Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-04-08
NATIONAL. ROAD BODY
Consolidation Of All Highway In
terests Suggested.
HOW SCHEME WOULD HELP.

Alfred Reeves Thinks More Effective
Work In Securing Improved Roads
Could Be Accomplished by One Big
Body Than by Many Small Ones.
Alfred Reeves, general manager of
the American Motor Car Manufacture
ers' association, advanced the sugges-
ton recently that all of the good roads
Or highway committees Of the different
sport and trade automobiling organiza-
lions be consolidated, says the New
York Sun. He thinks that if all the
various committees be brought togeth-
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 it
Is his firm belief that such plan
would prove more economical and fal
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
%1,o;,. i, no lao
number Of miles Of improved highways
In the United States. =
While these committees have done
good work and can keep on doing it,
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
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 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 it
would be a far simpler matter to Sc
cure men able to give some Of their
time to the work than 1t is to pick out
such committee from any one Of the
organizations named. Under present
conditions such committees are fire.
quently composed Of men living in
widely separated parts Of the country
who Of course are unable to hold fire.
quent enough meetings to properly
handle the " rk they are trying to do.
1t Is not Mr.. Reeves idea that only
the six motoring organizations named
should combine forces, but that all ma
tional organizations Of road users
should be included. He would include
the big associations Of farmers in diff
ferent parts Of the country and also
the good roads workers who recently
had convention at Oklahoma, as well
as any other big organization which
has appointed committee to advance
the cause of improved highways. He
thinks it very necessary point for
the fullest success Of such plan that
the farmers be invited to participate,
as their influence would count so heav-
lily in the matter Of securing favorable
legislation, both national and state.
AS an evidence Of what may be ac-
complished by consolidation, even on a
small scale, Mr. Reeves cites the case
Of the Highway Improvement associa-
ton, which was formed in New York a
few years ago.
1t was made up Of the Road Drivers
association. the Associated Cycling
Clubs of New York, the Truck Own
ers' association and the Automobile
Club of America. There was one dele
gate from each organization, and they
were able to do great deal Of effec-
tive work.
They secured the laying Of asphalt
strips along many poorly paved or
rough streets and put an end to the
unnecessarily lavish sprinkling Of
streets. in addition to doing a great deal
Of other good work. Mr.. Reeves thinks
that this same idea could be followed
out in national road affairs with CORE
spondingly greater results.