Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-15
GOOD WORK OF FARMERS ].
! H|NDERED BY BAD. ROADS
after They Raise Great Crops, Fro
qucntly Unable to Get Stuff From
. the Land Into Cars.
HOW TO GET ROAD MATERIALS
Assistance Of State Highway Depart,
ments Should BE Souaht--.Re-
sourccfulncss and Initiative Great
ly Needed Vow in Work.

WASHINGTON. jury 14.-Before n
year has passed nearly 10000 900 men
how engaged in productive occupations
will be called to the colors in the war
FOR humanity and dcccncy. About "a
Fourth OF this. number will probably
pc drawn from agricultural pursuits.
eattle raising and the like. Ehis will
put n strain on our farmers, who have
.Jeen urged 10 do everything in their
bower TO make their lands yield, their
naximum possible return. Farmers
have responded nobly TO the nations
Gull for all the. food they can produce.
Put OF what use il IL to produce food
supplies If they cannot be delivered
So market? Corn that stays IN the
FARMERS cribs. as it was held for
ponths during last winter. In many
parts OF the corn belt, does nobody
EFy good. Wheat that stays on the
Farms or Kansas as il stayed last win
|fr helps. only the rats .W-hat--tS-ihe
Etnse of the railroads cutting ddos
|With the transportation system of the
country If the feeders of the railroads,
pur public roads 10 shipping points.
pre- TO be neglected SO that the good
work OF the farmers Is rendered o:
little avail by inability To get the stuff
IRON the land into the ears? There
He few hystcrical persons in office
@ho seem TO think that good roads
Pre- luxury because their grand
gathers did not have them. They for
Get that their grandfathers did not
.have TO feed iG0,00o.600 American
houths. not To mention "A lot of hungry
pnes among the iso60.OoO people Of
lrcat Britain and ireland and the 40
POO, 600 Of France. All grandfather had
30 do was to supply food for 23.ooo.o0o
persons His ways are cdifying to
ffad about. but worthless TO copy now.
Why hamper the farmer who is work
&fg from dawn to- dusk To help win
Ehc war by making him try 10 haul our
good supplies over roads that grand
Father knew very well we're wrctchcd ?
HOW TO OBTAIN
ROAD MATERIALS
There are many roads Of general i'm
PortaNce TO the public which are
fepair TO make them serviceable as
hrteries for the delivery of farm
Products TO market. The railways are
30 conGested that they cannot haul
hese products except by using cars
h"eded for long haul business. The
Improvement Of these roads was
planned last year. but the work Is de-
+aycd by the inability Of railways To
Deliver materials Il is reasonable TO
Expect. however. that whore such AN
Improvement Will be Of general benefit
20 a large population and relieve the
.itrain on the railways. tho latter will
f!nd some way - transport the ma
'erals. To bring this about in any
wen case. tho assistance Of tn. State
highway department should 10. sought
.rh" department Should he furnished
k~ith Garnit. statements III tho inn
.pnrtnncc OF the territory served nby
he road. the reasons Tor it's improve
|nsnt being imperative now. the
amounts Of materials needed. ard n
.iehni,e assurance that the ears in
which the materials are delivered viii
De nn!oaded promptly upon their ar
t!va! sUch an application b. APP
proved by the State hiEhwa" depart
nert. tho latter can nd J., 70 the