Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28
GOOD URGES INLAND
WATERWAY SYSTEM
Adequate Air Service Is
Asked by Bingham in
Radio Forum.

Completion of the inland waterway
system connecting with the Gulf of
Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean as
means of lifting the burden of increased
freight rates, and military aviation
service which will be adequate as first
line Of national defense, were urged last
night by Secretary of War Good and
Senator Bingham of Connecticut, mem
ber Of the Senate military affairs COM
inittee, in addresses In the National Ra-
dio Forum arranged by The Star and
sponsored by the Columbia Broadcast
ing System. Delivered through Station
WMAL, the speeches were broadcast
over Nationwide hook-up.
Pointing out that In recent years ap-
proxinately $5O,0OO,00 has been appro-
priated annually by Congress to develop
and maintain waterways, Secretary Good
said the use of rivers and likes. with
connected artificial waterways, holds out
the only hope Of cutting the enormous
freight bill of the American people. One
of the most important links in the chain
ton of a 9-foot channel in the Ilh-
nois River from Chicago to Cairo. He
announced that there will be no delay
In the prosecution of that work by the
Government.
Way to Help Farmer.
He pictured the inland waterway sys-
tenn as one of the best ways of solving
the farm problem by bringing about
lower transportation rates both on the
articles purchased by the farmer and
on the farm produce which is shipped
to world markets He outlined briefly
system suggested two years ago by
President Hoover, extending from Pitts
burgh to Kansas City and from Chicago
TO New Orleans.
Not only is the Nation greatly inter-
eSted in the development of inland
waterways in the great Mississippi VAL
ley, Mr. Good explained but 1t Is pro
foundly interested in the utilization OF
the ST. Lawrence as connecting link
between the Great Lakes and the At
lantic" He said nature has prepared
that highway and to use 1t Is the CO.
operative concern of two great nations"
Secretary Good emphatically denied
that greater use Of waterways will work
to the disadvantage of the railroads.
1t will only provide cheaper tranSpor-
tation for raw materials, he said,
while the railroads will transport fin
ished products He estimated that
already 5000 600, 900 has been cut from
the country's annual freight bill by i'm
provements of rivers and harbors.
Fixed Plane Type Urged.
Blame for inadequate appropriations
to carry out the five-year military
eI, he
taxpayers who insist that the War
Department keep small military posts
! scattered over the country, in the
opinion of Senator Bingham. He de-
clared that the money expended in this
manner, II put to better use, would
make 1t possible to keep up the ayia
tion program as planned.
IF the people OF the United States
really want to have adequate military
aviation, without greatly increasing
the burden of taxation for national
defense, they can secure 1t by insist
ing that most of the small Army posts
be closed" said Senator Bingham.
! In order that manufacturers may be
assured of a steady stream of orders
for machine of standard type, Sem
ator Bingham urged the adoption of a
fixed type of plane for use in the mill
tary air service for two or three years
at time. 1t must be remembered he
said, that due to the advance in the
art of flying the air service has become
our first line of national defense.
Preparedness Never Hurts"
Preparedness never hurt republic"
he continued. Preparedness may have
proved tempting to the rulers of an
oligarchy or monarchy There Is,
however, far moro danger of republic
inviting war by failure to provide for
, the national defense than by adequate
provision.
Secretary Good described the work
of improving the Nations waterways as
Continued on page 10, column ID