The Cordova daily times., 1916-08-03
FRENCH AGAIN CAPTURE TRENCHES NORTH OF VERDUN

pected At the proposed conference 1 of state highway representatives here, it is believed that proposals for com prehensive, correlative road building scheme will be reached. The Ameri- | can Highway Association, the Ameri- l can Automobile Association and other good roads organizations are interest ed in such coordination and correla- ton of the public roads throughout the entire nation. Development of the national road system as a whole is the broad scheme and aim of government officials, with the aid of the state au- thOrities.
 The machinery for cooperative ac- tion is substantially as follows: States desiring to secure their share of the federal funds will, through their high way commissions or departments, file formal applications, submitting the route and character of roads proposed to the secretary of agriculture. Should he approve the projects. the secretary of agriculture will notify the state commissions and the secretary of the treasury. The latter will then set aside the share of the United States, which shall not exceed fifty per cent of the cost The secretary of agri- culture will order payment of the federal funds upon completion of the roads, and is also authorized to make partial payments as construction pro- ceeds.
 The construction work and labor in each state is to be done in accordance with state laws and under immediate supervision of the state highway de- partment, subject to inspection and approval by government engineers. This leaves the states in control of the construction. subject only to tn- sure good designs.
 Selection of road routes, as well as their type and structural compo- sition is also left primarily to the state officials, subject to approval or rejection by the secretary of agricui- ture
 TO secure share of the federal funds, state legislatures or counties must appropriate sums equal to the federal allotments. The act also re ouires the formation of state highway commissions, or a similar state agency, to have charge of the states part of the work. Four states Indiana, South Carolina, George and Texas, have no such commissions or corresponding organizations, but to secure federal funds they must be organized. Other states have no high way commissions, but have substan- tiallv similar departments or agencies.
 Where states, like Illinois, are pro hibited by their constitutions or other wise prevented from acting under the contributory plan, the act provides that the federal appropriations may become available to separate counties when they shall match the govern ment's contributions, such roads, Of course, being built only within the contributing counties.
 To give the states ample time to build roads and to guard against nasty or extravagant construction, the law also provides that unexpected federal appropriations each year shall be available during the succeeding year, while this years allotments to states which have no highway departments shall be available for three years, to give state legislatures time to create such departments.
 For enforcement Of the provision re- uuiring the states to maintain the new roads without federal assistance, the secretary of agriculture is author ized to disapprove of further roads projects from such states or their civil subdivisions and deny further government aid if roads are not put in proper condition after four months notice.
 Development of federal corps of highway engineers is one of the re- suits expected from the new law. Civil service examinations will be held Aug ust s, for any more highway engineers needed by the government.
 According to the latest reports in mining circles the United States Re