Evening star., 1941-03-21

the maximum immediate defense
effort, we must also prepare for the
possibility of protracted emergency
which will call upon the industries
OF both sides of the border to meet
constantly expanding demands. The
combination of advantages offered
by the st. Lawrence project makes
it imperative that we undertake it
Immediately"
Congress received the agreement
in an atmosphere of sectional
and occupational partisanship rem
iniscent Of tariff making days.
Even before receipt of the White
House message giving details of the
pact, legislators were aligning them
selves with the agricultural and in
dustrial interests of their particular
sections, either for or against the
proposal.
Senator Bridges, Republican, of
New Hampshire was openly hostile,
voicing the fear of Northeastern
port cities that their trade would
be damaged by a deep water con-
nection between the Great Lakes
and the sea.
Opposition Is Voiced.
Mindful of the Mississippi Valley
dream of to-gulf waterway,
Senator Clark, Democrat, of Mis-
souri, promised vigorous opposition
if the proposal would divert so much
water from Lake Michigan as to
make the future establishment of
such a waterway impossible.
Senators Vandenberg, Republican,
and Brown, Democrat, both of
Michigan, said the details of these
diversion plans would have to be
checked carefully against the de-
clining water level of the Great
Lakes before they could decide what
course to pursue.
Senator Taft, Republican, of Ohio
noted that business men in his State
appeared to be generally opposed to
the project, but Senator Norris, In
dependent, of Nebraska said the
development would be of inestimable
help to agriculture in reduced
freight rates. Senator Adams, DEM
ocrat, of Colorado discounted this
with the assertion that the whole
country would be forced to pay for a
from which the Great
Lakes area would reap the lions
share of benefits.
There were involved, also, the
long-Standing controversies between
public and private power advocates
and between water and rail trans
portation systems, with such at
tendant offshootS as the coal in
dustry's fear that cheap electricity
would close many Of its mines and
the railroad workers belief that
the opening of additional water
routes threatens their jobs.
Reverse" of Defense Project.
Offsetting this, however, was Pres
ident Roosevelt's presentation of
the seaway and power agreement as
a vital necessity" for national de-
fense.
Senate Majority Leader Barkley
predicted that the defense aspects
would influence many of his COL
leagues who might otherwise oppose
the proposal, but Senator Bridges
termed the agreement exactly the
reverse of a national defense prof.
ect."
"At a time when we need all of
the resources of the country to build
planes and tanks and other ma
terials which are urgently needed"
he declared, "it is proposed to divert
men and materials to the purposes
Of this project"
On the other hand, Senator Wiley,
Republican, of Wisconsin said he
thought there was a good deal of
merit in a previous suggestion of
the President that the Great Lakes
area be made the naval shipbuilding
center that would not be readily
subject to air bombardment if this
country ever were attacked.