The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-14
NATIONAL SYSTEM | 0F ROADS TOCOVER ENTIRE COUNTRY H. M. Rowe Comments on
 Forward Strides in Road Building PREPAREDNESS IDEA WILL BE FURTHERED Within Ten Years the Country Will Have Separate Roads for Freight
 and Passenger Traffic,
 He Declares
By "Hop"

Washington, June 13.-(Special. .)-"An- other 10 years will see national road sys- tems covering every section of the coun- try-the greatest practical step in the direction of preparedness that could be made" comments Dr. H. M. Rowe, the newly elected president of the American Automobile association, from the Wash fngton headquarters.
 ''In a decade we will begin to have separate roads for freight traffic and pas senger traffic. predicts pr. Rowe, and the horse and mule will have practically disappeared. Our present highways will be greatly multiplied and largely in- creased in width and improved in quality. No other country on the face of the earth can make such good and profitable use of good roads as the United States of America. We will eventually excel in that as we do in many other things. There have been wonderful changes in all mat ters relating to transportation since the introduction of the motor car, but there are still greater things to come.
 CONTINUALLY SEEKING JUSTICE
 But equal justice and fair treatment for the users of motor vehicles must continue to be sought for sometime to come. Everything the motorists ask for, everything the A. A. A. and the clubs af- filiated with it have worked for, has been based on these principles. We have worked for good roads for the reason that they are of equal economic benefit in the final analysis to all, and it is only Just and right that the people of our country should have the advantages to which they are entitled. We have worked for unre- stricted intercourse between the states through the use of motor cars, because that is constitutional right that has been denied us. We have asked for equal taxation. That is another constitutional right that has been set aside, partly be- cause we submitted to it willingly, ad- init, but it is an injustice and constitutes unfair treatment just the same.
 ''In addition, the owners of motor cars are being subjected to all sorts of petty annoyances: special taxes, licenses, and rules and regulations regarding traffic, use of lights, and many restrictions sell dom alike in two places, and which sub- ject decent men and women 10 arrest and conviction, often for the most trlviaA reasons. There are many who LOOK upon an arrest of any kind as disgrace. and when one is innocent of any lntentional wrong, his arrest becomes shameful dis- grace, not only to him, but upon the com munity which permits 1t.
 MUCH ACCOMPLISHED
 ..Much has been accomplished, it is true. But there yet remains much to be ac- complished before it can be truthfully said that the owner of motor car is not subjected to annoyances and unfair treat ment, which is not visited upon those who employ other road vehicles.
 .'So we have our work cut out for us. and certainly the American Automobile association has a great mission to per form. It's friends are inspired by the thought that the body is going to further increase it's prestige until it shall possess the power and influence that 1t right fully should exert as the national spokes- man of the interests of the motorists or the entire country.
 No matter what the organization may be, however, it must work unselfishly and for the common interest of it's mem bers The large majority of motorists are men of large views. They are capable of seeing things in the big. Their enorts should he of the same character.