Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-06-29
1HE INLAND WATERWAYS.

comes more evident as, one ny VI y,
the esources of the nation are cane
upon to show their emergenc
. rength. ~
Instead OF strength they display
weakness which would be ludicrous
Bmany Instances were it not tragic
For wears America has glorleo
occasional contemplation OF the M
sissippi and other potential lnlan
waterways. Orators have detalie
Mheir possibilities, writer's have owe
ION the opportunity for their oeve,ol
ppfn,,n,. and a few men OF practlcs
turn of mind have pointed with col
sider,h,e alarm to the failure to selz
that opportunity. :,
They have been. called cranKs i.
their pains. They have labored VIII
out thanks and without success
hrirv about inland water transports
Il Now the country awakes SUDDEN
Ho the importance Of these wa1eiwas
In war time and the fact that year
must elapse before they can De u'i
|Ezed. ...o ~
rational river conference at st. Loul'
s3riradier General William M. biacl
|Ehief 81 the war departments eng
sneers. summed up the case Tor ines
iso.called cranks when he said:
a Our country is at war. II Is
-, participating in war unexalnpieu
II the history Of the ages TOT the
smaenitude Of the armies, TOT .ne
vcrId wide limits OF the fighting
,ations. for unparalleled potenc1es
the destructive agencies en-
slowed. for the areas of confiict.
an the earth's surface, in the ar,
I I'm the water and under the water
and for such q complete utiliza-
iEft,on Of all OF the resources OF the
peoples as has never
q lay dreamed Of In the past. NO
~ longer does the actual war anect
n only the armies engaged-nons,
combatants, men, women ana
Il children have been ruthlessly DE.
81 styoved or compelled to turn all
Ct their bodily powers to comostant
"a uses. a
a Our enemy has long prepared
VA Cor this struggle BY every means
vhich could be devised and with
vonderful ingenuity and wisdom.
We are unprepared, not only IN
~ strict1y military sense but also
Esconomically. No war has reached
sur shores, no fighting force OF
ne United States Is facing the en-
INV. vet food has become scarce
and dear. and largely increased
nrices are asked for all articles
which enter into our daily needs.
m this be true today, how much
tworse my be our case when the
effects OF war are brought more
M nearly home to us-when we are
doing our full part in the struggle
A FOR humanity and our own men
n must be drawn from the pursuits
Of peace and be engaged actively
In the wa. which has been forced
upon us.
Your movement to promote a
revival OF river traffic comes when
At is publicly well known that the
railroads Of our country are
exceedingly congested, with con-
,sequent delay in delivering much
needed freight. and with result
ing enormous increase I'm the cost
Iof food and materials. This in
crease IN cost bears with particu-
tar hardship upon the ultimate
Isl Eonsumer, and involves loss to the
producers who find themselves I'M
y able to get their goods to market
Dat the time of most urgent de-
mand. It is reported by the rail-
Il roads that on the nrst Of Febru-
Nary there was a shortage of no.
loco freight cars which by March
first had grown to over 120, 900 and
on April first II had become over
$4,000 Assuming an average
had OF about 20 tons. this repre-
II dents nearly 100000 tons of
al freight car capacity needed by the
business interests Of this country
W. in excess Of that now available
In view OF the present emergen-
's& cy in our national existence, it
IL a patriotic duty to cooperate to
our utmost in relieving this strfn.
@ gency. Any success which your
3}54 conference may have in reviving
river traffic will contribute to-
Nv wards assuring the efficiency of
"a the purposes. both military and
M naval. to which our government is
@ now bending its every effort.
s# He followed with concrete fac
Ahich prove that the high prices "
ae paying for food today, as well /;
lie car shortage which is imperilir
he nation, could have been avoided
ree measure at least II America hs
Id a system of inland waterwa!
ch as is possible in time but impo
bile to realize in time to prove
pre than negligible advantage in Il
resent war.
For the lack of preparedness.
Il ,urse. America as a whole is
anne, but there is no virtue in den
::f that, had the government at Was
igton adopted progressive ar
fgreesive campaign Of preparedne
A 1914, the present would have four
le United States confident and c
liable, certain Of quick victory over Il