The Washington times., 1929-10-22
HOOVER LAUDS
WATERWAY
Continued from First Page)

ument to the pioneers In the develop
ment of the stream.
ut IL a great pleasure to me to
share in the dedication Of this monu'
ment glorifying for all time the com.
pletion of a nine foot channel for
the full length Of the Ohio River,
Hoover continued.
The engineering mind, about which
see SO much in the newspapers
here does come to surface and lux
uriates In appreciation OF a great
engineering job we'll done. This new
instrument Of commerce, from which
untold blessings will come year after
year, is an enduring monument to
the patience of men of my own pro-
fession whose lives are spent in de-
vising means to increase the COM
fort and convenience of the world.
But men of every mold have
wrought with equal bravery in this
of the wild beauty of
the Ohio River into the not less
beautiful but more tractabie stream
of today. The engineer found the
physical means, but many others
contributed to the vision, courage
and persistence needful to this ac-
compiishment.
Glory for All
Statesmen, river men and bust
ness men may share the glory. The
elders present may well regret the
absence of such stalwart figures as
Col. William E. Merrill, and Capt.
William B. Rogers. whose ingenuity
and dauntless faith bore so large
a part on this achievement.
"I personally feel deeply the abb
sence of Sen. Theodore Burton. at
whose bedside in Washington l
have recently stood. His work as
chairman Of the historic Inland
Waterways Commission. appointed
by President Roosevelt in 19O7'
gave the foundation upon which
this great development has been
created.
The report of that commission
in 1908 has been the Bible Of water
ways improvement. Its first result
was the Act Of 1910, with which
began the present project, now
brought to successful conclusion.
It reflected not only the clarity
of mind with which the Senator
has endowed public issues for
generation, but also the broad hui
manity of his spirit, that dwelt
with special concern upon the prob
lens of equity involved and upon
the welfare of the whole body OF
men and women of the country Tor
whose benefit the program was de-
vised.
"Of Speaker Longworth, who for
tunately is present, it should be re-
called that he was one OF the
founders of the Ohio Valley I'm
provement Association, and has both
privately and as an officer OF the
Government worked indefatigably in
the cause Of this development Tor
more than a quarter of a century.
He and his associates deserve nigh
remembrance in the records Of this
achievement" :,
But the whole Ohio Valley and
the Nation as well should be con-
graduated on this occasion. A new
agency of service now begins its
quiet labors for mankind. The tow
path that led one Ohio boy
to the White House has been mod
ernized. But the opportunity has
been expanded by the abandonment
Of the tow-path for the engine. 1t
Ia the glory of our scientific age
that its sooty presses in the end
bring results that make childhood
stronger and happier and give to
manhood and womanhood a life
richer and more. varied.
This monument will ever remind
the people of a great accomplish
ment'
Greeted By Crowds
President Hoover arrived here to-
day at 9 a. m, to participate In the
Ohio River Improvement celebration.
He was welcomed by a small
committee headed by Oscar F. Bar
rett. president of the Ohio Valley
Improvement Association, and city
officials and taken to the Gibson
Hotel prior to going to Eden Park
for the dedication of monument.
The streets from the station to
the hotel were lined with people.
The bad weather that has pur-
sued President Hoover since leav-
in1 Washington continued here to-
day.,
A drizzling rain was falling when
he arrived, and with the dr1zzie
beating into his face he rode In an
open car through crowd-lined streets
to the Gibson Hotel. The air was
chill and raw. Yesterday the Presl,
dent was forced to drive for 80
miles through a penetrating October
drizzle in Detroit.
A brief reception was held at the