The Butte daily post., 1917-11-12
WORKING OUT A
ROAD PROBLEM
Government Considers Matter
Of New Roads at Amer
lean Lake.


Washington. y. C.. Nov. i2.-ODe Of
the road problems which the sovern-
ment has been trying 70 WORK out AMI
so far without any great degree of
success. is how to extend federal aid in
the construction of roads in the Vi
,inity Of American Lake and other
army camps and posts
The birth ot the new army and the
establishment OF many army canton
mentS and camps has brought Up the
question ot Vr1v.diu- roads 10 serve
these military CenterS and. strangely
enough * is found thA; The law on
/ the subject is exceedingly lame. Many
of the camps have been located In
what misht BE described as vir-
territor, as lar as roads are concern I'd.
/ This brings up mi-hJy biz problem
the problem Of hauling military sup
plies over highways Knee deep in mud
or fuu Il ruJs and yhu.t holes in
some instances. as is the case At Camp
Lewis American Lake Wash. there S
one splendid road leading from city to
camp. hut another is badly needed not
only for Passenger and automobile
traffic hut particularly for the use OF
the heavy trucks and wagons that !
must be employed in Transporting sup
PLIES 70 camp
Appet,s hove come 20 Secretary n !
War Baker from many camps urgently /
INSISTING that The federal government /
shall shoulder the expenses Of build
Ing the much needed roads or. at least.
shall lend a helping hand
The question was threshed out a few
davs a-o in the case Of an appeal for
federal aid 10 build a new road be-
tween the city of Tacoma and Camp
Lewis, which is one Of the biggest
CAMPS Of the national army Inas-
much as Camp Lewis is one Of the per-
manent cantonrlcrts and is to lie used
as long as the United States has an /,
army. ii was argued that the govern
mont whose needs would be served
ohiefls IN the construction Of the road.
should bear at least half the cost
Secretary Of War Baker. to whom
the arpeal was first directed. at the
outset was inclined 10 look on the
proposition with great favor. but he
got down his law books and searched
Tor authority To proceed and found
zone. 80 he was comuelled reluctantly
20 render the opinion that the war de-
.artm@nt out of the multiplied mill
lons which a generous congress has
showered uron It to make preparations
Tor war. does not have a single red
'eni which it can spend in the con-
itrIction of roads iu the vicinity ~
'rny POSTS He found that the war
authority ends in the con-
'truction Of roads on military reserva-
ions and outside Of a military reserva-
ION II has no authority 10 build roads
It all
To scores Of other inquiries from
'ther localities where there are army
amps Secretary Baker has been
'Dl4-ed TO give the same answer. In
very instance. however. he has ad-
ised the applicants for federal aid
o sec Secretary Houston of the de-
artment of agriculture. {
Under the federal road act extend
ne governmental aid 10 the states IN I
'ssist In road building. Secretary '
ioustoh has road building fund at S
,iS disposal based upon the prineipIe
nat the government will nav half of {
ne cost OF construction of specified I
'iece or roadway If the state or local
hterests to be benefited will nav the l
'ther haif In other words IL is a
ffty-fifty' proposition. {
In using part of this fund to .ssis, I
n building roads to army posts Sacr.-
AIRY Houston undoubtedly yvon,a 10
performing a public service ne .,root
II not greater. than IL the funds wara
Iseu III building highways elsewhere.
ou' again he finds himself "up against
II on account of a lack of legal an
'horlty' When the proponents of the
road TO American Lake failed at tho
war department they took Secretarv
Bakers advice and went over to soc
secretary Houston, who received tban
cordially but explained that under tho
federal road building law the govern
meht s money must be expended n |
improve post roads and to facilitate the
delivery OF the mail. He rendered tho
opinion right off the bat" that the
construction of road to serve an
army post would be essentially n mill
tary road and not a post road. wbi,a
he might perhaps authorize the inn.
proVement of such a road as a posta,
hecessitv to do so would be a far
fetched construction Of the law and
one whieh he is loath to give to 1t.
IL Is more than likely that congress
at the next session will enact legis,a-
non which VIII provide way whereby
federal assistance may be rendered in
the construction and Improvement of
roads In the vicinity of American Lake
and other military establishments.
f.