The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-04-20
ASKS ANNAPOLIS
DEFENSE HIGHWAY"
Congressman Linthicum Comes
Out in Strong Statement
Favoring Mudd Bill.

A national defense highway" from !
Washington to Annapolis, where the I,
United States has It's Naval Academy. |
was strongly advocated in an interview
today by Congressman j.. Charles Lin '
thicum Of Maryland.
Mr.. Linthcum Is supporting the Mudd !
bill. which provides the United states /
shall Appropriate in conjunction with !
Maryland sum sufficient to build such !
a highway.
The Maryland Legislature recently au-
thorized $l25.0OO appropriation for this
road.
Mr.. Linthicum said
1T seems to me that. in the prepara-
ton of this country TO meet all emer-
gencies In the event Of hostilities. roaos
ought to be one of the first considera-
tons, This has been recognized by ma
tons for several thousand years, and IN
a number of instances has been the one |
thing which enabled them to win VIC |
tories over enemies threatening their
destruction
Certainly IL the Government wants
to protect its various sections, one OF |
these sections ought to be Its very |
valuable and necessary adjunct, the
Naval Academy at Aiinapons.
When we realize that the defense OF
this country primarily depends upon the
must necessarily be prepared at the
Naval Academy. we can readily see the
value of that great institution to the
nation at large.
Hard To Get There.
ITO reach Annapolis at present from
the National Capital is not only diff
cult but lengthy, and for the Capital
not to be In direct communication with
its great institution at Annapolis Is
surely not looking out for the best in
terests and welfare of our people.
The state of Maryland has certainly
done It's part toward the Improvement
of the highways surrounding Wash
ington. 1t has blven to the people of
that magnificent city roads second to
none In the United States. These roads
are not only of vast advantages to the
people of Washington in a peasur way,
but products from all over our state
are carried into that city at the least
dispatch.
Our state has now rome one step
further and has said to the great
United States with its one hundred mil
lion people If you will give $4,000 to
Washington and Annapolis the site OF
the Naval Academy. we will do the
same thing Certainly no better or
Eren Nn,,p proposition could be offered to
commonwealth of Maryland has ten
dered.
connecting Annapolis and Washington,
which would cradle them 10 transport
troops and ammunition by highway to
that city In tho event of hostilities Is n
INNS IL strH'S W li'c 10 tUe DeSl lnlcleSt
Of the country.
There is ono thing we must realize
and that is-the railroads do not 10 all
The transportation work and that the
Increasing demand and the use of au-
toaDobile trucks in war operations Is
most wonderful.
II have no doubt that II tho National
Government wanted quick dispatch
from Washington to Annapolis for the
protection of that city and its property
located there, 2 large part Of the things
necessary would he carried by rapidly
moving automobile trucks from WASH
ington to Annapolis and likewise would
automobiles bring the officers anu their
mon from the Naval Academy to WASH
ington. In the event of necessity.
Auto Trucks To Be Had.
I'VE must realize that automobiles.
although very much improved in recent
years and largely used IN all manner
of. business. arc, really only IN their
infancy ard as they arc even more i'm
proved will likewise become more gem
orally used throughout the country. au-
tomobile truck communication will be
one Of the established means not only
of pleasre communications but or freight
and especially war munitions in the
event Of hostilities.
II am heartily in favor of the con-
saruction of this highway and will do
oil can to bring II TO the attention of
my colleagues In Congress and to de-
rnonstrate to them the great necessity
for the construction of this National
Defense Highway as provided In bill
already introduced In Congress and In
the act recently passed by the General
Assembly of Maryland"