122 DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL substantiation of the 30-percent grant and intercoastal allowance mentioned under "Specific provisions", above. For each man thus employed in useful work in the industrial areas of the United States is one less man for the Nation's relief load. In addition, it will provide work relief for thousands of Americans on the Job for 6 years (employment schedule attached). 3. Because upon the basis of figures reported to you by your special board the project stands economically justified as a rivers and harbors project, which fact would normally entitle the project to have its entire cost borne by the Federal Government. 4. Because its benefits are national, affecting favorably the commerce of every State of the Union. 5. This new artery of commerce will create opportunities for the invest- ment of private capital in large amounts to take care of the new business opportunities brought about by reason of the canal's construction and thereby will aid permanent recovery. & It will protect life and property from the hazardous Straits of Florida during the hurricane season. 7. It is the logical complement to all plans for development in the territory between the Alleghenies and the Rocky Mountains, including the Mississippi Valley development and the Tennessee Valley project. & It will offset in part some of the handicap placed upon the Gulf tribu- tary and Mississippi Valley States by the construction of the Panama Canal by reason of bringing these States closer to their Atlantic seaboard markets. 9. Because its benefits to the Nation and its commerce will be permanent. 10. Because the canal will eventually become the property of the United Staets and its people forever. Should you desire to construct the project as a toll-free canal, this authority will lend its full assistance to that end, and proposes the following plan as a simple method of promptly constructing the canal in this manner under existing law: 1. Under National Industrial Recovery Act, title II, the Chief of Engineers could recommend to the Administrator of Public Works an expenditure for this purpose up to an amount which he believes the project economically justifies. 2. Such additional funds as may be required, to be allotted by the Federal Emergency Relief Administration upon the basis of work relief to be provided by the project both in the State of Florida and in the industrial centers of the United States. In view of the fact that no new legislation, either by the Federal Government or by the State of Florida, is necessary to commence construction using either of these plans, and because all work will be directly under the supervision of the Federal Government, thereby making for flexibility and speed in employ- ment, and further due to the fact that the project can be commenced promptly and is located in a climate where men can work winter as well as summer, we submit that this project is ideally suited for removing men from the relief rolls and placing them on a nationally useful work. We pledge you our full cooperation in carrying out this plan if it meets with your approval. Respectfully, THa SHIP CANAL AUrTHnoiu or THE STATE Or FLOmAD By C. P. SUMM-ALL, Chairman. I hereby endorse the above plan and pledge my full support and cooperation to the President of the United States of America and to all other agencies of the United States Government who may be concerned in its successful con- summation, to the end that all phases of the matter may be expedited. DAVID SHOLTZ, Governor of Florida. DECEMBm 15, 1984. This proposal was transmitted by the President to the Administra- tor of Public Works, for examination and action. This second or amended proposal of the ship canal authority was entirely separate and distinct from its original application to Public Works Admin- istration under date of August 14, 1933. On the date when this second proposal was transmitted to the Public Works Administra-