The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-07-29

featured products into the centre
of population of the country. An
illustration of this fact obtains in
the case of the tanning industry
in Pennsylvania county, already
importing hides from Argentina,
and of the Enka Plant in Bun
combe county,. importing raw ma
terial from Canada for making
rayon and distributing it from
that location.
While the advantages afforded
to possible industry by the situa-
ton of the Valley are thus evil
dent, those to recreation, to vaca-
tiOnal pleasures, to health recup-
Grafton, and stimulation are like
wise particularly noteworthy. 1t
is the nearest locality for such
purposes of any for the popula-
ton of much of North Carolina,
Of all of South Carolina and all
of Florida, Georgia, Alabama and
Mississippi. 1t stands related for
such purposes to those sections as
does that part - of Switzerland
whence flow the water of the
Rhone to the Mediterranean and
of the Pc to the Aedriatic to
third of France and fourth of
Italy. with the great health resort
of Geneva between the great
manufacturing cities of Lyons
and Milan. Some day, perhaps,
Chattanooga may be our Lyons,
Charlotte or Columbia our Milan,
and, with a lake Leman on Mills
River, Hendcrsonville our Geneva.
The location of the Valley may
eventually also be the site of
water-lnk between the Tennessee
and the Savannah. Of course
that may be looking far ahead,
too; but it may be said that re-
cent developments in this coun-
try teach the lesson of long-range
thinking and planning. Immense
cargOes of freight are carried
along shallow canals in light
draft boats in many parts of
France and Germany. The day
may come when coal may be
bargcd from Alabama. Tennessee
and Illinois to Greenville, Column
bia and Charleston through can
allied rivers and locks. If the
idea of self-sufficiency which
seems to be coming out of the
London conference as the logical
consequence of world conditions
now and for possibly many years
to come be the permanent policy
of this country, then the inten-
sive development of our resourc-
cs and the reduction of expense
of internal transportation will
be more and more necessary.
This would imply increasing use
of natural waterways for bulky
basic slow freight. Of this type
are coal, cotton, lumber, the
three basic materials of the re-
gion of which the French Broad
Valley is the geographical centre.
On the other hand, if another
outcome Of the London confer
ence be that the United States
must and will concentrate upon
trade with Central and South
America as is being advocated
widely now, then the rubber. cof-
fee, cocoa, nitrate, copper, hard"
woods, hides and other basic i'm
ports may be ultimately expect
ed to come, for at least a rea-
sonable share. to our South At
lantic Ports, and they would then
contribute to our development
for the reasons already present
ed. Already South Carolina is
planning a lock-system which will
link Columbia and Charleston by
water, just above Columbia isl
Lake Murray, a waterway almost
to the foot of the mountains; a
few more such lakes and locks
and the waterway from Chicago
to Charleston would be a fact.
These considerations ought to
be borne in mind in any compre-
hensive planning here. The pos
sible or probable future is the