Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28

be carried forward as rapidly as appro-
priationS by Congress will permit BY
centering our expenditures on the i'm
provement of navigable rivers in terri
tories where commerce will justify the
expenditure and in completing the work
at an early date, great service for the
benefit OF all our people will have been
performed.
More than two years ago in an adj
dress at Chicago, President Hoover
said: IF we examine our possibilities
in this vision we find that the rivers
OF the Mississippi drainage between the
AlleghenieS and the Great Plains are
disposed geographically in such a
fashion that by deepening them we
could project a 9,000-mile consolidated
system through which 20 States could
find much cheaper transportation for
their import and export raw materia Is
and much advantage in interior distri-
button. That system would comprise
en- eaSt-west trunk line from Pittsburgh
through st. Louis to Kansas City, dis
lance of 1000 miles, along the Ohio,
Mississippi and Missouri and it would
also comprise a north-South trunk
waterway from Chicago to New Or
leans"
Vital Ling to Agriculture.
This project is a vitality important
link in the chain of plans for agricul-
tural relief and will not brook of delay.
A prosperous agriculture will always be
essential to national welfare. and as our
industrialization goes on and on a pros
porous agriculture will become more
and more important to the Nation. No
more important step for the prosperity
of agriculture can be taken than by the
Improvement of our inland waterways.
II such improvement is to bring some
degree of relief to agriculture there is
every reason why the improvement
should be made now, thus giving TO the
present generation and to depressed
agriculture he benefit of lower trans
portation costs on grain and bulk COM
modities.
In this connection, I might add that
flood control Is considered separately
from the normal work of improvement
to rivers and harbors. The Corps OF
Engineers Is charged with flood control
projects in the Sacramento Valley In
California, and on the Mississippi River.
There are no special problems involved
in the prosecution Of the work In the
Sacramento Valley. However, flood
control work in the Mississippi Valley
is Of tremendous Importance ana IN
wolves questions diff1cult of solution. 1t
Is estimated that under the program
recently inaugurated for food control
in the valley of the Mississippi and its
tributaries the sum Of approximately
1925. 000, 900 should be expended over
a period of about 10 years. This work
was started last year with an appropria-
ton of SIS, 000, 900, and has been con-
tinued this year with an appropriation
of $30.ooo,o00.
st. Lawrence Route CITED.
Not only is the Nation greatly In
terested in the development Of our In
land waterways, but 1t is profoundly In
terested in the utilization Of the st.
lawrence as a connecting link between
the Great Lakes and the Atlantic.
Nature has prepared the highway. TO
use that highway is the cooperative
concern of two nations. 1t viii be an
added. even If not needed, guaranty
of peace between them. 1t VIII De an
Increased assurance of the prosperity OF
the great continental interior OF ootn
countries.
We have. l am sure. long since passed
the time when any considerable element
among us can reasonably fear that the
prosperity of one section can only De
secured at the expense OF any otner
section. We have come TO UNDERSTAND
that In the long run we are an pouno
to prosper together or suner Cogelnei.
There need be no fear that any pan
of bringing the ocean front lnVo tIie
heart of the continent and CONNECTING
it with improved naVlgation on ou "a
inland rivers will work disadvantage TO
o,r national railroad system. wafer
highways All an economic need that
cannot otherwise be met. They can
move bulk freight more cheaply tnan
any other means Of transportation. 10
insist upon the fullest utiliZatlon OF
WATERWAYS implies no criticism OF tne
railways and their management. Our
railways make up the Worlos Ioieihoo'
TRANSPORTATION system. They VIII re-
main the carriers of finished and faorl-
Gated products and Of these the volume
will multiply as further industrallzatlon
follows the cheapening OF raw materials
They are In the hands OF great exec9-
tives and splendidly organized staus
and are magnificently serving tnelI
purpose. But all that was true OF tneHi
before the World War and yet tney
proyed unequal to the war emergency
The burden was beyond them; Inc
country demanded all the services o.
the railroads plus facilities which the
waterways should have given but could
not because they had not been prepared
for II We must prepare them. There
must be no repetition either In war OF
In peace OF such situation.
Raw Materials Need Low Rates.
Cheaper transportation is especially
needed for raw materials, farm prooucIs
and heavy goods that can be moVec
only through limited distances py ran
| II is calculated that the improvement
| of the rivers and harborS has Topped
| $500 900 900 annually from the country:
| freight bill. Great Lake Improvements
by no means adequate as yet, are saw
| ing 5000, 600. 900 In each years trans
uortation costs. Already $4,000 tons
of freight move annually by the Missi'
| sissippi River system and all these
| figures will seem paltry to the future
not a distant future either, when thu
ports of the world will send thefI
argosies of trade TO the waterfronts o.
the Great Lakes cities and tanned allc
harmless Mississippi will bear the vastl!
| increased burdens OF which 1t Il
capable.
1t is for us to push forward with
yigor this great development to NEE
the present and ever-growing demand
| Of agriculture and industry. The pres
ent administration OF our Government
stands committed to an early develop
ment and utilization OF these grea
natural resources. Our waterways arr
natures heritage to the entire republic
They belong to the present as well a
future generations. II untold benefits
shall flow to our people from thei
utilization the present generation
should be permitted to enjoy Its full
share of their blessings
Senator Bingham, who has made /,
special study Of military aviation, de