South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-11-17
COUPLE MILLION
ROAD BOOSTERS
Expected Every Soldier in
France Will Join Good
Roads Movement.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 16.--"There
will be a couple of million real road
boosters back in the United States
when the war is over, as l think all
of the men over here appreciate how
good roads can be made invaluable.
In my mind there is no doubt that
the good roads Of France saved her
In two instances"
Col. Robert II. Tyndall of the
15Oth Field Artillery thus writes
from "over there" 10 a fellow
HoOsier, Chairman carl O. Fisher Of
the A. A. a. touring board. Ii Will
be remembered that these two were
closely associated several years ago
in the ns-eontinental tour from
Indianapolis TO san Francisco, at
which time much of the route Of the
Lincoln highway was decided upon.
Col. Tyndall is an inveterate road
driver and has covered thousands Of
miles of good, bad, and Indifferent
American highways. In his letter
home" he goes on TO say:
Il have seen movements of troops
made in the dark which would have
been impossible in any other country
than France. Here the TOadmakeTs
have scientifically planted trees that
absorb drainage on the side ana at
the same time shelter the highways
so as 10 keep them just moist enough.
In some instances YOU Will find a
tall poplar standing higher than the
Ha
at every kilometer, so that YOU can
readily measure distances with the
eye.
lone of the great things they do
here is 10 repair a road and even
make an entirely new surface with
out interfering with the stream Of
traffic. In one campaign we were
III, over a thousand trucks passed my
regiment, each carrying y soldiers.
This was for reinforcement on the
flank and was done without the
slightest confusion. One does not
find here the little holes that cause
so much trouble remaining in a road.
The potted places are Immediately
filled and drained. right up TO the
front line almost
"As far as being able 10 orient
ones self. 1 think from now on 1 can
drive blindfolded any place in the
United states. as mos, OF my driving
on the front has been at night, and
the roads wind around considerably
over here. l don't have lights and
neither do the trucks and other We
hicles coming in opposite directions.
We are not allowed TO use the KlaXon
horn, as this is the method employed
for a gas alarm. Sometimes / really
wonder how we get through with it
all. but il shows how a person can
become accustomed TO most any
thing, and we train ourselves to see
in the dark"
That a big road plan is near at
hand in this country is the opinion
of many leading highway advocates.
Chairman George Q. Diehl Of the A.
a. \. good roads board summarizes
the idea in this manner.
"One hundred million dollars a
year appropriated by the federal
government on a definite. tangible
national highway system will wOr6
wonders in the form Of from five TO
ten thousand miles OF splendid high
way, made up partly of sections al
ready sufficient in quality, partly in
sections 10 repair, partly OF sections
rebuilt. and partly of entirely new
construction. state and local appro-
priatiOns viii be encouraged, and
these subdivisions. largely because Of
federal roads. Will enormously in
crease road expenditures"
Cattle. dairy or beef should he