The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-04-24
a NATIONAL NECESSITN.
Improved Highways Essential tn
bounding Out National Transporta.
ton System.

States Chamber OF Commerce. Chi
cago, ILL.,
/ greatly regret that it has been
impossible for me to accept your in
vitation to address the Chamber OF
Commerce or to prepare a paper for
This meeting on the question of nat
iOnal highways This is one of the vi
ral issues before the country. and |
wish 1 might have had the privilege
Of urging before the convention the
supplement, and, in some cases SUD-
plant railroads.
In vain shall we try to increase the
porduction Of foOdstuffs and manu-
'actured goods without first provid-
ing increased facilities for gathering
the raw materials and distributing
The finished product. Economic waste
should not be tolerated even in times
OF aboundng peace. but economic
waste in the great wOrld-war con-
est in which we are engaged is GRIM
nal, And yet we are facing econom-
ic waste Of tremendous import, par
Lying the nations potentialities as
/ seeks to create a mighty fighting
machine, and to back that machine
With the power of limitless produc-
ion on the farm and in the factory,
'ecause inadequate transportation ia
;ilities are hampering every line OF
industry. lessening the power of the
armer to retain the labor ON the
am; lessening his ability to cultivate
he land, and to ship the product
vhen finally grown.
Inadequate transportation facilities
lave shackled the very life of the ma
ion, and if we could over night spend
5000, 100000 in the enlargement
# railroad mileage, railroad terminals
nd rolling stock Of the railroads, we
itill would not have facilities equal
o the needs of the hour.
1t is not possible by the utmost
tretch Of the nations power in pro-
iding money and men to bring
bout the expansion of railroad facili-
les sufficient to care for the vast traf-
&C which must be handled in order
. enable us to win the war without
eeing 1t indefinitely stretched out
Yer years of suffering and fearful
ost in men and money.
transportation cannot at the pres
mt time be discussed intelligently
Without including the possibilities of
transportation by water and by. 4ys.r
proved highways. The Internal
combustion engine, which made pos
.ible the building of the automobile
md the motor truck, marked as great
: revolution in human affairs as the
puilding OF the first steam iocomo-
i've, and the development of the
Of people and of mer-
handise through the power of the
nternal-combustion engine. vast as
has been it's growth, is but in it's in
ancy. There is practically no limit
the feasibility Of supplementing
md supplanting in many situations in
-dequate railroad facilities by the
Utilization of automobiles and motor
.rucks.
These, however. can be made val
liable only to the extent that i'm
'roved highways make their utiliza-
ion commercial success. Improv-
ID national highways connecting all
'arts of the country by through line,,
we're important in peace, but their
Importance then was as nothing COM
Jared with their vital Importance in
hese fearful days Of war Without
improved highways we cannot ade-
'oodstuffs, nor distribute them if pro-
iuced. Without improved highways
and the conditions of last
winter would grow steadily worse,
md even in midsummer weather we
'hould have a congestion of railroad
,rafiic well nigh matching the situa-
ion which so endangered the life Of
he nation during the winter; for
,raific must OF necessity tremendous
y increase as we continue to build
up that fighting machine, without
which we could not win the war. 1t
is. therefore, of supreme importance
to the nation that the largest possible
should be given to the
building of improved highways, and
especially to those which can be made
available for through traffic and for
hn hn. Inc