The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-03-06

For sometime past engineers of lhigh ability have been insisting on provision for proper maintenance. They have pointed out the waste that comes from counties building good roads and not looking after the upkeep. This waste should be obvious to the casual observer, but engineers must continue to hammer on the subject un- til haphazard methods are relnedied. Alabama's highway commission is comprised of men of progressive ideas and W. s. Keller, it's chief engineer, enjoys a wide reputation. But what | is needed in this state is new and spirited good roads movement. Roads must be built not only for ordinary travel, but for heavy motor truck traffic.
 The motor truck is coming into large use, but only where concrete Iroads are provided and kept in thor lough condition. With the government aid which Alabama will receive this iyear under the Bankhead law sub- stantial progress will be made; but there should be a general awakening lin every county of the state to the economic aspects of highway build- ling.
 No matter what may be the first cost of construction, it pays in the lend to build only the best class of roads and keep them in perfect re- Ipair.
 Speaking of patriotic self-denial, col lege girls at Columbus, Miss, did with out their supper in order that about 500 soldiers passing through town might eat 1 in the college dining hall. Still, there were compensations If those girls don't have soldier correspondents in France before long, 1t will be their own fault * # # l In way Camp Sheridan officers pay Birmingham a compliment by forbidding soldiers to visit the city except on im- portant and particular business. Bir- mingham possesses strong attraction for the fighting men of Camp Sheridan and Camp Mcclellan. | * *
 Texas Drouth Bill Passes'-headline in The Age-Herald. Refers to measure to provide for the purchase of seed and feed in west Texas. The prohibition
 "drouth bill'' has already been ratified by the Texas legislature. # * # | When the daughter of an American millionaire marries a titled foreigner
 and the titled foreigner turns out to be
 a German spy, the millionaire has addi-
 tional reasons for wanting to kick him.
 self.
 When M. Clemenceau decorated six
 American soldiers with the Crox de Guerre, he didn't kiss them. He just slapped them on the shoulder The
 French premier is a tactful man. x sx x | Three women censor motion pictures for the state of Kansas. They do say meaning by they the motion picture producers-that the ladies play havoc with cabaret scenes. l < # x /, When a war dispatch states that an American soldier died from "tramaiftis by firearms" the nasty reader opines that he is dead and lets 1t go at that. l # $. # l The Belgian Senate and Chamber of Representatives will meet in Paris this month. However. they would much rather hold lengthy session in Brussels.
 
 | Motorcycles and flivvers will now be
 permitted in Yellowstone Park. That will enable the common people to do some personally conducted sightseeing l # * as The Germans have wasted a lot of val uable ammunition on the Toul sector
 without making single American sol- dier wish he was back home. < x T l People who mourn the passing of John Barleycorn don't have to put on the habilments of woe. You can tell it by their faces.
 1 * * E i MT McAdoo is being boomed for the presidency MT. McAdoo is too busy just now to keep his ear to the ground. I * * * | T. R. has been advised to keep quiet for month All the doctors can do in a case like that is merely to advise. | * as x I Another matter that hasn't been cleared up yet is the financial status of Keren- sky. Did he quit rich or poor? 1 * E Y Sweden is beginning to think the willy Germans do protest too much. | l WHO WAKES THE BUGLER. I