The Detroit times., 1912-10-26
TO PUSH THE
SCHEME FOR
FEDERAL ROADS
National Organization is to
Meet on March
9th
IN WASHINGTON 2 DAYS
AFTER INAUGURATION
Progress Has Already Been
Made Along Lines
Wanted

Two days after the inauguration OF
the next president OF the United
States the Second Federal Aid Good
Roads convention, under the auspices
OF the American Automobile associa-
tion, will be held at Washington, ID.
c., the dates being March and Z,
1918. The success OF the initial
Federal Aid gathering in washington
in January last was so pronounced
that the A. A. A. National Good Roads
Board decided TO make II an annual
feature until Feleral Aid shall have
become substantial accomplished
fact through congressional action. If
results follow future conventions as
rapidly as they did the first one, it
should be q matter OF only few
years before a comprehensive system
OF national highways constructed by
federal appropriation Is In existence.
The assembly In Washington last
winter, attended by delegates from
two-thirds OF the states, was the first
convention devoted to the subject ol
federal aid in highway construction
The action taken memorialized the
congress for the appointment of a
joint committee OF senate and house
aid and formulate program for ma
tional participation. The Joint reso-
luton that resulted had the approval
Of Representative Underwood, who
appeared before the rules committee
in it's support It's adoption practi-
cally In its original form by congress
was a step the full worth of which
has yet to be thoroughly appreciated
The joint committee appointment I'M
der this resolution consists OF Sen
ators Jonathan Bourne, OF Oregon;
Boies Penrose, OF Pennsylvania: A.
j. Gronna, OF North Dakota Lee s.
Overman, OF North Carolina, and
Claude A. Swanson, OF Virginia, and
Representatives ID. w. Shackleford
OF Missouri; Gordon Lee, OF Georgia;
Daniel ]. McGillicuddy. OF Maine;
Martin b. Madden, OF Illinois, and
Richard w. Austin, Of Tennessee.
This committee Is now collecting In
formation on the subject and prepar-
ing to report at the coming session
OF congress. Its appropriation OF $25,.
600, however, Is hardly sufficient for
a thorough study OF the subject, and
II Is anticipated that further appro-
priations for this purpose must be
made before any scheme of national
highways can be intelligently adopt
ed. Incidental 70 laying the ground
work for large scale participation by
the federal government the present
congress also appropriated 100000
for use by the department OF agricul-
ture and postoffice department in the
experimental improvement OF rural
free delivery highway routes.
There Is every reason TO believe
that federal aid will be one OF the
greatest questions for the new con-
gress. which will take ONCE March 4,
to deliberate and decide upon. What
ever action the concluding session
Of the present congress may take, II
is certain that II will not be the final
work on the subject. and for this rea-
son the A. A. A. will hold its conven-
ton at time when the new congress
will just be beginning its labors. A
large attendance is assured, since
many will take advantage OF the re-
duced railroad rates for the Inaugural
ton. and their desire to witness the
inaugural ceremonies, to go at that
time to a convention which they