Evening star., 1917-06-03
ACCELERAT|ON Of ROAD
BUILDING ADVOCATED
A. A. A. Also Advocates Marginal
Military Highway Around
United States.

Calling for the acceleration. and not
the cessation. of road building be-
cause of war conditions, the American
Automobile Association, in its annual
meeting. also urged the construction of
marginal military highway around
the entire country, with the first sec
ion extending from Calais. Me, to the
head of Chesapeake bay. Army heads
agree that the upper Atlantic coast
should receive priority of attention for
reasons which are generally recognized.
In its Cleveland session the organized
motorists agreed that widespread
tendency existed to defer highway con-
struction. due to the unusual conditions
in the material and labor market aris-
ing from the war, and that the council
of national defense has called upon the
nation not to curtail, but. rather. ex-
pand general business. and particular
ly to continue highway construction.
1t also was pointed out that the Ameri-
can Automobile Association should urge
all highway officials, town, county.
state and national. to continue without
abatement the improvement of the
tions emphasize particularly the inn
portance and need of good roads.
Required by Necessities.
Referring to the military marginal
roads. 1t was shown that military
necessities require durably construct
ed and well developed system of mar
ginal highways near and approx
mateIy parallel to the north. east, south
and west boundaries of the United
States, and also require the improve
ment of the main radial roads inter-
secting such marginal highways. The
existing federal aid road act provides,
N
and maintenance of the necessary
radia; roads through co-ordinated ef-
forts of federal and state officials, but
could not within any reasonable time
complete the marginal roads, which
are of the utmost immediate impor-
tance. especially the northerly part of
the eastern marginal road. The Amer
lean Automobile Association has been
need of legislation to provide for a
system of military marginal roads. TO
be constructed and maintained at ma
tional expense.
Liberty Loan Week.
Realizing that the financial sinews of
war must be strengthened by a coun-
try-wide sale of bonds. the A. A. A. di-
rectors unanimously decided to carry
out a liberty loan automobile week. be-
ginning Monday. June IL. The exact
details will be decided upon and an
nOunced aIter consultation with the
Secretary of the Treasury.
DR.. H. NJ. Rowe of Maryland was con-
tinued in the A. A. A. presidential Of
fee, and Secretary John N. Brooks of
Connecticut and Treasurer H. A. Bon
nell Of New Jersey succeeded them
selves, the latter in his tenth year as
the custodian of the funds. Executive
Chairman A. G. Batchelder was also re-
elected, this time to four-year term.
These vice presidents were renamed: ::
Ralph w. Smith, Colorado; H. ]. Clark.
Minnesota: P. ]. Walker. California !;
David Jameson, Pennsylvania: Preston
Belvin, Virginia, and Royal r. Scott,
Ohio. and J. E. Gavin. Indiana, figured
as the newcomers to the list. Former
Presidents Robert P. Hooper Of Penn
sylvania and Laurens Enos of New
York were among the delegates pres
ent from twenty different states.
Though half dozen cities sought the
yearly meeting, the directors consid-
cred Washington as the logical place
for the next gathering.