Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-07-20
- ETROIT, Mich, July 15..Hav-
ing gained gratifying vic
y tory over it's neighborlng

! IL
| rivals in the recent census re-
ports, Detroit, with all the ambitious
fervor of the newly rich, now seeks
new worlds to- conquer Having out
| stripped Pittsburg and Cleveland. 1t
| is anxious to become pals with Paris
and London. Having risen rapidly in
the national esteem, it now Graves IN
terna tional recognition. In other
words, Detroit wants to become an
| ocean port.
Ever since the Great Lake cities
were little children, they have been
| laundering for an ocean outlet, but
it was not until Detroit took the
helm and began steering the legisla-
tive machinery that the idea began TO
appear feasible. Now fifteen different
states are backing it, to say nothing
of the southeastern Canadian prov,
inces, which are eager to see it put
through.
Viewing the positions of Buffalo
Toledo, Cleveland, Detroit and Chi
cago on the Great Lakes, 1t may be
difficult for you to ee how they can
ever be on very intimate geographic
cal tersm with the Atlantic oceanffi
but it is the simplest thing in the
world, once the Detroit board of
that will have to be done will be to
remove a few miles of rapids from
the ST. Lawrence river by building
a couple of dams, thus converting
|
establishing an uninterrupted chan
mel of navigation from Duluth, at the
end of Lake Superior, to the Atlantic
| ocean.
This, however, is not. the immediate
| problem. So far as the engineering
| part of the scheme is concerned, that
| may be taken for granted. The pres
ent struggle is with the Canadian
government and with our own gov
ernment---to make them realize the
| IT, 4Iaz Of
the world, and to get them to ap-
propriate the necessary millions of
| dollars for it's fulfillment.
Call a Congress
| To discuss and devise ways and
means of doing this, the Great Lakes
| ST. Lawrence TideWater congress is
to meet in Detroit on July %, at
| which delegates from Canada as well
as delegates from all of the fifteen
! interested states will be present. Mr..
Herbert Hoover has also been invited,
probably to lend an air Of economy
to the enterprise, although what Mr..
Hoover will say when he strikes the
| higher cost of living in Detroit will
tor Townsend, of Michigan, known
as the father of the lakes-to-the-
ocean movement; Medill Mccormick,
of Illinois, and Major General Ian
sing H. Beach, chief of engineers,
United States army, are other distin-
guished Americans who will attend.
However, there are no special
qualifications for admittance to the
| congress Any one who is interested
in the project and feels that one of
sail straight through the Great Lakes
| to the sea, will be cordially received
as a delegate by the Detroit Chamber
of Commerce. Manufacturers who
such a direct route, instead of MAX
| ing two or three changes in trans
portation, will be most welcome. Ask
for Mr.. Tom Munger. He will tell
you what to say
Mr.. Munger helped Detroit prepare
it's argument for a straight passage
lakeward to the ocean, and he knows
of more reasons why there should be
| such a convenience than any one else
in the world. Although very young
with all the tremendous energy and
| enthusiasm of youth, he occupies the
dignified position of secretary of the
inland waterways committee.
Greatness of Middle West
"This region" Mr.. Munger inform
ed us, "has one-third of the countrys
area, and population, produces from
one-half to seven-eighths of it's prin-
cipal staples, cotton and tobacco ex-
| cepted. The heart of the continent
provides the surplus of wheat and
other grain, of cattle and meats and
dairy products and the principal min
|
rs per cent of the wheat, IS per
cent of the corn, 100 per cent of the
flax"
But we cannot remember all the
numerous things this region does
produce as much as so and "A and
50 per cent of. Mr.. Munger told US,
but after while we began to get
a trif1e beWildered, and came up for
air only at the mention of the rail-
| roads.
This region requires adequate
transportation facilities to move it's
products" Mr.. Munger was saying
especially grain. The railroads are
not now and have not been for years
able to carry the load in season.
They could not increase their facil-
! ties to carry it without enormous
CNGt and if thn1z did the