Evening star., 1933-07-05

Opening Of the long-awaited Lakes
to-Gulf Waterway, with exercises In
which Secretary Dern of the War De-
partment participated, is the basS LOT
optimistic views Of domestic commerce
The Middle West is believed destined
to have a great expansion, with bene-
fits extending to the whole country.
The relation of this project to the pro-
posed st. Lawrence Canal is mace
subject of differing comments. but
there is wide recognition OF the pos
sibilities to be found in slow ana cneap
transportation, where prompt oenVery
is not a necessity.
Economical water transportation OF
raw materials is one Of the conoltlonS
of industrial and commercial prosper
ity.' thinks the Chicago Daily news
quoting from Secretary Dern the state,
ment that the linking OF the central
lake cities, the gulf ports and the great
communities of the interior should not
only restore the lost economic parity
of the Middle West with the rest OF the
country, but should tend to effect
proper balance between agriculture
and the manufacturing industries;
strengthen the forces of recovery ana
help. not injure, the railroads
This section is to have the trans
portation facilities it long has worked
for and required" declares the KAN
sas City Times. with the statement as
to practical results of the new enter
prise: Inland navigation Is coming
and is close at hand. 1t is certainty
on the Missouri. as on the MISSISSIPPI
ard the Ohio. The regular movement
of barees on dependable channels Will
not be a novelty but a matter OF ually
occurrence. The time is brought nearer
and the need of the development IS
made clearer by the evidences OF ma
tional recovery, by the prospect OF re-
vived commerce and trade ana the as
surance of enlarged shipments OF goods.
Cities along the more recently com.
pleted section of the Lakes -to-Gul1
channel are preparing themselves Tor
this advance in transportation. Feoila
has built combination terminal tnat
provides water connection with Is rau-
roads. Cities farther down the water
way-St. Louis. Memphis, Cairo, Helena
end others-already had the terminal
facilities. Kansas City has prepared
itself for the navigation.
"Once a tremendous factor IN the
Nations transportation system, recaiS
the Rockford Register-Republic," water
ways, with the advent of steam lines,
were relegated to a secondary posltlon.
Demands for swifter schedules in NOV.
ing goods and crops ended much OF
the commerce which at one time
flowed along our rivers, canals ana
lakes. Even the great artery OF the
Mississippi and its tributaries pasSeo
from the picture. New considerations
of economy have led to a revival OF
the development of waterways. Millions
have been expended by the Federal
Government and by the States in this
work In sense, it has been a huge
gamble. Whether it pays out will be
determined by the extent OF its use.
Because it helps in some measure to
reduce the transportation diferential
formerly existing between Middle
Western and seaboard points its hackers
have great faith in the ultimate sue
cess Of the new waterway"
ut would seem that the country is
still restlessly seeking new means of
transportation and that the old ports
and carriers will have to be alert to
hold their own" advises the Jersey
City. journal, while the Providence
journal suggests that 'it is the high
hope of those who have urged COM
pletion of the century-old project for
| linking the Great Lakes and the Miss
issippi River system with a navigable
connection that the vast territory
lying between the Alleghenies and the
Rockies will henceforth. by reason Of
| enjoying q more favorable position In
respect to transportation facilities and