Evening star., 1926-09-05
Sees Vision of a Coming Time
When Il. S. Will Utilize
Its Waterways.
Power and Navigation to Make
Life Better and Richer
for All of Us.
BY BEN MckELWAY.

the nearly eight years the close OF the World War
the Nation has struggled through the soughs of Rcadust-
Reconstruction and Rehabilitation and stands today
scrapng the mud off its boots and revelng in the feel OF firm
ground underfoot.
Looking back few short yesterdays-there was
Wilson with his ewes on the stars there Warren Harding
who flung the breeze banner emblazoned with the word
"Normacy put the head of the column Then Calvin
Coolidge ordered the band strike which caught and
still holds popular fancy and swinging step the music
OF Economy the Nation has OF the mre The going
is smooth and the weather is fine.
And speaks Herbert Hoover. His voice is deep and
1t booms.
Hoover scouting front He has gone ahead
peer the ridge and what lies beyond The Nation
progress Hoover has been studying
the map and has figured little week ago
he described audience Seattle Wash and the short
that has elapsed since his speech editorial writers
hungry idea have pounced with ntfusi
asc determination make it last.
I'VE have for century and half concentrated ourselves
upon development of land and mineral resources
Mr. Hoover 1--WE have conserved forests and developed
our rail highway transportation"
Water, Mr. Hoover today undeveoped
Therefore, eve have need that formulate
and broad national the full utilization of streams
rivers and our lakes
That he believes, is the Nations step
Herbert Hoover forward-ookng But with this
vision he has aborrnt and deepseaed dislike for anything
goes He probably cenches his fist and grits his
teeth the sight OF round for the thing gets
nowhere At the of his administration at the head OF
American Engineering Societies estimated that 40 of
capital labor thought effort and time industry
total loss and absolute waste In terms OF money this
concluded somewhere around S24OOOOOUO
year. The made Mr. Hoover his hair. He
reached for paving brick with the idea OF hurting at
American industry standardz it. Since that time he has
gone grocery bags bed blankets hove picks milk bottles
and other commodities which play their small parts IN the
daily life every He has gleeuy standardized
In eight classes of goods alone affected by his snplca
program the manufacturers themselves have estimated
that Approximately S250OOOOOO will be saved annually
Mr.. Hoover progressive economy He dotes saving
things preventing And this penchan combined with
an ability the future and the hill has
actuatcd him program outlines for the Nation
Every drop chants Mr. Hoover, that the
sea without Welding commercial the Nation
loss and that loss in all its economic implications
can be computed in billions
the past the Department of Commerce has
devoted energies study of the commercial posi-
biies Of waerbone transportation power rgation eclama
food control In gathering information the subject
has had the cooperation OF other Government agencies which
are deal directly with particular phases OF the whole
problem addition Mr.. Hoover who is the administrations
lack is chairman OF the Colorado River Commission
chairman OF Rio Grande River Commission chairman OF
the Lakes Lawrence Commission; chairman OF the
England Super Power Commission and member officer
of various and whatnots that
have been created waterway projects
His position enabled him obtain birdseye view of the
thing as whole and him that the country would
do we'll join him in considering its possibilities
The situation Hoovers words, this Our streams
and rivers possible total of 5OOOO0 horsepower and
o this less than 100000 developed Of 25OO
miles possible inland probably less than 1000 are
yssy nodernzed and the utility OF much of these 1000 miles
inirized their isolation into OF what should be
connected transportation systems
I'VE still 100000 OF possibly recamable and
irricabe lands these lie part OF
the Columbia Colorado the
Sacramento Joaquin the Mississippi the Arkansas. the
Platte the Missouri Cumberland the Tennessee
the Warrior the Lakes, the St Lawrence
and others
Almost the progress OF science and engineering
has rcvoutionzed possibilities Of water In
yenton and tools enable economically
to deepen channels safely dams These adj
with craft, enable rs
to transform packet boat transportation systems
for great trains OF b2es and going vessels The dcov