DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA CANAL 461

DOCUMENT NO. 145 (CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, 74TH CONG, 2D SESS.
 JUNE 15, 1936), JUNE 15, 1936

SPEECH OF REPRESwETATIVE GREEN IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 On June 15, 1936, Representative Green addressed the House of
Representatives, on the Florida CanaL The following is extracted
from the Congressional Record of that date:
 Mr. GaBw. Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, it is expected that the House
 will on tomorrow or Wednesday vote on the conference report on the deficiency
 bill. In this item will probably be included a vote to appoint a special board
 to make further examination of the canal across Florida. The Senate added
 an amendment to the deficiency bill which authorizes the President to appoint
 a special board of disinterested engineers to further examine and report on the
 project. If the report is favorable, then the President is authorized to make
 expenditures of relief funds, not to exceed $10,000,000, to carry on the work on
 the Florida CanaL
 The President began the Florida ship canal because he undoubtedly believed
 it to be a great project, justified on all grounds. It was recommended to him
 by a special board comprising both Army engineers and engineers of the Public
 Works Administration. The project is sound and is worthy in itself of your
 support.
 Great progress is being made by the Board of Army Engineers on this project.
 About $6,000,000 has been allocated and expended from relief funds on it. You
 will fnd in the Speaker's lobby adjacent to the House floor several photographs
 and drawings clearly showing the great achievement which is being made by
 the Army engineers in the prosecution of this great project. I invite your
 attention to these pictures and drawings and urge each of you to study them
 before the vote is taken.
 When completed one ship every 48 minutes throughout the year will pass
 through the canal Average transit per year will be 11,000 ships. Dead-weight
 tonnage per year will be 90,000,000. Average saving per voyage: (a) Coastwise,
 2 days; (b) foreign, one-third day. Only ships which would use the canal are
 considered and indicated. This traffic is approximately twice the traffic of the
 Suez Canal and one and one-third times the traffic of the Panama Canal The
 great benefits to all America are obvious.
 I introduced the survey bills which began the project and have labored
 earnestly for it during the 12 years which I have served here. The more I
 learn of it, the more I am convinced that it is the most important project
 before the American people today and will carry lasting benefits to the citizens
 of every State in the Union. The benefits which will accrue from it to the
 American people exceed by far the $125,000,000 or $130,000,000 which will be
 required to complete it.
 The canal will be completed. It is my purpose to discuss it at greater length
 when the amendment reaches the floor of the House, therefore I shall not take
 much of your time today.
 The compilation of documents down to this date having been made
 pursuant to instructions of Senator Fletcher for the purpose of hav-
 ing them submitted by him to the Senate for publication as a Senate
 document, and Senator Fletcher's death having occurred before he
 could present the same to the Senate, they were presented by Senator
 Loftin on June 19, 1936. The following documents were added: