, 1921-11-30
UNITED WE WIN.

"The report from Washington that the international
joint commission will follow the favorable report of
the investigating engineers" says the Chicago Trib-
une, "and recommend to congress the construction of
the st. Lawrence seaway will bring inspiration of new
hope for the future to virtually every farmer, manu-
facturer, and business man throughout the middle
west. Such recommendation must be followed by
constructive action. When accomplished the improve
ment will mean a greater and more certain measure
of independence and prosperity for the great middle
west, and indirectly for the nation, than it has ever
known.
"But simultaneously with the announcement that
this recommendation for a great material aid to our
prosperity'is imminent come Indications of concerted
efforts to defeat our hopes and purposes by dividing
our support of the projected seaway. If the eighteen
middle western states which are pledged to the sup
port of the st. Lawrence seaway, and the thousands
of farmers and business men who have made these
states great, allow themselves to be divided by insid-
ious propaganda, the goal which now appears within
reach will be removed for years if not forever.
Representative Mead Of Buffalo, one of the men
opposed TO the seaway because without it his city can
continue to take toll of vast quantities Of middle west
en produce, reveals the subtle plan to defeat the pur-
poses and ambitions of the great heart of the coun-
try. 1T will be opposed by two other propositions he
says, The first is a plan for an all-American ship
canal. and the other that the New York barge canal
provides everything that an enlarged ship canal
would
THE purpose is plain. It IS to get middle western
congressman and others to fighting about the relative
merits of the various plans; to confuse them; to pre-
vent adoption Of any definite constructive program,
and to leave us where we now are, forced to ship
through the bottle neck of the port Of New York. That
purpose must be defeated.
1.-THE all-American ship canal has been repeatedly
suggested, investigated and rejected by competent en-
gineers for many years. The only possible route is
long and tortuous, expensive to build, difficult to main
tain, and costly to operate. The New York barge
canal would require, as it now does, transshipment of
all Great Lakes freight to barges at Buffalo and from
barges at New York, with consequent expense and de-
lay, and an increase rather than a decrease of con-
gestion at the port of New York. Neither suggestion
would give what the middle west requires, a direct
contact between all Great Lakes ports and the mar
kets of the world by means of ocean going vessels
which could load a cargo Of grain at Duluth, Mil
waukee, Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, or Cleveland and
carry it without a stop to Liverpool.
TO prevent such confusion and division. and to as
sure ourselves of the prize for which we have been
working for years, and which now appears within
reach, we must unite more closely than ever before
State Legislatures, farmers organizations, chambers OF
commerce., manufacturers associations, civic organ
izations, newspapers large and small, and every nos
sible medium for the formulation and expression of
public opinion and the bringing of influence upon con-
Rress must unite and work to the one end-construc-
ton OF tho st. Lawrence seaway as urged by eighteen
states and approved by government engineers.
1T is the only true objective. All others are Of
tered 20 confuse and distract US. United, We can win
it; divided, we. may lose it," =