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Shreveport and ajdacent industrial areas are 100 percent in accord with this application for water transportation.

Mr. MATTHIAS. Then I have a statement by Mr. Arthur Watson, of Natchitoches, La., expressing his support in connection with the building of the Red River lateral canal.

Senator OVERTON. That also will appear in the record.

STATEMENT OF ARTHUR WATSON, NATCHITOCHES, LA.

Mr. WATSON. I had the good fortune to be elected secretary of the Natchitoches Port Development Association. This is an organization of businessmen of Natchitoches and Natchitoches Parish, who are vitally interested in seeing the Red River lateral canal become a reality instead of just a dream.

The people of Natchitoches are united in support of this canal. The benefits to be derived from it are incalculable. We have a rich agricultural and sawmilling country whose products can be shipped by water to the mutual advantage both of our producers and of the ultimate consumer. Furthermore, it is our considered opinion that the creation of an inland waterway through this valley will stimulate the industry which we have here now and will bring more industry into our area in the immediate future.

We were all extremely gratified that the Army engineers have investigated this project and found it possible, both from an engineering standpoint and from the viewpoint of economics. Our people have studied the matter carefully and we know that the canal will pay for itself over a course of years. We feel that it will give us the opportunity which we have long needed in the valley. We have a rich area, but we need cheap transportation for the products which we can produce here.

We strongly urge a favorable report on the Red River lateral canal, behind which the people of Natchitoches Parish stand enthusiastically united.

Mr. MATTHIAS. Also a statement of Mr. Sylvan W. Nelken, who is head of the department of agriculture, Northwestern State College, and also president of the Natchitoches Chamber of Commerce, and Í would like also to have his remarks printed in the record.

Senator OVERTON. That will be done. Just hand them to the reporter.

STATEMENT OF SYLVAN W. NELKEN, HEAD, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, NORTHWESTERN STATE COLLEGE AND PRESIDENT, NATCHITOCHES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, NATCHITOCHES, LA.

Mr. NELKEN. The Red River Valley, stretching through a considerable part of Louisiana, as well as other States, contains thousands of acres of the Nation's most productive farm and grazing lands. The basic industry of this territory is agriculture-chiefly cotton, livesstock, and hay crops. Continued production of cotton, because of inevitable lower prices, due to foreign competition, manufacture of synthetics, large carry-over, and loss of export market-must be based upon speedy mechanization of its production. This mechanization

must and will cover all phases of production-planting cultivating— and picking. Such change will most certainly create a problem in labor utilization. One mechanical cotton picker is now doing the work of 100 cotton pickers. A great reservoir of semiskilled and unskilled labor will result. Give us water transportation and industry will gladly make use of this labor and solve the great problem of what will happen to the Negro in the valley when cotton is harvested by machine. Such industry that would move to the valley to utilize the relatively cheap available labor would create tonnage. To mechanize cotton will require the movement of much heavy machinery—thus a great tonnage on the proposed canal.

It is a fact that the Red River Valley lands produce more grass per acre than any other land in the Nation. A small amount of this grass is being dried and ground and shipped to feed manufacturers. With water transportation this business will multiply many times, creating tonnage and jobs.

The late President Roosevelt called the South the Nation's No. 1 economic problem, and many of us from the South feel that he was correct. A great part of the South, lacking water transportation, has not been able to attract industry to any great extent, thus making a continuance of too many small farmers unable to earn a satisfactory standard of living. If industry could be combined with small farm operation, much of the South's economic problem would vanish. Buying power of the individual would be greatly increased, thus bringing about a great movement of goods along the proposed waterway.

In conclusion, may I point out again:

1. Cotton will be mechanized, thus creating a vast amount of surplus labor.

2. That industry will most certainly use this labor.

3. That a tremendous amount of farm machinery must move to the valley.

4. New industries will develop because of cheap transportation. 5. The canal will improve the income of our citizens and thus increase the movement of goods.

Mr. MATTHIAS. Thank you, sir.

