Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-24


the policies Of my administration in
respect to them:
/. AS a general and broad policy
favor undermining Of every part of oul
waterways which will show economic
Justification in aid Of our farmers and
industries.
2. The Mississippi system comprise:
over 5000 miles of navigable streams
I find that about 1900 miles have now
been moderniZed to 9 feet in depth
and about 400 miles have been mod
ernized to at least 6 feet in depth
Therefore some 5000 miles are yet to
be connected or completed SO as to
be of purpose to modern commerce
We should establish a 9-foot depth In
the trunk system. While 1t is desirable
that some of the tributaries be made
accessible to traffic at or feet, yet
we should in the long view look for
ward to increasing this latter depth as
fast as traffic justities 1t.
Would Avoid Patchwork.
This administration will insist upon
building these waterways as we would
build any other transportation system
that is, by extending its ramifications
solidly outward from the main trunk
lines. Substantial traffic or public
service can not be developed upon a
patchwork Of disconnected local i'm
provements and intermediate Segments
Such patchwork has in past years been
the sink Of hundreds of millions OF
public money.
8. We must design our policies SO
as to establish private enterprise in
substitution for Government operation
waterways. We must continue Govern
ment barge lines through the pioneer
ing stages, but We must look forward
to private initiative not only as the
cheapest method of operation, but as
the only way to assured and adequate
public service.
a. We should complete the entire Mis-
siSsippi system within the next five
years. We shall then have built a
great north and south trunk waterway
entirely across our country from the
Gulf to the. onrthern boundaries. and
great east and west route halfway
across the United States. Through the
tributaries we shall have created a
network Of transportation. We shall
then have brought a dozen great cities
into direct communication by water
we shall have opened cheaper trans
portation of primary goods to Che
farmers and manufacturers of over
score of States.
5. At the present time we have COM
pleted TAG miles of intracoastal canals
We still have approximately 1000 miles
to build. We should complete this
program over period of less than 10
years.
6. We should continue improvement
Of the channels in the Great Lakes
we should determine and construct
those works necessary for stabilizing
the lake levels.
Z. One Of the most vital improvements
to transportation on the North Amer
lean continent is the removal of the OBJ
stacles in the st. Lawrence River to
ocean-going vessels inward to the Great
Lakes. Our Nation should undertake
to do its part whenever our Canadian
friends have overcome those difficulties
which lie in the path of their making
similar undertakings. I may say that
have seen statement published
lately that this improvement would cost
such huge sum as to make 1t entirely
and prohibitive. To that
l may answer that after we have dis
posed of the electrical power we could
contract the entire construction for
less than $200000,000, divided between
the two governments and spread over
a period of 10 years.
Systematic Work Ahead.
8. We shall expedite the work CT flood
control on the Lower Mississippi in
every manner possible. In the working
out Of plans we find it necessary to re-
consider one portion of the project
that is. the floodway below the Arkansas
but work in other directions will pro-
coed in such fashion that there will be
no delay of its completion under the
1o-year program assigned to it.
9. With the increasing size of ocean
going vessels and the constantly ex-
panding volume Of our commerce, we
must maintain unceaSing development
of our harborS and the littoral water
ways which extend inland from them.
10. The total construction Of these
works which have mentioned amounts
to projects three and four times as
great as the Panama Canal. In order
that there may be no failure in admin
istration, and as an indication of our
determination to pursue these works
with resolution, we have in the past
month entirely recaSt the organization
of this executive staff in the Govern
ment. With the approval of the Sec
rotary of War, and under the newly
appointed chief of engineers, we have
assigned to each of these major prof.
ectS single responsible engineer. We
thus secure a modern business organ
ization, direct responsibility and con-
tinuous administration. We wish to
see these projects completed with all
the expedition which sound engineer
ing will permit. We shall be able by
this means to place responsibility.
without question in failure, and to
HI,ft m
who bring these great projects to sue
cessful completion.
At the present time we are expanding
approximately $85,000,000 per annum
on new construction and maintenance
of these works. To complete these pro-
grams within the periods have men,
toned will require an increase in the
Government outlay by about 0,000,-
900 per annum, not including the St.
Lawrence; at most, including that item,
an increase in our expenditures of say
proportion of this will end in five years
time. 1t is of the nature of a capital
investment.
This annual increase is equal to the
cost of one-half of one battleship. II
We are SO fortunate as to save this an
nual outlay on naval construction as
the result of the forthcoming naval
conference in London, nothing could be
a finer or more vivid conversion of
swords to plowshares.
To carry forward all these great
works is not dream of the Missionaries
it is the march of the Nation. We
are reopening the great trade routes
upon which our continent developed.
This development is but an interpreta-
ton of the needs and pressures of popu-
lation, of industry and civilization.
They are threads in that invisible web
which knits our national life. They
are not local in their benefits. They
are universal in promoting the pros
perity of the Nation. 1t is our duty as
statesmen to respond to these needs, to
direct them with intelligence, with
skill, with economy, with courage.