San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-18
To DISCUSS y j
WATERWAYS
At MEETING
u. S. Chamber of Com
merce Will Take Up
transportation.
TO BE KEYNOTE TOPIC
Fear Expressed That Or
ganization Is Not "Sold"
on Idea.

Washington. ID. e., March IL
Transportation will be the keynote
topic for consideration at the eleventh
anna! mee;irs If the Chamber OF
Conn cree Of the United States in
New York, May to 10, AM it is an
ticipated that something of test of
strength will develop between the al
vocates of waterway Improvement and
those opposing it. Delegates from the
Mississippi Valley section, according
to information reaching here, intend
to demand show down.
Fear that the Chamber of Com
merce Of the United States is not al
together sold on the policy Of water
way Improvement is said to be prompt
ed by Il communication sent out broad
cast by Elliot IL. Goodwin, resident
vice president of the National Cham
Der, during the closing days of the
ship subsidy fight. In this he criti-
cized. the refusal of Congress TO vote
the ship subsidy and drew a deadly
parallel between this and the S56.-
100000 river and harbOr appropria-
ton. which was referred TO in that
communication as pork.
Favor Liberal Policy.
This letter from Vice PRESIDENT
Goodwin has been accepted by Mid
Western members as a challenge and
they intend to do their best at the
New York meeting TO commit the Ma
tional Chamber unequivocally to lib
eral policy of river and harbor i'm
provement. This may not prove
very easy task for the railroads Of the
country exert large influence in the
National Chamber and they do not
relish the idea of river improvement.
However. the Mid-WeStern delegates
will be impressed with the necessity OF
making strong showing for the effect
it will have on the transportation con-
ference, if for no other.
The transportation conference was
created by the National Chamber with
view of making a comprehensive
study of the transportation problem
from every point of view. While il is
not thought the conclusions of the CON
ference will be ready in time for the
New York meeting many aspects of
the problem will -, discussed and it
is deemed essential that the views Of
the waterway advocates are properly
submitted.
The European situation and its eff
feet ON the business of the United
States also will be a leading topic.
President Julius III. Barnes of the Ma
tional Chamber and about hundred
American delegates are now abroad 10
attend the second meeting of the In
ternational Chamber OF Commerce in
Rome. They will return in time for
the New York meeting, however. and
will bring the first-hand impressions
of American business men on the in
dustrial and commercial conditions OF
the Old World.
Tonnage Is Growing.
Speaking of the need for national
transportation policy. Vice President
Goodwin, in a statement issued to-
day, says: So
sour tonnage is growing: railroad
ton miles have almost trebled in TWEEN
~ years. What will it be in another
twenty?
Men of the business world feel
that there must be way TO harmonlze
operations of trains. trucks and barges
so as TO make our transportation sys-
TEN capable of any expansion de-
manded by our commercial growth.
at is not TO be expected that
transportation cure-all can be evolved
over night at the coming annual meet
ing of the National Chamber. 1t is
to be expected. however, that the meet
ing will foster and stimulate discus
sion among business men and the pub
lie. Men recognized as national au-
thorities on transportation will he
among the speakers and what they
have TO say may have an important in
fluence in helping to develop national
thought on this vital subject.