Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-03
MUST MAKE EXISTING
HIGHWAYS DURABLE
Former Governor OF PENNSYLVANIA
Tells OF Necessity for Pcrma-
ncnt Construction.
BIG SUMS HAVE BEEN WASTED
Roads Must BE Built Which VIII
Not Blow Away in Dust Before
Communities Building Them Have
Finished Paying Their Cost.

Finished Paying Their Cost.
NEW YORK. February 23.--Treinen-
dous Az have been the changes in all
Industries Of the United States since
the world war began. nothing has
cqua;cd the revolution in The field or
transportation
The strain OF the war has demon
try utterly are unable TO meet the mill
tary and commercial demands now
made upon them. Therefore. II !. I'M
pcra;ivc that the highways OF the en-
tire nation b" put in condition AT the
earliest practioabl. moment To bear The
burdens OF the motor truck travel
which alone c&n rcliev" and augment
the service Of the railroad systems.
This was made s,rikinGIy clear by
former Governor John * Tener, 81.
Pennsylvania. no" president Of the
Permanent Highways Corporation rf
this city. Governor Tcucr. who mace
a record for SoOd.r"ad construction
whiic in the executive chair OF Penn
syivau:a. in an interview. declared that
the mere construction oil good roads
would not do, "a the necessity o! the
situation demands the building .! roa !! )
VIII ich will not b!Ow away IN dust be
fore the states and communities have
finished paying Ia. original cost.
''IIundrcGs Of millions of dollar, have
hccn wasted in this country through
the building Of roads which w"u!d not
stand the strain OF real commercial
traffic" said the former Governor. when
seen az hts Office. 80 East Forty Second
street. What the United states must
have Is "a comprehensive system OF
~ I IN. a.
"a the test OF carrying vcritable trains
OF motor trucks bearing military stores.
tho outputs OF factories and the produce
of the farms needed FOR the consump-
ton Of the people living in the cities.
This alone VIII reduce the cost 81 iiv-
possible for This country 10 supply
stricken Europe with the machinery
ami tho produce IL mas, have when
This conflict is over.
NOT TOO LATE TO MAKE
START IN RIGHT DIRECTION
at may be TOO late now TO give the
country the needed roads In time 10
help the transit OF military supplies
for this war. but ii Is not too late to
make the start in the right direction SO
the postwar needs may bc met. Even
II Ne did not prepare In advance n
ne, aspect 20 d" our shar. in the war
We ~ least can profit by our experience
and prepare IN time 10 do our share in
what is 10 come after the wa has been
won This means The day Of construct
ine anything hu, permanent highways
has gone forever.
To-day the United states is produc-
!nE more fOodstuns and manufactured
products Than ever before In It's his
tory To-morroyv the United States
must materially increase It's production
Of to-day. But production is useless
unlcss thc products can be moved TO
tac Scaboari and to the domestic con-
au!Hcrs. In the last analysis the big
problem u ono OF transportation. The
lines OF communication must b. adc-
puatc, and tho railroads q. The country
are pressed TO the utmost 10 handle
what now is dumped upon them
Good reads alone can solve the prob
lem. and ,h:s docs not mean good
roads in the academic sense. II has
been a long ;imc since any ono OF In
t"!IiHence had 10 be convinced Of the
necessity OF good roads as such. The
thing now Is to construct roads that
VIII not wtar out: roads tina. will carry
the heavy motor trucks OF to-day
and OF to-murrow-and Wi! not prove
friabic. The roads of to-day crulnblc
into dus; under this sor, OF strain
and the shifting winds scatter tho
work OF the highway constructor over
the landscape.
''Pcrmancn. highways are possible.
highways that viii outlivc tho bond
issues put out for their construction
highways that viii not sap the finances
or the states. cities. townships and vii :
ages 10 keep Thorn In repair and this
IS the sort OF road building to which
the entire country now must turn its
attention II IL Is TO knit It's industries
to It's consumers here and abroad
This means the sort Of roads that give
more miles in fewer minutes This
means tn" Sor, Of roads that spell sue
cess in peace and in war
MAKE PRESENT HIGHWAYS
PERMANENT, SAYS TENER
New highway routes are not needed
IN any great numbers at this time But
the highways we have mist be made
permanent. and this can be done at a
cost OF only fraction OF what already
has been spent upon them. II may
sound Utopian 10 the 'uninformed but
the day OF the transcontinentaI motor
tri' service is close at hand Think
wha lit would mean 10 the country to-
day I'D this been done in time TO en-
aole me running OF virtually solid
motor truck trains OF coal, war sun
plies and food at This crisis in the his
tory of the world.
The highway engineers OF the ma :
ton arc awake TO this situation. and.
win the coming OF spring. we shall
see the greatest era of real road build =