The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-24
PREP AREDNESS,
SHALL STATE
DO ITS PART?
H % 1T
New England Roads.l

Connecticut, one of the great in
dustrial nerve centers upon which the
defense of national interests, to a
large extent. depends, knows that inn
mediate preparedness is one of the
vital necessities Of the present crisis.
And preparedness means not only
that we must bring our factories and
munition plants to their full power
Of production but that we must make
completes the system of permanent
trunk highways by which the mobili-
zation not only of the potential SOL
diers of the nation, but of the military
supplies is made. The speedy COM
pletion of the main trunk lines that
gridiron the state is no less an essen
tial element in real national prepar-
edness than is the mobilization Of the
army, the speeding up Of the produce
ton of munitions and the building Of
superdreadnoughts.
Upon an adequate sys- en- of ma
tional highways. more than upon any
other one thing, d6es the safety of the
United States depend in case Of i'm
vasion by first-class power. The
nation with poor roads stands little
chance of victory in clash with that
power which has it's great centers link
ed up by system of permanent high
ways suitable for the maximum of
motor car traffic. So it is that the
state of Connecticut can do no great
er service to the country at this time
than to foster and speed up In every
way it can, the completion Of the good
roads system which has already been
brought to partial completion in the
state. The gaps in the trunk lines
need to be filled in with what speed
we can accomplish the work. Then,
should real trouble come, we shall be
assured of quickly worked out plan
of mobilization Of men and resour-
ces such as is at present impossible.
To those who have given intelligent
study to theapreblem of Preparedness
it is vital that the states, which have
made a beginning of permanent high
way systems, bring them to compile
ton as soon as is humanity possible.
Connecticut cannot do better at the
present time than to devote a gener-
Gus part of its appropriations this
year and next year, to the building
up of a great system Of good roads
that will enable motor cars to traverse
will make possible the supply Of our
fighting forces, no matter what may
happen to the railroads and trolley
lines, which are inadequate at best,
to meet the demands Of modern war.
We have had striking example of
the value of the improved highway in
the case of France, which, invaded
and beaten back by the German hosts
it's railroads only half able to meet the
demands of the perilous situation with
many of them in enemy hands, found
it's salvation in the permanent roads
and countless motor cars which it had
ready for the imperious need. The
capture of Paris was prevented by
the dauntless bravery of the French
army and the strategic genius of. her
to be sure, but bravery
and genius could not have prevailed
without adequate good roads and
swarms of motor cars to furnish swift
to soldiers and supplies
at the vital moments of the battle of
the Marine.
To-day in France the railroads do
their adequate part in the task Of sup
plying the army at the front, but the
greater part Of this supply work, up
On which victory or defeat depends |
n each great battle, is undertaken by |
motor cars. And this colossal work |
IF the motor car is made possible only |
by the good roads of France and by |
.hese alone. The permanent highways |
hat had been created in the years be- !
ore the war, proved to be the great |
est asset in her national treasury.
Trust France not to forget upon what
has depended her salvation through |
he last two and a half years of grim
war: Trust France to see to it that
upon the ending OF hos