DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLOIDA CANAL 137

 Mr. GOum. It will be.
 Mr. F s xem. I wanted to fnd out how many foreign bottoms, or what pro-
portion of foreign bottoms would pass through the canal.
 Mr. GarN. I shall be glad to supply that, if obtainable. It is estimated that
10,000 ships a year will pass through it.
 Employment will be given to some 30,000 people over each year of construc-
tion. It is estimated that some 4 to 6 years will be required for completion.
Seventy-five percent to eighty percent of the funds expended for construction
will go direct to labor, and as an unemployment-relief project it is thoroughly
justified. It has also been suggested that C. C. C. camp forces may well be
utilized in many phases of construction and thus eliminate a large item of cost.
It is far better to expend relief and public-works money in a worth-while project
of permanent investment for the American people than to lavish it upon minor
and nonprofltable projects. This project when completed will represent a perma-
nent investment for all future generations of America. It has been pointed
out by best authorities as the outstanding and most worth while of all possible
relief or public-works projects.
 I earnestly request the cooperation and support of all my colleagues in this
 worthy project.
 So I call upon my colleagues to give careful study to this project. See what
 effect it has upon 38 or 39 States in the Union. Thirty-eight of them will be
 directly affected. Every one of them will have an indirect benefit. It will
 develop every great basic industry in our land. I speak to you gentlemen from
 the great industrial States, as Pennsylvania with your Iron factories, and you
 Members from the West with your copper factories and with your steel mills
 and your electric equipment manufacturing concerns. Every basic industry in
 the United States will be stimulated by the construction of this canaL
 [Applause.]
 BRPBESENTATIVE LEX OBGN ADVOCATES CANAL ACROSS NORTH FLORIDA
 Following is a copy of an address over the Columbia Broadcasting System
 by Representative Lex Green, Democrat, of Florida, Saturday, February 9,
 from 7:45 to 8 p. m., eastern standard time. He spoke from the studios of
 WJSV, Columbia's station for the Nation's Capital:
 "About a century ago a great President, Andrew Jackson, realizing the vast
 importance of such a waterway, sent a special message to Congress recom-
 mending construction of a canal across Florida. Now, another great President,
 Franklin D. Roosevelt, will, In my opinion, construct the canal. It has been
 enthusiastically advocated for the past 10 years.
 "It was my pleasure in 1925 to introduce a bill in the Congress for prelim-
 inary survey of proposed routes, and in 1980 for physical surveys. Surveys
 have been practically completed by the Board of United States Army Engineers
 and the Federal Public Works engineers. In addition to these boards, the
 President has appointed a special commission or board, to go into this matter
 thoroughly and report to him, and I have reasons to believe that the findings
 of this board fully justify the project. The results are that one or more feasible
 routes have been found for a steamship canal across northern Florida, connect-
 ing the waters of the Atlantic Ocean with those of the Gulf of Mexico. Some
 of the best engineering minds in the country have concluded that such a canal
 is not only feasible from an engineering point, but will pay for itself In the way
 of benefits to the American people within the course of 30 years. It has also
 been concluded that as a toll or self-liquidating proposition, it will retire the
 cost of construction within about 86 years. The cost of construction has been
 estimated at 110 to 143 million dollars.
 "The total benefits to commerce and the people of the United States from
 this project, as determined by the Army engineers and the Public Works engi-
 neers, are more than twice its cost, which is a higher ratio than can be borne
 for any project of comparable magnitude now being considered by the Govern-
 ment. These benefits would reduce the cost of operation of ships by more than
 $8,00,000 a year and will redound far greater benefits than this to the Ameri-
 can public in the way of reduced cost of transportation. It is estimated that
 the producers and consumers of America would be saved $36,000,000 per year
 in transportation cost. This is a huge amount, and within 3 or 4 years the
 American public will receive in benefits the cost of construction.