The Washington times., 1918-12-09
TOFREE
SEAS, SAYS CLARK
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can ships mostly will be idle and of
little use.
Central and South America pre-
sent the greatest opportunity for in
creasing the foreign trade OF the
United States"
Freedom of Seas.
The one problem resulting from
the war with which the Southern
Commercial Congress is most con-
cerned is. what arrangement will be
made touching the freedom of the
seas. When but a handful. we fought
the most powerful nation OF the earth
for the freedom of the seas. Last
year and this, we fought the central
powers for the freedom OF the seas.
for, after all, that is the chief reason
why We participated in the war"
Speaker Clark said.
I'VE can depend on President Will
son to secure the freedom OF the seas
at the congress of Versailles.
MOdernize Laws.
Mr.. Clark said the only way to
maintain our merchant marine at its
present size is to modernize our navi-
cation laws, make our seamen the
most efficient, and, above all, to in
crease American foreign trade.
To effect more extensive trade rela-
tions between South America and the
United States, he said, this country
must establish abundant steamship
lines between the ports Of the two
continents. make better banking ia
cilities, pack our goods in a manner
e. al
and establish Spanish courses in all
our schools.
|. Urges South Provide Food.
The South was called upon to re-
spond to the world cry for food by
Charles l. Pack, of Washington,
president Of the National War Garden
Commission.
I'VE see Mr.. Hoover calling for help
to feed the world" said Pack. 1.-THE
South must wake up to the food
question, for there are new millions
out from under the heel of the Hun
that must be fed.
II have a pointed indictment of
food conditions in the South. l want
to read a paragraph from a letter
of the railroad man who is close to
the conditions in Texas. This para
graph says:
~ do not think I am wrong when
! say there is less than 10 per cent
OF the farms that maintain gardens.
This arises largely out OF the one
crop idea of cotton and further the
landlords do not appear to be willing
to have their tenants use even a small
riot of ground for a garden"
war gardens" were advocated as a
means of greatly increasing the pro-
duction of foodstuffs in the South.
Houston To Speak.
This afternoons session will be ad-
dressed by Secretary Of Agriculture
Houston. United States Senator David
F. Bankhead of Alabama also will be
one of the speakers. John Temple
Graves will address the women's
auxiliary on "women's Part in Inter-
national Reconstruction" Tonight
there will be a meeting OF the League
to Enforce Peace. at which former
President William II. Taft and Oscar
:. Strauss will be the principal
speakers.
Many features have been provided
for the entertainment of the thou
Sa ndS OF VISITORS. lncluCed in these
will be a. great military parade and
an elaborate naval pageant. twenty
two of Uncle Sans fighting ships
having arrived in port to participate
in the naval program.
Washington Delegation.
The Washington delegation to the
Southern Commercial Congress, which
began in Baltimore today. left for the
convention on the "Bankhead Spe-
ciaI" over the Pennsylvania at IL
o'clock this morning.
Senator John Bankhead of Ala
bama heads the party. He is accom-
panied by members of the House ans
Senate Committees on Postonices and
Post Roads.
Mayor Preston of Baltimore met
the train, and a committee of Balti-
more merchants escorted the dele
gates TO the Hotel Emerson, where
they established headquarters.
The convention will continue three
days.