The Topeka state journal., 1918-12-09
LESSONS OF THE WAR.

War has brought many important
lessons to this country and we cannot
begin too soon to profit by them. One
of the most important Of these lies in
the disclosure of the utter inadequacy
Of our transportation facilities.
When we were called upon sudden
ly to make use of every product of our
soil, and to be quick about it, we found
that the condition of our roads pre-
vented the hauling of maximum loads
in minimum time. Moreover, we found
that the condition of our roads pre-
vented farmers from reaching mar
kets outside Of their home zones, max
ing it necessary to sell almost exclu-
sively in a narrow zone, or not sell at
all. The net result, taking the coun-
try as whole, was the disclosure
that more than $300,000.000 is being
wasted yearly because the obstacles in
the road prevent producer and con-
sumner from reaching each other/
A case in point was brought to light
in Pennsylvania recently. Farmers ia
Crawford county, which is a part of
the Pennsylvania onion belt, voiced
their complaint against having to ac-
cept As to SO cents a bushel for onions
that were bringing from So to 81 a
bushe1 retail in nearby cities.
The Pittsburg Dispatch. in an
editorial in it's issue of November Z,
pointedly says that the depression
among the farmers is easy enough to
understand il they are willing to let
the situation hang over them, but not
if they have given consideration to
marketing their onions outside the
home zone.
with Pittsburgh and large indus
trial population right at Crawford
county's DOORS" says the Dispatch,
"the Linesville contingent could cas-
lily market onions for more than dou-
BILE the price they object to and in the
same transaction cut down the cost to
city consumers. With distance in
tervening that can be easily negoti-
ated by auto trucks, Crawford county's
onion belt should be able to find easy
and profitable relief thru a little we'll
placed community organization. 1t
looks too much like waste that 5000
bushels OF fffst-class onions are re-
fused to q good and inviting market
because the returns will not. pay for
| the outlay in time and labor. when a
large city's direct and lateral popula-
ton would be pleased to furnish the
profit and lessen its own expenditure.
1t is not complimentary that a few
miles of bad roads form an impass-
! able barrier between food crops and
eager consumers. with a margin OF
profit waiting at both ends Of the
route"
Here Is case where bad roads alone
prevent the farmers from realizing the
full profit to which they are entitled.
No sound reason. exists for permit
| ting a continuance of this loss, and
| herein lies one of the wars lessons
That the people are going to profit
from these experiences Is shown by
the fact that no sooner had peace
dawned than steps were taken ir
Pennsylvania, Illinois and other states
toward building highways upon a sub.
statial basis. At the November elec.
ton more than $110.000,000 worth OF
bonds were voted for modern roao
construction. The highway bond
Therefore. promises to be the means by
which farm and town are to be linked
together with permanent and econo
milo transportation facilities, as the
railway bond provided the means fol
obtaining capital to connect the cities
|