme of Convention.
T 79TS FOR SUBMARINE DEPICTS
" heSapeake and Delaware
Should Be Kiel of America.
Preparedness in All Ways To
Be Theme of Convention.

Philadelphia, Sept. "a mighty
battle for deeper waterways for com
merce and national defense" will be
fought here one week from today
when delegates from every coastal
state will assemble in the Bellevue
Stratford hotel for the Philadelphia
Waterways association.
With adequate preparedness against
commercial or international war being
so agitated, the managers have set the
scenes for what they declare will be
the most important and successful
gathering this association has ever
held. The theme of the convention
will blaze from behind the speakers
platform in electric letters-"To Be
Prepared for Commerce in Peace and
Defense in War Is Common Sense Pre-
paredneSs."
In Session -Four Days.
During the four days of the gather
ing-September ~, 10, IA and Is in
clusive-every phase of improving
Americas waterways will be discussed
by men representing every profession
and business line. The association
numbers among its delegates COVER
nors. mayors, railroad presidents, con-
gressmen, senators, bankers, mer-
chants. army and navy experts and
engineers.
Two basic arguments will hold the
center of attention:
First, building harbors and canals
to assure the movement of commerce
in the event of labor wars such as the
threatened railroad strike that would
have paralyzed business.
Second. build to prepare against in
ternational strife.
The delegates will take trips on the
n
VIII visit the vast shipyards. built and
building. in Camden and along the OPP
poeite shore of the Delaware
Secretary of the Navy Daniels will
deliver an address at the League Is
land Navy yard in the afternoon Ma
cises will be held.
President Wilson is expected to at
tend at some stage of the convention
though a definite date has not been
set.
Will Petition for Legislation
The intercoastal waterway as
ne ans of defense will be one of the
biggest subjects. Taking advantage of
the present craving for preparedness,
tho convention will urge Legislation for
deepening the Atlantic coast canals as
submarine stations. An endless navig-
stle chain, connecting all the lakes
bays and waterways along the coast
line inside the ocean from New Eng
land to Florida, is the hope Of the con-
VentiOn.
Next in importance, probably, will
be the Chesapeake and Delaware canal
called by leaders now on the ground
the "Kiel of America" This body of
water will be hailed by speakers as
strategically important to this coUn-
try as the Kiel canal proved TO Ger
many.
AT least a dozen experts who have
made intimate stucies of the posi-
Iility in the D. and D. canal, will
speak upon this. Unless present plans
1ail, definite steps towards securing
legislation for improving the strip con-
Meeting the Chesapeake bay with the
Delaware river so that it viii float
warships and merchant ships alike will
be taken