The Detroit times., 1910-10-14
WANT U.s.TO JOIN
ROADS, CONGRESS
Delegates To Brussels Meeting Urge
This Country To Become Affiliated
With International Association.
lFrom a Special Correspondent,


WASHINGTON. Oct. l4.-Howard
Longstreth, who was a delegate OF
sns American Automobile association
70 the recent International Road Con-
eress AT Brussels, Ia one OF the eight
american delegates who have Joined
IN petition TO Secretary Wilson, OF
.nS department Of agriculture, request
ing that his department consider the
sdvisability OF the United States gov
eminent becoming q member of the
permanent International Association
or Road Congresses. The ONCE OF
public roads Is part OF the depart
ment or agriculture, and for this rea-
son the matter was put up TO the Sec
rotary.
The special significance of the De-
tltion Is that II discloses the fact that
the United States, which has the
most extensive system OF roads OF any
country In the world, has been one of
the three slowest nations to join the
International Roads association now
formally adhered to by 26 govern
ments. Italy and England are the only
other large countries which have not
Joined. and II Is PROBABLE that one or
Doth OF these governments will have
approved the plan before next years
meeting or the International Road
Congress-. The association was found
ed In 1908, and its work Is similar TO
that OF the permanent Internaticna'
Bureau OF Navigation, of which the
United States government Is a mem-
Der. and to which congress last year
appropriated $4,000 outside of the an
nual dues OF $1,000. to be used next
year when the annual meeting OF the
association will be held In this coun-
try. The highest annual dues paid
by any government now q member OF
the International Association Of Road
Congresses Is $4,000. The dues OF the
organization vary In accordance with
the ability Of the governments to pay.
Membership Is tn association en-
titles government TO be represented
on the international commission by
one member for each two hundred
dollars OF annual dues. This commits
sion controls all the activities of the
congress. The association has an In.
ternational laboratory for tests and Il
library, and gathers, digests and dis
tributes informtion concerning the
problems OF modern highway engineer
ing. The American delegates to the
International Congress at Brussels
Inc first week Of last August agreed
that II would be highly desirable that
this government be represented on
the International Permanent Commits
sion, which advantage can only be Sc
cured by the United States becoming
- member Of the international Assoc
citation. They are still hopeful that
II will be possible TO bring the next
International Congress to the United
States. but this cannot be done until
the government oficially manifests an
interest in the association aid be-
comes q member. The signers Of the
petition say that the influence that
would come from a direct connection
with the work Of the commission
would result not only In the saving OF
time and expense by the avoidance
Sof the duplication of tests In the
future, but In the great advantage or
collaboration with the road builders
and administrators OF the other 26
governments in the association.
The nations OF Europe have gone q
long way ahead OF the United States
In road work, particularly in the mat
ter of administration and road main
tenance, and experts say that for this
reason this country Will benefit I'm