Senator OVERTON. I believe I asked you there is no opposition to it?

Mr. MATTHIAS. There is no opposition that I know of. (The witness withdrew from the committee table.)

Senator OVERTON. All right, sir. Is there anyone else from Shreveport who wishes to testify?

STATEMENT OF HAROLD J. BRYANT, GENERAL MANAGER, SHREVEPORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SHREVEPORT, LA.

Mr. BRYANT. My name is Harold J. Bryant. I am general manager of the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce. I have a statement that I think covers practically what I have to say, Mr. Chairman. If you would like I will read it and then file it with the clerk, if that is your wish.

Senator OVERTON. How long is it?

Mr. BRYANT. It is about a page and a half.
Senator OVERTON. Oh, read it.

Mr. BRYANT. The citizenship of Shreveport is in full accord with the program of building the Red River lateral canal. The return of navigation on the Red River which had a vital part in establishing the city of Shreveport, has been listed as a most important project on the program of the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce for over 25 years.

Other officers of our organization have previously made statements of fact and presentation of factual data relative to the economic stability of Shreveport and its business interests, among these were statements by Ed C. Burris, who served as our general manager until March 15, 1946. In addition to the statements he made and which are of record in previous hearings, I wish to call your attention to these basic factors, which show the stability of Shreveport's past and gives assurance to its future growth.

Here are the records:

Shreveport has grown constantly and consistently from: 11,897 in 1890 to 15,000 in 1900, to 28,000 in 1910, to 43,000 in 1920, to 76,000 in 1930.

And in 1940 the Bureau of the Census gave the population inside the city limits of Shreveport as 98,167. Today it is estimated that at least 118,000 people live within the city limits of Shreveport and in its metropolitan area there are estimated to be at least 130,000.

Postal receipts have grown from $350,000 in 1920 to over a million dollars in 1945; in only 1 year during that 25-year period was there no gain. Utility connections for electricity, gas, water, and telephone have all shown steady as well as essential growth.

Retail sales for 1945 are up to $95,116,000 compared with $46,959,000 in 1940.

Wholesale sales for 1945 were $154,655,000 compared with $66,868,000 for 1939.

Manufacturing increased 26.9 percent in number of plants, 43 percent in wages paid and 110.44 percent in value of products, between 1935 and 1939.

These facts show unmistakable justification for the building of the Red River lateral canal. The citizens of Shreveport recognize the need for it and are giving it their united support.

Senator OVERTON. Thank you very much.

(The witness withdrew from the committee table.) Senator OVERTON. Who else from Shreveport?

Representative Brooks. That is all, Mr. Chairman, from Shreveport. Mr. Harris is from Alexandria.

Senator OVERTON. All right, Mr. Harris, will you come forward.

STATEMENT OF HOMER H. HARRIS, SR., CHAIRMAN OF THE
BOARD OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS OF
LOUISIANA, ALEXANDRIA, LA.

Senator OVERTON. You reside in Alexandria?
Mr. HARRIS. Yes, sir; that is my home.

Senator OVERTON. Have you any connection with this project officially?

Mr. HARRIS. Yes, quite a bit, Senator.

Senator OVERTON. În the first place, I think you are a member of the board of the Department of Public Works of Louisiana?

88555-46- 8

Mr. HARRIS. I am chairman of the board of the State Department of Public Works of Louisiana, vice president of the Red River Valley Improvement Association; I am director of the Mississippi Valley Association, of St. Louis, and director and treasurer of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce.

Senator OVERTON. You have taken an interest in the waterways for some time, have you not?

Mr. HARRIS. Yes, sir; since 1940.

Senator OVERTON. What is your business?

Mr. HARRIS. I am in the lumber and building material business. Senator OVERTON. In Alexandria?

Mr. HARRIS. In Alexandria; yes, sir.

Senator OVERTON. All right. You may proceed.

Mr. HARRIS. Well, I believe I could save time by reading this article to you as further evidence of my qualifications.

