Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-02-05

f
iels and heartily indorsed by Secretary
of War Newton d. Baker at the con-
vention of the rivers and harbors con-
gress at the New willard Hotel this
morning.
Neither seemed to fear that any
thing more than temporary furry
incident to preliminary adjustment
members of the convention vigorously
applauded each speaker.
Called "Malarial Hysteria."
.Maiarial hysteria" is the character
ization given by the Secretary Of the
Navy to the feeling prevailing in GER
tain quarters that the country is to
be afflicted with commercial depres-
sion and it's citizenship menaced by
boIshevism He said that many per-
sons are so afraid of the Russian i'm
portation that they fear when they
look under their beds before retiring
they will find hiding member of
tina. political faith.
Men who are boarding. their money
awaiting drop in the price of conf
modities or in the cost of labor before
each Secretary. Mr.. Daniels said the
time to build is when the building is
needed and the time to improve prop
erty is when the property is in need
of improvement Prosperity would
neither be choked nor seriously de-
iayed by refusal Of prospective build
ers to pay the present cost of labor.
Mr.. Daniels said.
New Standard Set Up.
'Men who believe that they should
postpone building until the cost Of
labor falls should understand now
and for good and all that wages will
never again fall to prewar stand
ards" said Mr.. Daniels. I'VE are liy-
ing in an entirely new world 1t is
a hundred years since August, 1914,
and new standards have been created,
new hopes inspired. new aspirations
imbibed."
Secretary Daniels said that though
Washington was sound in his d0ctri
that there should be no ent9uGlfnE
political alliances between this and
European nations. the time has gone
ahen America can live TO herssH and
We win never gain live In conn-
try that is not concerned ethica1ly,
industfially and financially with every
other country in the world. said M.
Daniels.
Would Improve Waterways.
: Turning his attention to inland
waterway development. Mr.. Daniels
said billions Of dollars ought to be
expended on improving the rivers.
lakes and all streams that can be
made navigabie in the United Statss.
Not a bale OF cotton. not ton OF
ore, not a carload of steel should be
carried on the railway lines that can
be transported over the rivers lakes
or streams of this country." said Mr.
Daniels i hope TO live to see the
time when will be able to travel on
ocean, going boats from the great
lakes, from towns on the Hudson.
from cities on the Mississippi and
from the Missouri river over to
Europe without transferring to yea
sci on the seabozrd.
Secretary Daniels said that the rail-
road building in peace times was car
ried on largely with q view to wfpfnx
out waterway competition and they
had almost entirely succeeded in this
object.
streams, enormous lakes and majestic
rivers and turned them over to us
for our utilization and why we have
not utilized them II is impossible for
me to say.s said Secretary aniels
Il hope now, however, that this COM
petition is over and the two mighty
systems will do team work, each as
sisting the other in carrying. the ma
tion's load"
Mr.. Baker for q. s. Control.
Secretary Baker said he wanted the
government to assume such control
of transportation in the United States
that the land system would not elm
mate the water system as ii has in
the past. Talking Of the returning
soldiers. the Secretary said:
1T is not thinkabie that any man
who fought in France or who was
trained for that purpose will be al
lowed to go without job il he se-
riously needs one. The chambers of
commerce, the commercial bodies, the
industrial chambers in every part of
noble fellows are not permitted to
want for situations where they can
sell their services at just prices
Development of rivers and harbors
on a stupendous scale will enable US
TO find work for all who are honestly
seeking employment / have no idea
that the millennium Is here or is ap-
preaching with undue rapidity and I
often receive warnings that the Pc
riod CT universal peace, Industrial
as we'll as political. is not at hand.
But l think many of the persons who
issue these warnings don't want the
millennium. They would like to see il
indefinitely delayed. / am, however.
impressed with the idea that the mil
lennium is nearer than we think
I'VE must devise means of making
greater use of labor. and these means
can largely be found In river and har-
Dor development"
Senator Ransdell in Chair.
Senator RansdelI of Louisiana occu-
pied the chair. Every state in the
Union was represented. About forty
members of Congress attended the
morning session. Among the speakers
in reserve is William Jennings Bryan.
who will discuss the railways and
recommend their <oint control by the
states and federal government.
SEEKS TO ABOLISH
CURRENCY CONTROLLER
! 4 bill designed to abolish the Office
/ of controller of currency, now held
! by John Ske,ton Williams; providing
/ that its functions be transferred to
| the Federal Reserve Board, was In
! troduced today by Senator Weeks OF
/ Massachusetts,, republican, and re-
ferred to the Senate banking COM
mittee, which meets tomorrow to