Evening star., 1920-01-04
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

ROMlSE OF new era in indus
- trial development, facilitating
transportation and, in large
measure, transforming it and
minimizing the danger of coal strikes,
| is held forth by Congress after the
| holidays. Probably the most impor-
tant reconstruction and readjustment
measure. after disposing of the rail-
| roads, legislation for which is now
| engrossing the attention of conferees
for the House and Senate. with or
| ganiZed labor restive as to what re-
straints will be put into the law. will
| be water power development.
| This is unfinished business in the
| Senate and is expected to be taken up
tomorrow Immediately upon the re-
assembling of the Senate Chairman
Esch and his fellow managers on the
part of the House will be ready to
go into conference on this measure as
soon as the railroad bill has been dis
| posed Of
| The Importance of water power de-
velopment has been emphasized,
members of Congress feel. by the re-
| cent coal strike and the necessity for
conserving the coal supply for the
most essential industries Those
supporting the proposed legislation
lay stress on the fact that it will
prevent cities and communities from
being left helpless in the cold of win
ter through installation of hydro
electric power.
Railroad Electrincation.
AS regards extraordinary relief IN
transportation it is stated with con-
ndence by many members of Congress
that there is every indication that
electrif1cation of the railroads of the
country will promptly follow upon
the heels of water power legislation.
In testimony thereof it is pointed out
that already the Chicago, Milwaukee
and st. Paul railroad has electrified
$50 miles in the Rocky and Cascade
mountain ranges.
| The added convenience, comfort
and efficiency of the electrified rail-
road will compel the adoption of
electrif1cation throughout the coun-
try, those who have been giving
closest study to this subject are con-
vinced.
| There is one great economy that
links it with the conservation of coal
and the shortage of freight-carryine
equipment: AS a large percentage OF
the tonnage hauled by any steam
railroad is coal or other fuel, this
tonnage and equipment necessary to
carry it can be used for freight-car.
rying tonnage and equipment
On practically all the transconti-
mental lines in the mountain sections
there is available water power to
make electrifcation possible at rela-
lively small cost In the Atlantic and
gulf coast regions also there is abun-
dant water power awaiting har-
Messing hand.
Importance of Legislation.
Definite action upon this subject in
| the next few months will be epochal
for there has been no legislation of
any Importance regarding water
power on navigable streams for many
years. This is due to the fact that
the last act regulating dams and OBJ
structions of navigable waters, in
1910, was found to be unavoidable
and capital would not invest under
that law.
AS Presidents Taft and Roosevelt
vetoed water power bills introduc-
ton of such measures was discour-
aged during their terms. During the
last six years bills have been intro
duced and considered in both houses
looking to comprehensive develop
lment of this great natural resource.