The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-06-10
OF ROADS MUST BE
 CARED FOR NOW

New York, June 10-Unless the federal, state and local governments take immediate steps to save the foundations of the roads of the coun- try most of the highways now being used for military purposes will be ruined and no longer can be used for the motor truck trains which are be- ing sent over them.
 This was pointed out in striking fashion today by former Governor John K. Tener of Pennsylvania who now is the president of the Perma- nent Highways Corporation of this city. Governor Tener declares it is a military necessity for the various responsible authorities to protect these roads by a proper surfacing.
 We must preserve the roads of the country and especially must we save their foundations if the United States is to do its full duty in the war and if the government is to protect the commerce and the industries of the country which are supplying the needs of our men on the battlefronts as well as the taxes of the government and the necessities of the men, women and children who are keeping the wheels going at home" said Gov ernor Tener
 'The federal government, the man ufacturer and the farmer for months have been depending on the high ways for the transportation of enor- nous amounts of materials and sup plies by motor trucks. The roads fast are wearing down and hundreds of miles of highways will become use less unless the resurfacing of these roads is encouraged so that the foun- dations may be saved. In road con- struction the principal cost is in the foundations. The top, or road sur face, naturally is the first to give way, break and finally grind up and disap- pear, leaving the foundations exposed and next in the line of destruction
 Foundations costing hundreds of millions of dollars now are in danger of being ruined forever when they could be saved by proper resuracing but this resurfacing should be done at once or else the costly foundation work will have to be done all over again in order to make the highways available for traffic which depends SC much upon them. In some states and | localities, I am informed, there is a disposition to delay road work until after the war; on the theory that the men and materials are more needed | elsewhere in the war work. This is a grave mistake which should be cor rected at once.
 lo; ;orI,1 ness of the country would be crippled The roads must be preserved both for war purposes and for the preserva- ton of the industries upon which the country's revenues depend, as well as for the living necessities of those who are doing their full share by keeping the home fires burning.
 '"To preserve the highways we mus save the foundations Makeshift sur. facing will crumble in a few month: and will have to be done all ovel again. To neglect surfacing will i'm pose the absolute necessity for recon structing thousands of miles of foun dations which, if properly surfaced now, would mean the saving of hun dreds of millions of dollars now il danger of being thrown away by ; foolish policy of saving at the spigo and wasting at the bung
 By all means let the proper au thorities speed up the work of re surfacing the highways so the foun
 dations may be saved. This canno be made too emphatic because it is
 matter that soon will become vital t
 the work of the war and the life o the nation."