Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1907-07-16
NATIONAL ROAD BODY
Consolidation of All Highway In
tereStS Suggested.
HOW SCHEME WOULD HELP.

Alfred Reeves Thinks More Effectiv
Work In Securing Improved Road
Could Be Accomplished by One Ri
} Body Than by Many Small Ones.
Alfred Reeves, general manager o
the American Motor Car Manufactur
ers' association, advanced the sugges
tion recently that all Of the good road
or highway committees Of the dineren
sport and trade automobiling organiza
tions be consolidated, says the New
York Sun. He thinks that If all the
various committees be brought t0geth'
er In one big committee the work of
rousing good roads sentiment in the
United States would make much faster
progress than is possible under exist
Ing conditions, when of necessity so
much ground is covered by several
| committees. Not only does he think
such body could and would command
more attention at Washington from
congress than would be possible for
any of the present committees, but 1t
is his firm belief that such plan
would prove more economical and far
more effective than any other.
He points out that there are six mo-
toring organizations alone which have
committees working for good roads,
these bodies being called good roads
committees In some cases and highway
committees In others, but in all cases
their purpose is the increase in the
number of miles Of improved highways
in the United States.
While these committees have done
good work and can keep on doing 1t,
Mr.. Reeves thinks that more could be
accomplished If they were consolidat-
ed, as expenses would be reduced, and
It cannot be disputed that delegation
representing these six organizations
could do more effective work in secur |
ing favorable legislation at Washing |
ton, for instance, than could be done
by delegations from each of the six
bodies.
A consolidation would also be advis-
able, because an executive board of
half a dozen members could be readily
selected made up of men thoroughly
posted on the subject who had gained
their knowledge after years of expert
ence. By following out this plan 1t
would be a far simpler matter to Sc
cure men able to give some of their
time to the work than it is to pick out
such a committee from any one of the
named. Under present
conditions such committees are fire.
luently composed of men living In
widely separated parts of the country
who of course are unable to hold fire.
luent enough meetings to properly
handle the work they are trying to do.
1t is not Mr.. Reeves idea that only
he six motoring organizations named
hould combine forces, but that all ma
ional organizations of road users
hOuld be included. He would include
he big associations Of farmers in diff.
erent parts of the country and also
he good roads workers who recently
lad a convention at Oklahoma, as well
IS any other big organization which
las appointed a committee to advance
he cause of improved highways. He
kinks 1t a very necessary point for
he fullest success of such plan that
he farmers be invited to participate, =
s their influence would count so heav-
y in the matter Of securing favorable
egislation, both national and state.
AS an evidence Of what may be ac-
by consolidation, even on q
mall scale, Mr.. Reeves cites the case
f the Highway Improvement associa-
lon, which was formed in New York s :,
ew years ago
1t was made up of the Road Drivers
ssOciation, the Associated Cycling
'lubs Of New York, the Truck own
rs association and the Automobile /
lub of America. There was one dele
ate from each organization, and they
Tere able to do great deal of effec-
we work.
They secured the laying of asphalt
trips along many poorly paved or
ough streets and put an end to the :
lavish sprinkling of
+reets, in addition to doing a great deal
other good work. Mr. Reeves thinks
nat this same idea could be followed
ut in national road affairs with CORE !
greater results.