The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-10-08
Michigan in
Washington
By ESTHER V. w. TUFTY


a compromise ST.
Lawrence bill has been introduced
under favorable bipartisan spon-
sorship
This offers the brightest outlook
for the Seaway that the Senate has
ever seen. On that bill were the
names of Democrats Barley, Wag-
ner, Hill. and Taylor; Republicans
Aiken, Ferguson. LANCER, Vanden-
berg, Shipstead; and Progressive
LaFollette.
But the road will still be rocky.
Now the fight for enough votes
moves in the Foreign Relations
Committee, where 1t will have not
an easy time but at least better
than in the Commerce Committee
with its history Of anti-seaway OPP
position.
The next move is to have a sub
committee which will aggressively
fight. Much depends upon the Sc
lection OF chairman. II must be a
Democrat OF the kind who can
swing votes within the committee
and be smart about leadership later
when floor debates are in pro-
gress. Probably, Senator Lister
Hill OF Alabama would give the
seaway the best break. Some OF
the other Democrats may be Sena-
tors James Tunnel of Delaware
and Carl Hatch of New Mexico.
Among the Republican members
on the committee, It is expected
that Senator Arthur Vandenberg
will be named by Chairman Tom
Connally and maybe Warren Aus
tin of Vermont who is only luke
warm. and Progressive Senator
Robert LaFollette OF Wisconsin, n
very pro-seaway member.
Not completely acquiescent is
the New York Power Authority,
still unhappy that the traditional
bill was not again introduced. This
agitation makes wobbly the sup
port of Republican Governor Tho
mas E. Dewey and Democrat Sena-
tor Robert Wagner, also OF New
York; although as of the moment
they are lined up for the bill.
simultaneously, a companion bill
was introduced in the House by
Congressman Adolph SABBATH of Illi-
nois.
General Douglas Macarthur has
sent a japanese sword to his friend
Senator Arthur NJ. Vandenberg,
who once picked the now "Ameri-
can emperor Of Japan" for presi-
Dental candidate of the Republican
party. It's a very fine sword 1.-THE
Samuari variety used in Hari Kari
,ceremonies) which Macarthur took
from a Japanese major general on
the first return wave of American
troops TO-, the Philippines.
There was a bit Of ceremony IN
the presentation, too. One Of Gen.
sral MacArthur's aides brought the
sword to the senator with a pers-
onal greeting from the general.
Relief for traffic congestion IN
Michigan is seen in the new three
year federal-state highway con-
struction program just. oked by
Congress.
In the first fiscal year, ending
June 80, 1916, the federal outlay OF
800 million dollars lin Michigan,
sls,63s,452) will be matched dollar
for dollar by the state.
This first big postwar public
works project means that in Michi-
gan $6.S26,974 will be1spent en- Pr.
mary federal-aid highways; S5.6S2,-
433 on urban streets; $4,129, OPS for
secondary and feeder roads.
To Commissioner Thomas r. Mac
Donald, Public Roads Administra-
ton, this new gigantic road build
ing program is a twofold job. Be
cause of the war there is a real
need to catch up with delayer
normal construction and mainten-
ance. Equally, is the need for. mod
erniZation OF the entire highway
system.
Recognizing that a road program
means jobs, Commissioner Mac
Donald sees a possible aid TO the
unemployment period threatening
and since the program is in every
state the jobs will be widely dis
tributed.
The slump may not come but the
set-up is so flexible that, said Mac
Donald. ut can help achieve an ord
erly return to stable economic con-
ditions."
In Detroit, will come immediate
action on the development Of the