Omaha daily bee., 1918-05-05

Gently held in Chicago.
Outline Work.
This important subject was ably
covered in addresses delivered by two
ii the most prominently known men
in the country. heading great indus.
trial enterprises, who are giving OF
their time in advancing the interests
of good roads. These were F. A. Sell
berling, president of the Goodyear
Tire and Rubber company of Akron,
o., and president Of the Lincoln High
way association, and Mr.. r. D. Cha
Din, president of, the Hudson Motor
Car company OF Detroit, Mich, chair
man of the highways transport COM
mittee of the Council OF National De-
icnse and vice president OF the Lin
!oln Highway association.
Mr.. Chaplin delivered an address in
which he outlined the important work
If the highways transport committee
which is serving to facilitate trans
portation needs through the extension
of the use of the motor truck for over
land hauls to relieve the railroads OF
their present staggering burden OF
traffic.
Mr.. Seiberling spoke Of the high
ways transportation problems OF the
day, saying in part:
We need, and should have at once.
created and empowered by proper
legislation, strong, independent
federal highway department, ade-
quateiy supplied with money and with
broad discretionary powers over its
expenditures and 80 organized that It
could make 1 thorough survey Of the
requirementSof motor truck transpor-
tation and dictate to the state, county
and township road-constructing units
upon what roads their money should
ke expended. By thus correlating the
Efforts Of ell of our road-constructing
agencies and being in > position to
supply additional funds where needed
to augment the local finances, to
bring about 1 uniform. continuous
system connecting our main cities
connecting our mines and farms and
factories with our ports, such fed
eral department would be of the
greatest possible benefit to the coun-
try and accelerate tremendously, and
1t once, measures for transportation
relief.
Total Expenditure.
Our .total expenditure for roads,
according to the figures Of the Office
of public roads OF the Department
of Agriculture, has been for several
years past over $2s0000,000 Z year,
and yet only approximately 10 per
cent Of the total mileage Of roads In
the United States have received any
attention whatever; and less than two
thirds of that 10 per cent 10 In any
way adequate for the type Of trans
portation we have been considering.
Further, even this proportionately
small mileage OF road Improvement
does not link up to form what can
be called 4 road system. It is scat
tered; its usefulness for interstate
freight transportation ID negligible.
An immediate building program, de-
signed to connect up existing scat
tered construction, is essential.
It 10 estimated that approximately
20 per cent Of our roads will carry
from 80 to 90 per cent OF our traffic;
or, in other words, 100000 miles or 90
" permanently and properly con-
structed roads In the right place In
this country would practically COM
plete our necessary highways. At the
aafne rate of expenditure, this national
avefesxs <ksa v,nvderfrf ed;vrr< - kha
nationals transportation facilities,
epuld be accomplished in 20 years
without ! cent more than we are now
spending, If some central authority
empowered by the government, taking
X broad, bird's-eye view Of the ma
tionai situation could, from an un-
biased standpoint, designate which
roads these are. The game authority,
by promptly indicating the immedi-
ately necessary war roads, could bring
about their uniform improvement At
nnce with funds already aYailahle.n