Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-13
WATERWAY BATTLE
AROUSES CONGRESS
Vandenberg Finds House Is
Insistent on Both Erie and
illinois Projects.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Warfare broke out on Capitol Hin
yesterday over proposals for Federal ac-
QUESTION of the Erie Canal in New
York state and the Illinois waterways,
but after President Hoover had inter-
vened, House leaders stood by their de-
cisions for these projects despite Senate
threats.
Senator Vandenberg, Republican, OF
Michigan, went to the White House
and told the President "there will be
no rivers and harbors legislation II the
Erie Canal project" Is kept IN the rivers
and harbors bill. He said 1t would
throttle" the st. Lawrence River WATER
way scheme.
Mr.. Hoover called in Chairman
Dempsey Of the House rivers ana
harhors committee, who sponsored the
Erie Canal acquisition, and Representa-
tive Hull, Republican, Of Illinois, the
advocate of the Illinois waterways
project, both accused by the Michigan
Senator of "bludgeoning'' War DEPART
ment engineers into favorable reports
on these proposals.
Insisted ON Projects.
Returning to the Capitol, Chairman
Dempsey called his committee together
to work out the final terms Of the
Sic, 000, 900 rivers and harbors legisla-
ton, and announced the provision for
acquisition of the Erie and Oswego
canals in New York State would be kept
In the bill when II was reported TO the
House. Mr.. Hull said the same of the
Illinois waterways.
Both Mr.. Dempsey and Mr.. Hull de-
Scribed their hours conference with the
President as very pleasant" Senator
once earlier In the day, likewise came
away pleased with his reception, but
breathing fire against the Erie project.
He said he was convinced OF the Presi-
dents favor toward the at, Lawrence
waterway plan, which the Michigan
Senator feels Is imperiled by the Erie
Canal acquisition. Foes OF the st. Law
renee waterway are insisting upon an
all-American route from the Great
lakes to the Atlantic, and the Erie
Canal Is part Of this project. Mr..
Dempsey is a Representative from New
York.
The mammoth rivers and harbor5
legislation neared completion late last
night, as the House committee went
into O night session. 1t carries pro-
vision of about $llo,000,o 900 for new
projects scattered throughout the
nation.
The Illinois waterways, now State
controlled, would be taken over by the
Government under Mr.. Hull's proposal,
with $500, 900 for completion OF the
work. No appropriation would be pro-
vided in this bill for the Erie Canal,
the measure merely allowing for its
transfer to the Federal Government
from the State.
Opposes "Grab Bag"
I'VE don't propose" announced Sen
ator Vandepberg, a member OF the
Senate commerce committee, ito have
the fundamental issue of the st. Law
renee waterways throttled by Congress
in Congressman Dempsey's grab bag.
II protested that the War Depart
ment engineers are making policy de-
visions which it Is none of their bust
ness to make. 1t seems to be generally
admitted that some of the inQuisitive
gentlemen from Illinois and New York
used a political hludgeon on the engi-
neers instead OF an engineering argu-
| ment.
1.-The astounding thing is that the
board yielded to any such pressure and
Yepudiated every prior decision in order
to do 1t. There is a fair-sized group
of Senators who can't be bludgeoned
in the same fashion. propose to ex-
haust every senatorial recourse before
submitting to the worst pork barrel
rivers and harbors bill in the history OF
American Government"