Evening star., 1939-05-02
The Political Mill
Vundenbere Is Determined to Preveni
Approval of Florida Ship ConuI

one can say whether 1t will be a sea-
level canal or a lock canal, and no
one can say whether the canal Is to
be a free canal or a toll affair. The
bill leaves all that kind of thing up
to the President after the author
ization shall have been given.
Two reasons are advanced by the
proponents of the measure for build
ing the ship canal. First, it is ar
gued that the canal will bring great
economic benefits to shipping and
shippers-to navigation. Second,
the canal is put forward as meas
ure of national defense-and ma
tional defense Is a term to conjure
with just now.
Opposed by Ship Operators.
Senator Vandenberg says, answer
ing the first argument, that not
Floride shipper or Florida ship
operator appeared to support the
canal during four years that the
plan has been under consideration.
He added that he had letters, on the
other hand, from all the ship op-
orators saying that the canal was
unjustified.
In regard to the national defense
argument, the War Department and
the Navy Department, since the re-
cent revival Of the ship canal pro-
posal, have sent letters to the Sem
ate committee saying that the canal
would be useful and urging its con-
struction. But-two years ago, when
there was no war hysteria, these two
departments wrote to the House
Rivers and Harbors Committee as
serting that the canal would have
no military value. And Admiral
Leahy, chief of naval operations,
has expressed an opinion that no
battleship could be sent through the
proposed canal, even If it were con-
structed. 1t doesn't seem probable
that the battleships will be deserted
by all the auxiliary naval craft, and
allowed to go round the straits of
Florida, in the event of war.
And. finally, if the canal is to be
used for national defense in these
dangerous days it would have to be
constructed long before the six or
Is year periods suggested.
For this canal is to be a big af-
fair. 1t will be 200 miles long and
33 feet in depth and the construc-
ton will extend out into the Gulf of
Mexico, 20 miles beyond the main
land OF Florida. because of the shall
low water in the Gulf.
Floridians Divided.
The people of Florida are very
much divided over the proposed
canal-even though it would bring
so many millions of dollars to be
spent in their State. In the first
place, they are afraid that it might
ruin the ground water supply of
Florida, either permitting salt water
to seep in, or wasting much of the
fresh water supply, if the limestone
formation is cut through in making
the canal Of the four Florida men,
bers of the House, two are for the
canal and two are against 1t. Both
the Senators favor it.
Vandenberg thought he had the
canal bill safely bottled up in COM
mittee. But Senator Johnson of
California failed to turn up to vote
against the report of the bill-and
Senators Radcliffe of Maryland and
Maloney of Connecticut, both of
whom Vandenberg relied on to op-
pose this expenditure, voted to 're-
port" though without recommended
ton. Not a Republican supported
the measure in committee, and four
Democratic Senators opposed it
Bailey Of North Carolina, Clark of
Missouri, Donahey of Ohio and
Guffey of Pennsylvania-the last
because it was argued that the canal
would put Floridas railroads right
out of business
The Michigan Senator has checked
up with the United States Coast
Guard, and found that in a 16-year
period. from 1920 to 1895. inclusive,