Evening journal., 1919-02-06
HARBOR MEETING
SEES PROSPERITY
Optimism at Opening Ses-
sion to Discuss Water
ways Development
SEE NO DANGER
OF BOLSHEVISM

WASHINGTON, FeD. o-EraQlcatlon o.
the evils of competitive warfare be-
tween water and rail transportation
developments Of the nations inland wa
terways and It's nagbors and their fun
utilization for the promotion Of the ma
tional prosperity were urged at the
opening session of the National Rivers
and Harbors Congress yesterday. Optim-
ism concerning economic readiustments
also was sounded by most OF the speak
ers.
Indorsing the purposes Of the con-
gress. Secretaries Baker and Daniels
urged against the competitive warfare
which has prevented full use Of the
waterways for transportation in the
past and both predicted an era of in
dustrial expansion. In this connection
in this country. the naval secretary
saying there lis no more danger of
Bolshevism taking hold in America
than there is Of the Kaiser entering the
streets Of Washington"
Secretary Baker, in discussing the re-
laton of waterways to the war and
to the financial burden put on the ma
tions Of the world by the war. said i'm
provement Of rivers and harbors would
be a material factor in increasing for
eign commerce for which ships now
were being built. The waterway inn
provement, he said, also would fur
nish useful and. profitable work for
thousands and thousands Of men,
In this connection he declared II to
be an unthinkable thing that any sol
der who put on the uniform Of his
country and either fought or was in
training to fight in this war will be
allowed TO remain without a Job II he
wants one. The Chamber Of Commerce
Of this country, the chambers Of indus
try, the large captains Of industry, the
organizations OF manufacturers. every
body in this country owes this TO the
men who made this country safe"
Secretary Daniels declared that the
railroads broke down under their in
creased burden after America entered
the war, while "the waters have run
idly 10 the sea-" and said the railroads
naturally broke down because they
were built on a peace time program
based on the destruction Of water
traffic"
No matter what the national policy
regarding transportation should be, Mfr.
Daniels said, water and rail transporta-
tion must go hand in hand, and not one
bale Of cotton, or ton Of ore. or car
load Of steel. should go by rail II water
was available.
Secretary Daniels rebuked those who
trembled at the specter OF industrial de-
preston and Bolshevism, declaring
that the man who bets on American
is always going TO win" He
urged spending the public money for
public improvements as contributing to
The nations prosperity, and warned
against the expectation Of the return
of wages and prices to pre-war stand
ards.
Other speakers were Senator Rams
iell, Of Louisiana. president Of the con-
sress, who urged the appointment 10
he Presidents cabinet of a secretary
If transportation to regulate railway, 1
waterway and highway transportation 4
1fajor General Black. chief of engineers,
J. S. A.: Alan r. Hawley. Of New York.
PRESIDENT OF the Aero Club OF America;
|. S. Noble, OF New York; NJ. J Saun-
rrs. OF New Orleans; G. A. Tomlinson
f Duluth, MINI. and James z. Smith,
resident OF the Mississippi Valley
Association.
Mr.. Smith urged the immediate ap-
reputation by the government OF s400,-
10000 TO improve the navigable water
ways Of the country, and the compile
lon OF the Ohio river project, the Il
nois river and upper and lower Mis-
issppi river Improvements.