Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-03-04
The St. Lawrence Seowuy

For more than century the United States
and Canada-described by Chairman Wiley of
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as
1.-The two best neighborS anywhere on earth"-
have considered proposals for joint develop
ment of the Great LakeS-St. Lawrence Basin.
Since 1919, the project has been in various
stages of international planning and agree
ment, but has lacked the essential approval of
the United States Congress to permit translat-
ing the idea into reality.
What very likely will be the final oppor-
tunity for the United States Government to
join in the creation and control of the project
is embodied in legislation now pending before
the House and Senate. Identical bills in the
two branches would set up a St. Lawrence
Seaway Development Corporation for canal
construction in United States territorial waters
and would provide for joint control and opera
ton of the seaway, including agreement on
tolls. Financing would be done by self-liquidat
ing bond issues in a sum not to exceed 500
million. No provision is made in this legiSla-
ton for intergovernmental participation in the
power-making aspects of the project.
Every administration from that of Repub-
lican President Coolidge to that of Democratic
President Truman has Endorsed some variation
of the development plan. President Eisen-
hover has not yet taken stand on the ISSUE
telling his press conference few days ago that
he has it under study but needs longer time
to reach a decision. Congressional opposition
aroused primarily by railroad and private
power interests, has always cut across party
lines, but the pending legislation is sponsored
by Republicans, Chairman Wiley and Repre-
sentative Dondero of Michigan. 1t is interesting,
too, that Secretary of the Treasury Humphrey,
when head of the M A. Hanna Company, testi-
EAl H. ,4%;o
Defense Department spokesman likewise have
supported the project in the past as important
to our national security.
The flnality of the current opportunity for
United States participation arises out of the
Canadian governments decision to go ahead
alone with the project if necessary. This
cuts the ground from under the railroad
opposition, since the seaWay is going to be
built in any event. Canadian corporation
has been set up to build and control the
entire Seaway, and the Province of Ontario
has been authorized to construct the power
project. The State of New York has asked
permission of the Federal Power Commission to
act jointly with Ontario on the power develop
ment. possible further clue to the thinking
within the Eisenhower administration was
given recently by Secretary of Interior Mckay
in an Endorsement of the New York State plans
A convincing case for the economic and
military value of the seaway has been made
The st. Lawrence and the Great Lakes form
part of the boundary waters Of the United
States They penetrate deeply into the indus
trial and agricultural heartland of the United
States, providing highway for export of
products and import of essential raw materials
share in their navigational improvement
and control would be important in peace
time and could be douhly important in war
time. The Canadian government last month
informed our own that it would delay its
seaway plans long enough for one more chance
at congressional approval of our own participa-
ton. Congress should take advantage of this
opportunity in the national interest.