The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-02-06
BAKER BOOSTS
\. 8. WATERWAYS
As GREAT NEED

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5.-Eradication
Of the evils Of competitive warfare pc
tween water and rail transportation, de-
yclopmcnt Of the nations inland water
ways and its harbors and their full
utilization for the promotion OF the
national prosperity were urged toaay
nj the Opening. session uf the national
rivers and hurbors congress. optimism
concerning economic readJuSlHlehts atso
was sounucd by most or the speakers.
Endorsing the purposes OF tnc cun-
rrcss, Secretaries Baker and Daniels
urged against the competitive warfare
which has prevented full use OF the
waterways Tor Transportation IN inc
past. and both. predicted an era OF IN IN,
they discouRted the, fear Of Bolshevlsm
in this country. the naval secretary
saying there rs no moro danger OF
Rolshnvism talking hold in America
than there is Of the kaiser entering
thr streets OF Washington"
Secretary Baker. III discussing tho re-
latinn Of waterways 10 the war ana
To tho financial burden put on the ma,
lions OF the world by the war. sald
Improvement of rivers and harnors
would be :. material factor. in incrras-
ing foreign commerce, for which ships
now VICE. being built. The waterways
improvements. he said. also would fur
niSh useful and profitable work lot
In this connection he declared il 10
be IAN unthInkahlc ching that any. sol
dcr who put Oh the uniform OF his
country and either fought or WAS IN
training TO tight IN this war Will be
allowed to remain without job II he
Of this country. the chambers Of in
dustry, the large captains of industry.
tho organizations Of manurlcrurers,
everybody in this country owes this to
, h..
Secretary Daniels said the railroads
broke down under their Increased bur-
den after America entered the war.
while !ihc waters have run idly to the
broke down because they, were built
on II pencc-tiIne program based on the
destruction Of water traffic"
NO matter whut the national policy
Mr. Daniels said. water and rail rrans-
portation must 20 hand in hand. ana
nor one hale Of cotton. nor ton OF ore.
nor carload OF steel should go by. rail
if water transportation was. available" "
Secretary Daniels rebuked those who
trcmble at the spectre of industrial de-
preston and BulShev1Sm." declaring
that the man who bets on American
prosperity is always going To win" he
urged spending the public money for
public improvements as contributing 10
the nations prosperity, and warned
against the expectation Of tho return
Of wages and prices 10 prc-war stand
ards.
. Other speakers were Senator Rams
dell. ri Louisiana. president Of tho con-
gress. who urged the. appointment to
the presidents cabinet Of "a secretary
OF transportation tn regulate railway.
waterways and highway TRANSPORTATION;
Major General Black. chief Of engineers
I. S. a.; Alan r. liawlcy. or r-w
York. prnsidcn, of the Aero Club OF
America: rk s. Noble. nf New York;
NJ. ]. SandSss. Of New Orleans: G. A.
Tomlinson. of Duluth. Mimi. and James
+. Smith. TesidcEt uf the Mississippi
Valley Watrrways Association.
Mr.. Smith urged the Immediate ap-
preparation by the government Of S4DC.-
D00.060 TO improve the navigabfc va
terways Of the country and the cell
pletion of The Ohio river project. lie
Illinois river and upper and lower Mis-
Sissippi river improvements.