Evening star., 1934-01-17
National Opinion Is Divided
On St. Lawrence Canal Plan

President Roosevelt's support Of the
St. Lawrence waterway project, in line
with previous presidential recommenda-
tions. brings interested comment from
friends and foes of the arrangement
for joint action with Canada. 1t Is
held that both railroads and power
companies fear encroachments on their
business, while various ports are destined
to win or lose under the changes of
transportation routes involved in the
enterprise.
President Roosevelt seems to lay
greater stress on its availability for
power" says the Philadelphia Evening
Bulletin. but that paper adds: "Opposi-
ton to the waterway has been chiefly
on the transportation phase Of the pro-
posal The railroad interests have been
opposed to it because its operation
would tend to divert a considerable vol
ume of traffic from their rails. And
by the same token every port on the
North Atlantic seaboard is in opposition
because the new waterway would divert
traffic which Is now an important fac
tor in the maintenance of their sew
eral shipping services. Philadelphia Is
among the ports particularly concerned
on this score" The Evening Bulletin
adds that 1.-The Presidents power plea
is calculated to be of service here, win
ming support that might be lost in the
sectional lineup on the proposal"
THE Middle West" declares the Mil
waukee Journal, will be intolerant of
further pigeon-holing of treaty that
long ago should have been ratified" !"
The Journal reviews the history of the
fIn efo To-
and dement's of the st. Lawrence prof.
ect have been intensely studied since
1919 and casually studied for a longer
period. In the decade and a half since
analysis began numerous engineering
surveys have been made endless hear
ings have been held in both the United
States and Canada, and several ex-
hauStive reports have been prepared.
All of them pronounce the project feas-
ible. beneficial and of immense value
to the Middle Western United States.
The development of power to the great
advantage of the Eastern United States
also is inherent in the project"
1T is the power development" ac-
cording to the Rochester Times Union,
which carries the project forward al
most Of its own momentum and makes
its final accomplishment well-nigh in
eVltable," while the Portland oregon
Journal, indorsing the waterway, as
| serts that American craftsmanship
should come to the aid of the con-
sumers of power. The Cleveland Plain
Dealer believes that the canal will
contribute to the economic health of the
country long after the pains of this
depression are forgotten, and farms and
factories have resumed their full-time
service to society,"" The Oshkosh Daily
Northwestern observes heavy pressure
against the project from Eastern, Chi,
cago and Mississippi valley interests.
The Escanaba Daily Press voices the
hopes of every Great Lakes port" in
giving its Endorsement.
| Declaring that it is "even more use
/ full and indispensable than the Panama
Canal" the Philadelphia Record holds
that 'it is to the interests OF the whole
Nation that a neglected artery OF COM
merce be developed when IS per cent
of the Nations people are directly af-
fected, and when a great sector OF
the Middle West is brought into the
sphere Of Atlantic Ocean shipping. II