Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-03-26

RIVERS NEED HELP
OF THEIR FRIENDS
NOW SENATOR SA I 5

arf there ever was 8 time when the
friends of waterways should neslF
themselves. that time Is now. de-
r3arp= Senator RausdeI OF louisiana
Of the National Rivers ana
E4erbcrs congress. in d letter 80 CT
carnations in the trl-cit1es-
Not d dollar has yet been eppro-
nr5atad 10 continue the work Of rivers
and harbors during the coming uscal
year and. unless the needed funas
ARE provided at the extra session OF
congress. practically all work Of this
character must shortly be stopped
Not only did the rivers and har-
h9rs' b{ll fail. but the suudrF civil T
bill as we'll It is in the latter biz +
that aupropriatioBs are made Tor /
r~0ierf= which have been placed IN +
der. continuing contracts and 10 the f
rarruerfti0n Of which. therefore the
honor of the government has been
pledged
ut Is my deliberate judgment that
~a better rivers and harboFs' bill was
ever framed. or one more free from
items Justly subject 10 criticism than
the enc which recently failed 10 re
ceIge consideration in the senate 1t
provided for many important projects
it, all Earts Of the country, including
+ an new ones. Yet I've senator's
KENYON of Iowa. Sherman Of Illinois,
watson of Indiana. Harding OF ONO
land Jones Of WashIugt 0n-s1gued a
minority report opposing this bill and
supported substitute which would
have completely reTolutlonlzed the
Euetncd Of making river and harbor
+ appropriati
when a general strike on all the
railways of the country was threaten
Ell last summer it was suddenly re-
allied that. because It leads out
from cur greatest center Of the iron
and steel industry, dependanbEe
channel in the Ohio river would be OF
the greatest value to our navy IN
time OF war the existence or nonex-
istence Of such a channel might read
lily prove to be the factor which would
decide whether our flag should foat
lin victory or be lowered in defeat
What is true Of the Ohio is true
lin greater or less degree Of all the
other rivers Of the United states. No
lesson has been more plainly taught
nv the war liz Europe than this-that
the larger the army and the navy
which a nation has the sooner do they
become lmpCtent, either for onense
Tor defense, unless they are backed by
an industrial development which car
produce the enormous amount Of sup
plies and munitions which are re
ouired, ana by transportation faeilt
ties which can deliver those supplies
and munitions As fast as they art
needed
For more than year the tram
history Of the United states has beer
principally q record Of delay. Conges
: ton. car shortage and embargoes.
have no doubt that the losses which
these delays and embargoes hay
. caused to the merchants manufactur
ers ana workIngnen OF the Unite
States have been far greater tina
the total sum that would be require
10 improve every river and harbor
the country.
III our railroads. efficient as the
are. are utterly unable 70 handle In
traffic in time Of peace what woui
happen 5n time OF war?
We ought to begin at once th
work Of creating a national systeT
Of waterways and harbors and pus
thar work 70 completion at the earl
est possible time There ought 10
rivers and harbors' bill passed be
fore the present fscal year hs
closed.