Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-14
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

LEGISLATION which takes a
long step forward toward re-
lieving the transportation prob
lem through development of
! inland waterways in coordination with
the railway systems is now be-
| fore Congress. Still further legisla-
ton looking forward constructively
| toward making the navigable streams
help to bear the traffic burdens of
| this country is to be urged in the
present session as soon as Congress
returns from the Christmas holidays.
/ The long time advocates of inland
waterway development are optimistic
that at last a really definite federal
| long-neglected and even discouraged
mode of carrying produce to market
| is to be adopted by Congress.
Vital I'm Wa and Peace.
Those who have been studying the
] ira importation question carefully for
| many months and who base their
study on the debacle that menaced
the SUCCESS of America in the world
/ war through congestion of freight,
| amounting to veritable blockade. at
! in the statement that in the interests
of military preparedness and for eff
| fciency in business these natural
| transportation lines must be utilized.
| The great good that can come to
the whole country through the con-
sentative and practical development
of the inland streams is emphasized
| in the railroad bill now awaiting con-
! ference between the House and Sem
bors Congress in session here, and in
the hearings which have just been
started before the House rivers and
| harbors committee.
In the Impotence of the public to
learn on what terms the railroads are
going to be restored to private own
ership the portions of the bill which
provide for development of inland
waterway transportation have been
overlooked. 1t should also be men
toned that Chairman Esch of the
House committee on interstate and
| foreign commerce, with others IN
Congress framing transportation leg
islation, and the leaders in business
who specialize on transportation mat
| ters-all appreciate that the future
welfare and efficient operation of
commerce, both foreign and domestic,
call for co-ordinated development OF
railroads. inland waterways, motor
truck routes and good roads in gen.
eral
Motor Truck Looms Large.
Motor truck routes are going to be a
subject Of special legislative attention
when they begin to be better established
J In framing the railroad bill Mr.. Esch
thought at first that provisions re-
earding the motor truck routes should
be written into it, and with this in
mind he introduced a bill in February.
But after conferences with manufac-
turers, with good roads advocates and
with representatives of motor truck
service he found that the state of de-
velopment is not sufficient to justify
| placing these routes under the rigid re-
ouirements of the interstate commerce
act which is applicable to common car
riers. He thought that to make the
| motor truck routes common carriers and
/ subject to the interstate commerce act
at this early stage in their development
might have a tendency to discourage
instead of advance the prospects of the
motor truck as a vehicle in interstate
| commerce.
| The railroad bill as it left the House.
| and which stands in the conference
against the Cummins bill approved by
the Senate, provides for continuance
Of the waterway development started
under federal control. more particularly
with reference to the Mississippi and
| Black Warrior rivers.
| Government Owns Craft.
The United States Railway Admins
tration spent about nine million dollars
| on tows and barges, and there are COM
! mitments for several millions more for
floats to be completed. 1t is the hope
of those fathering this legislation that
these can be in operation next year SO
as to do a maximum business.
This legislation includes the lows and
barges on the Erie canal, now called
the New York barge canal, and also
floats to be placed on the upper MiSsiS-