The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-12-15
PROPOSED NOW TO
MAKE NIAGARA Do
ITS Bit FOR DEFENSE
Congress to BE Asked This Session 90
Enact Laws Permitting Harness.
ing Whirlpool Rapids.
NEW YORK SENATOR
TAKES INITIATIVE IN NATTER
Points Out That If War Is TO Last
Several Years More 1t VIII Be Nee
cessary for Every Ounce OF Powder
TO be Used.

Washington, Dec. i4.-T<: United
states must marshal teh might OF
NIAGARA for her munitions il the ma
ton continues at war for two or three
years more.
Congress will ask during the pre-
sent session to obtain more or MA
ssra,s power and to pass laws tnat
win make IL possible to harness the
Whirlpool rapids.
Immediate additional power can
not be obtained. but Senator Wsus
worth. of New York. who has stuoieu
the problem thoroughly nelieVes .ne
country should look to the develop
ment OF future war purposes II tneFo
Is indication, that the war WIN lf'S'
several years more. ~.
To obtain more water from the "
agara to generate the power Vie
countrv must amend her treaty WIN
Great Britain regarding the diversion
of water and then pass laws TO oo-
tain with Canada her proper proper
tfonate share OF the great water iorce'
az the war is to last two or three
years more" said Senator "aos-
worth. othen this country should turn
Immediately to the development OF tne
mower of the falls, for shesis depend
emit upon power plants Tor all Oh tile
electro chemical products necessary !,
for munitions and steels' but VII
take time. II VIII take at least TWO
years to construct the plants. Il.
.sRv the treaty with Great Britain II
rras agreed that Canada was 10 take
as o00 cubic feet of water per second
~ the Niagara and the United SSa.es
10 600 cubic feet per second. mus
meant that the United states Wou'u
ohsatn about 400. 00o horse. power ana
Canada 100000 horse power
about q year and half ago tne
4srittsu bill was passed prohibiting the
DIN ersion of more than letdVo cuple
feet per second, by the United states
And at the Same tima Canada was a.
loved to increase her supply TO ~
nnr r,,hie feet per second. almost
doubling her horse power. Canada is
developing all her munitions ana
xfeeI-making plants as fast as POSI-
hle
"With this country at war ana de-
pendine on Niagara Falls for It's cleo
tro-chenlical supply. ] put IN a rese!u
ton last summer permitting TINS coun'
~ tn divert the 90. 00e cubic feet per
second as agreed upon in the treaty
The resolution was passed but IL eS-
hires next July and must be renewed
even III this country is 10 ubtfAtai " AA0A'
uaa allowed by the treaty
Niagara Falls as a source or enor'
nous power for war purposes has
been sadly neglected by this country
VIXEN you consider kat the nation y
depending upon II now for all III
steels and munitions the importance
of the development becomes appar,
ent. To do so we must first amend
Tho treaty with Great Britain and theF
pass legislation that Will permit us u
divert more of thA watar.
AS an innn Mediate problem, IL is I'm
possible TO devolep The power for wal
purposes. But If we are TO remain a
war for several years to come, W.
should be developing this power viii
all possible speed for the future.
There 1 sa movement afoot 90 di
vert the water power of the whirlpool
rapids. AT that point the river make
: Fl SHARP angle toward the America
side By tunnetng l4fider this angle
the water could be turned to enor
NOUS power, even after IL has beel
nlready used once"