In appearing before you in this matter, I represent the following organizations: The Department of Public Works, State of Louisiana, of which I am chairman of its board; the Mississippi Valley Association, of St. Louis, Mo., of which I am a member of the board of directors; the Red River Valley Improvement Association, of which I am vice president; the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, of which I am a member of its board of directors, also its treasurer.

As further evidence of my qualifications to discuss matters pertaining to the Red River Valley, I wish to state that I have resided within 2 miles of Red River for nearly 35 years, during which time I have operated a large plantation, a sawmill, and other commercial enterprises.

At the present time I own several thousand acres of Red River Valley alluvial lands and also conduct a wholesale and retail lumber and building-material concern at Alexandria, La., in the operation of which I am a shipper and receiver of a large tonnage of heavy and bulky freight, which is presently handled by railroad and truck-line transportation.

Being thoroughly informed about the economic needs of the Red River Valley, I respectfully urge your approval of the Red River lateral canal project, which will furnish this valley with water transportation, that it so vitally needs.

Red River is the last large river watershed to receive the attention of the Army engineers, and this canal will become a most important link in the vast inland water transportation system of the United States. It will not only benefit Red River Valley, but will benefit the entire country.

The Red River lateral canal project follows the course of several natural waterways and bayous which in early days carried waterborne freight to and from the planters of the valley. These natural streams parallel Red River and afford the Army engineers an economical canal route that will be reasonable in original cost and have very little maintenance cost.

The Corps of Army Engineers is to be congratulated upon designing such an efficiently planned canal project, which in addition to providing low-cost transportation will at no cost at all furnish valuable land reclamation and important drainage to this highly developed and valuable alluvial land area in Louisiana.

Despite the fact that Red River Valley has been without water transportation for many, many years, the people have made great

progress in building their towns and cities along the river, and in the valley; but Red River Valley never can attain its potential possibilities without water navigation, and this canal will make that complete development a reality and give our national economy the benefit of this great natural water resource at one and the same time.

The people up and down the valley are in thorough accord about this canal project. The State of Louisiana will make the local contribution by providing the necessary rights-of-way. The money for that purpose is on hand; we are ready to do our part now toward building this improvement.

The greatest argument in favor of this canal project is the fact that it will benefit such a vast number of people, not only in Louisiana, it will also be a most valuable asset to the United States, because it will amortize itself and will injure no other form o transp tation. This canal will induce tonnage that does not today exist, and will never exist without low-cost water transportation. This canal will bring about an industrial development of this wonderful Red River Valley that will greatly benefit present carriers of freight, as has been the case where similar developments have been made.

It is my opinion that no one will benefit more from the industrial development that is sure to follow the construction of this canal than the railroads and truck lines that are presently located in the valley; that industrialization will develop an enormous amount of freight tonnage in classifications that would never be shipped in any other manner except over railroads and by truck lines.

There is another item of no little importance that will be improved by the building of this canal project, that is national defense.

During wartime this canal would serve the Nation extremely well, like the inland waterways did during the recent World War. There is no need for calling your attention to the strain that prevailed upon all forms of transportation during the war, and I am sure you are all familiar with the important part the inland waterways played when every ton was vital to our war effort.

This canal project bisects the Louisiana-east Texas military maneuver area which played such an important part in preparing our armies for service all over the world in War II. The efficiency of this great military maneuver area will be much improved and increased by building this canal, because of the vast amount of war material that of necessity must be transported in and out during training periods. I believe all will agree that we do not serve our country well, where we overlook any item that will improve national defense.

I appreciate the opportunity afforded me to present this statement, and again urge your favorable report on this canal project; respectfully submitted.

Senator OVERTON. Mr. Harris, were you present when we had the hearings before?

Mr. HARRIS. Yes, sir; on January 14.

Senator OVERTON. Were any directors of railroads present at the hearing?

Mr. HARRIS. There was a director from the L. & A., Kansas City Southern, Mr. Ewing, of Shreveport. He testified in favor of the project.

Senator OVERTON. I think there was also another railroad director there.

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