Evening journal., 1918-07-23
.. s. TO TAKE CANALS
TO BATTLE U-R0ATS
San Diego and Cape Cod
Disasters Stir Olficials
TO Action
MOORE IS ASKED
TO GIVE AID

WASHINGTON. July 23.-To protect
the coal supply going into New Eng
land from southern ports from the
menace Of submarine operations of th'
New England coast, control and opera
tion Of the Cape Cod Canal is TO b.
taken over by the government. Presi-
dent Wilson is expected to issue the
formal proclamation today.
The canal viii be operated by The
railroad administration as a part OF
the administration canal system Gov
ernment operation Of this waterway
has been under consideration and plans
to take It over have been hastened by
the appearance Sunday Of a submarine
OF the Massachusetts, coast.
The canal is owned by the Boston,
Cape Cod and New York Canal Com
pany. IS seven miles long and connects
Cape Cod and Buzzards Bay. II has a
depth OF twenty-five feet. permitting
movement Of large coal vessels, and
thus not only protecting them from at
tack. but also shortening their jour-
ney and saving them from risks OF
storms in rounding Nantucket Shoals
and besting up the Massachusetts, coast.
Government control and Improvement
OF all the inland waterways Of the At
lantic seab0ard as a means of pre-
venting repetltions Of the San Diego
disaster and the sinking OF a fleet of
coal barges on New England, was
clearly forecast today be developments
IN various government departments.
Secretary Redfeld OF the Department
of Commerce, in a letter to representa-
tive Moore, Of Philadelphia, urged the
Congressman to renew his efforts ito
get our coastal waterways into use
With the least possible delay" Mr..
Dec1eld declared the San Diego went
into danger TO protect a commerce
which could have passed IN safety
through inland channels il these had
been provided, and the coal fleet sunk
off Cape Cod could have gone free from
mole-tstion III channels open to their
use had been in the control of the gov
eminent and free from tolls"
The receipt Of the secretary's letter
brought prompt action on the part of
Representative Moore, who consistently
has been advocating government con-
trfol CT canals. With Chairman Small,
of the Rouse Rivers and HarbOrs Com
inlttee, Representative Moore visited the
Office OF the railroad administration to
urge that the inland waterways be
taken over without delay under the
railroad control law.
In addition a letter was sent to At
torney General Gregory asking him to
hasten work on pending condemnation
proceedings for the Chesapeake and
Delaware Canal, the short important
link hetween the Delaware and Chesa-
peake bays now in privates hands.
= The railroad administration within
'fhe last month has taken several steps
indicative Of It's intention TO absorb
the Important inland waterways routes.
The Delaware and Raritan Canal, part
OF the Pennsylvania Railroad. has been |
brought under government supervision /
5nd so also has the New York State
barge canal. Federal waterways ad-
recently have been ap-
pointed for New York and New Jersey
md for the Mississippi River sections
nd the Black Warrior River Coal
anal in Alabama.
Fuel administration officials, alarmed
t the riddling OF their barges and the !
oss bility Of submarines interfering Sc
icusly with the movement Of coal to
lew England, declared today they are
esdy 10 join in the movement favoring
government control
"'rhere is no use for further argu-
aent," declared Representative Moore.
The navy has been forced to take un-
Iecessary risks whether officers real
&c 1t or not"