The Washington herald., 1920-12-02
Penny Wise-Poumd Foolish.

If New York City undertakes to control the
waterways convention, which will meet in Washing
ton next week, it will be guilty of a grievous error
IN Judgment 1t is current but almost unbelievable
report that New York, taking advantage of near
ness, will attempt this in order place the organ
izatfon on record against the Great Lakes-St Law
renee waterway project
To do so would be worse than folly. Its
accomplishment is possible because of the loose
organization of the internal waterways association
which permits all who present to be accredited
as voting delegates. The active strength lies in the
Mississippi Valley. The actual delegates will come
from long distances 1t would not be hard let alone
impossible, to stack the meetings and control
them, if one or more nearby States so wied
But surely the business men of New York must
realize the extent to which their economic and hnan-
cia power rests upon the back-country and it is all
back of them. New York economically and inan-
ciafy is city of but one direction as to their
'source-west.
They must recognize, too that this back-coun-
Try now holds New York City in none too great
respect, let alone affection. Rightly, or wrongly,
justly or unfairly, there is much prejudice through
out the great Middle West against the country's
pre-eminent metropolis. 1t is regarded rather as a
giant octopus whose tentacles reach out covering
this baekland, sucking in its resources and wealth
Why do what will confirm this opinion? There
es& INV uitcSn oldtcS III tnc d. Lawrence waterway
organization. They of the most popuous and
productive States of the Great Lakes and Missis-
sippd Valley regions. With them the more southern
States of the valley in friendly alliance
Does New York City believe it can offend and
antagouize all of those vast regions with impunity?
1t may win a seeming temporary advantage but at
slsnghtermg cost In those States are the great
tarm areas. The farmers realize what an open
waterway win mean to them. The consuming pop
ulatson realize, too, what it will mean to them
Without its transportation saving, the pro-
tueers of these States will find themselves unable
to compete with the agriculture of other countries
with easier access to the seas Without it. farm nro
duetion viii very soon be confined to merely feeding
our own people. There will be no export food
business, which has always formed the bulk of our
export trade.
Upon it this country and all of its financial
interests have rested for any favorable balance in
foreign trade, and with this has been paid the cost
OF imports. Is it possible that New York. the center
Of finance and foreign trade, is willing TO sacrifice
this in order to prevent the Improvement of this
outlet to the ocean from the interior? Is it willing
to cut its throat to save finger nail, 1t is NOT
possible to believe this
What New York should do is to get back of
this project which beyond question has the greatest
potential economic promise of any now before this
country. with its powerful support. 1t should see
that any immediate disadvantage will be made good
fourfold in a far greater prosperity Of the back
country upon which its good fortunes rest
1t could also win the instant applause and