Evening star., 1918-02-02
CANAL WAR PLANS.
Spreading IN EAST
Agitation Started by Star to
Use Inland Waterways Ex-
pands in Various Cities.

| Agitation for government operation
of canals as q war measure, heguR ae-
lively when The Star proposed the
| taking of the Chesapeake and Ohio ca
nal. has now spread over the Atlantic
seaboard. In states that have canaix
connecting the tidewater with eoalfaelds
demands for federal utilization of these
waterways have developed to such An
extent that they are making an impress
! sion on members of Congress.
| As far as Washington and the local
! canal Isl concerned, the proposal has
been put sQuarely to the government
that. If SOC boats are built or COM
| this route. 1t will be possible to bring
| million tons Of bituminous coal to
the capital from the Cumberland nelds
between April and December-an
| amount sufficient to supply government
needs in and around Washington and
the needs Of the local public.
Director General McAdoo has told
members Of Congress Of hts intention to
| investigate the desirability Of govern
ment operation of this waterway. and,
in view of the fact that the boating
season begins in two months some in
dication as to whether federal authori-
ties intend to make use of the canal
during the coming season ts expected
shortly.
New York Joins Movement.
In New York pressure is being
brought to bear on the government to
state barge canal. This waterway. 1t 10
| stated. could be made to carry 10.0e0.-
900 tons Of coal during the coming sea-
son between lake and tidewater. thus
releasing thousands of freight cars for
use In sections of the country where
inland water transportation has not
been developed.
This canal passes through the great
est manufacturing and Industrial aec-
tions of the United States, there being
more than 10000 factories along the
routes Its most important terminals
are at New York city and at Buffalo. on
Lake Erie.
Organizations interested in water
transportation have devoted much
study to the coal problem and have
concluded that. unless Immediate action
is taken by the federal government to
equip and operate the New York state
barge canal as we'll as other canals
tapping coal fields, the coal stringency
will extend into the postwar days, and
that during the period Of reconstruc-
tion, when Europe rehabilitates her
self. the coal shortage will become
acute.
Sends Message to Star.
Edward F. Cullen, president of the
Cullen Barge Corporation of New York,
has written to The Star, commencing
of canals during the war. with refer
ence to the New York state canal, Mr..
Cullen says:
approximately fourteen million tons
of freight annually pass through AL
bany on the railroads. and most of the
from Albany to New York. as they
come all the way from Detroit to AL
bany in approximately the same time.
A barge can navigate from buffalo to
dreds Of tons Of freight and arrive at
New York In less time than 1t takes a
freight car Of fifty tons or under to
make the same journey. The barge
would have the better of conditions
when it arrived in the harhor. as it
could 60 alongside Of a steamer or
other destination or continue as far
south as Norfolk. Va. or as far east as
Boston. OF into Maine. without shifting
cargo.
80 per cent of the exports and imports
of the country pass through New York.
most of which have to go over the rail-
roads. This condition, as / have fire.
quently said. is comparable to the neck
of bottle, which becomes clogged up,
while the balance Of 1t IL free and un-
disturbed. II 10o harges of 1000, 1000
or 5000 tons each were to load 20, 40 or
so freight cars at Buffalo, they would
turn back to the west Thousands Of
surplus cars would very quickly break
up any congestion around the port Of
New York as the freight cars would
never have reached. the point of con-
gestion.
"I believe that II the government
would build the barses and enforce the
Routing of al! freight possible over the
canal, there would be no difficulty OF
getting relief from the menace Of any
future coal or food problems as q re-
suit of lack OF transportation facili-
ties. and that competent private cor
porations should be found to operate
the boats As to the present coal fam
inc, whether 1t be due to lack Of en-
gines. or to shortage Of cars, the one
thing that is more prominent than all
is the apparent inability Of the various
fuel commissions to bring whatever
coal there was from tidewater to the
consumer.
while the fuel administrator does
direct to whom the coal that Is mined
should be sent in order that there
should be proper distribution, trans
portation companies should be ordered.
and these orders should be universally
carried out. to furnish to tho mines of
the United States sufficient cars to
take care Of the fuel needed at home.
the farm, the foctories engaged in the
production Of things absolutely neces-
sary for the successful continuation of
the war. the steel mills, powder mills,
public utilities, munition plants, rail-
| roads. steamships. shipyards and by