The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-11-04

restraint on maximum productive eff
fort, but Il should be stimulated in
every possible way by invention, by
mechanical and manual effort
Many Fruitful Fields.
Power. If not the second. Is one of
the most important elements in pro-
ductive costs
There Is fruitful field for scienti-
fIc economy In reducing the cost of this
element in production.
There is an immediate field in every
existing power plant whose scientific
investigation. Improvement and saving
of waste.
There Is the larger fundamental
and therefore more important field in
Harvesting for the use in industry. the
immense natural resources of the coun-
try in water powers through hydro
electric or other development. which
are now lowing away unused. This
must be evolved through a wise and
far-seeing national policy, through the
study OF practical men with permanent
or long tenure of office. so that there
may be continuity of policy.
Transportation is An immense fac
tor In the conduct of industry. The
United States has spent many millions
OF dollars under Its so-cal1ed rivers and
harbors appropriations without having
accomplished beneficial results for the
movement OF commerce upon its natu-
raj internal waterways
! The old method and policies must
TIC completely abandoned.
} The same mmission that studies
E the question of rainfall and water for
portable and power purposes should be
charged with the duty of studying its
uses for transportation purposes by
the development of rivers. lakes and
/ the construction of canals
Il Development Of Waterways.
There are immense possibilities in
the economy of transportation to our
seaboards by wise and progressive de-
velopment OF our internal waterways
! ocean TRANSPORTATION is a more diff
fcult field of enterprise with which to
compete with the world at large but
It's influence in the securing of foreign
trade Is vast.
A nations ships arc In very true
sense its commercial missiona ries
! There is more than a psychological ef-
feet in seeing the ships and flags OF
<ssSs'Taa'rttiEna nation da all parts of the
world. Since the Civil war, our national
policies and internal conditions have
operated to prevent our possessing and
! operating merchant marine in over
seas trade. Now that we are con-
structing an enormous mercantile feet
we must be framing national policies
competition with the world or else We
shall have 10 dispose of it,
These national policies must EN-.
brace, first, writing or az a war OK.
pense all that these ships cost to bcild
above normal cost SO that commerce
VIII not have to hear an undue burden
second, we must permit our ships Il
be manned, whether by citizens or 9th.
erwise, with men willing to work ir
competition with the men OF the mer.
camille fleets OF the other great mari.
time nations of the world: and third
We must reduce the burden of port
and terminal charges to the lowest pos,
sibie point. If necessary Distributing
these charges over the merchandis,
carried rather than impose it upon ths
carrier ship Freight ships in norma
times usually carry cargoes represent.
! ing much greater values than the
ship and wharf and terminal charge.
wouid be distributed over larger
number of units and therefore les.
felt If charged upon the merchandise
tonnage rather than upon the ship"