TRANSPORTATION: Seaway Attacked

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Amid much political jubilation on both sides of the border the U. S. and Canada last July signed a treaty to construct a $543,000,000 seaway along the St. Lawrence River connecting the Great Lakes and the Atlantic (TIME, July 25). Last week Senator Borah and his Foreign Relations colleagues sat down to hear what was wrong with this pact. In five days, opponents of its ratification piled up such a mountain of objections that even its friends admitted it had little chance to get through the coming short session.

Critics of the seaway treaty came from Boston. Buffalo, New York City, Portland (Me.), Philadelphia, Albany and Baltimore territory which foresaw damage to existing trade routes should oceanic traffic be diverted to the North. Loudest objectors were U. S. railroads, seconded by their organized security holders including banks and insurance companies. Great Lakes ship owners likewise heckled at the threat of invasion of their fresh-water domain by foreign craft.

Massed behind the treaty are 22 Midwest and Northwest States whose citizens envisage a cheaper tradeway to world markets, particularly for wheat.

Gist of objections raised before the Foreign Relations Committee:

The Cost of such a seaway is altogether speculative, with its ultimate value to the U. S. highly conjectural. The International Joint Commission fixed $543,000,000 as the cost, but President Hoover has estimated it at $800,000,000, Engineer Hugh Lincoln Cooper as high as $1,350,000,000.

Winter Weather would limit the sea-way's operation to barely half a year.