New-York tribune., 1919-02-06
Daniels and Baker
See No Danger of
Bolshevism Here
Secretaries Tell Rivers and
Harbors Congress That
u. S. Is on Eve of Era
of Industrial Expansion

WASHINGTON, Feb. LIBERALIZATION
Of the evils of competitive warfare be.
tween water and rail TRANSFORMATION
development of the nations inland
waterways and its harbors, and their
full utilization for the promotion OF
the national prosperity were urged to-
day at the opening session of the Ma
tlonal Rivers and Harbors Congress.
Optimism concerning economic read
Justments also was voiced by most of
the speakers.
lndorsing the purposes of the con-
gress, Secretaries Baker and Daniels
spoke against the competitive warfare
whlch has prevented full use Of the
past. Both predicted new era of in
dustrial expansion. In this connec-
ton they discounted the fear of Boil
shevism in this country. the Naval
Secretary saying there "is no more
danger of Boishevism taking hold in
America than there is of the Kaiser
entering the streets of Washington"
New Ships to Help
Secretary Baker in discussing the
gelation of waterways to the war and
20 the financial burden put on the ma
Sions Of the world by the war said i'm
provement Of rivers and harbors would
be material factor in increasing for
eign commerce., for which ships now
were being built. The waterway i'm
rrovements, he said, also would fur
nlsh useful and profitable work for
thousands of men.
He declared it to be "an unthinkable
thing that any soldier 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 if he wants one"
THE chambers Of commerce of this
country, the chambers of industry, the
large captains of industry, the organ
lzations of manufacturers everybody
in. this country owes the men who made
this country safe" he continued
Waters Ran Idle to Sea
Secretary Daniels declared that the
railroads broke down under their in
creased burden after America entered
the war, while "the waters ran idly to
the sea" The railroads NATURALLY
troke down." he said, "because they
were built On a peace time programme
based on the destruction of water
traffic"
No matter what the national policy
regarding transportation should be,
Mr.. Daniels said, water ana rail trans
portation must go hand in hand, and
not one bale of cotton, nor ton Of orc,
nor carload of steel, should go by rail
Ii water transportation was available
Secretary Daniels rebukcd those
"who tremble" at the spectre of in
dustrial depression and Bolshevism,
declaring that "the man who bets on
American prosperity is always going
to win" He urged spending the pub
lie 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 standards.
Others Make Speeches.
Other speakers were Senator Rams
dell of Louisiana, president of the
Congress, who urged the appointment
to the Presidents Cabinet of Secrc-
tary of Transportation to rcgulate
railway, waterway and highway trans
portation; Major General Black, Chief
of Engineers, u. S. A; Alan r. Hawlcy,
of New York, president of the Aero
Club Of America; II. S. Noble, of New
York; M. j. Sanders, of New Orleans;
q. A. Tomlinson, Of Duluth, Minn,
and James +. Smith, president of the
Mississippi Valley Waterways Asso-
citation.
Mr.. Smith urged the Immediate
appropriation by the government of
S400,000,000 to improve the navigable
waterways of the country and the com
pletion of the Ohio river project the
Illinois river and Upper and Lower
MlSSlSSlppl river improvements