Omaha daily bee., 1918-09-29
HIGHWAYS ARE
RECOGNIZED AS
REAL RESOURCE
Definite Program Of Specific
Use of Roads Developed
by Highways Tranport
Committee.

The following is authorized by the
Council of National Defense:
A definite program OF specific use
Of the highways in support of both
the war plan and the reconstruction
policy for postwar times was de-
veloped by the Highways Transport
committee of the Council OF Ma
tional Defense in a conference of its
II regional chairmen, representative
of every section of the country, held
at Washington, September II to 10,
inclusive.
Recognition of the highways
value as transportation resource
was evidenced by the appearance
before the committee and its chair
man of cabinet officers, members of
the national railroad administration,
the food administration, the War
Industries board, the National High
ways council, the Electric Railways
War board, the army, and the Unit
ed States senate. President Wilson
received the conferees at the White
House on the conclusion of the ses-
sions.
Every one of the governmental
agencies, whose war work can be eff
fected by the full utilization of high
ways transport, proposed a close
cooperation between his own Of
ganization and the nationwide Of
ganization which the Highways
Transport committee, under the di-
rection of Roy D. Chaplin, chairman,
has achieved in the last nine months
All were glad to suggest means of
| developing this coordination for
Americas common cause.
Hoover Favors Rural Express.
Herbert Hoover, federal food ad-
ministrator, warmly approved the
development of the rural express
As means for saving perishable
foodstuffs now produced, for stimu-
lating production OF more food, for
!, lowering costs of living, and for
conserving farming rlan-power for
the soil. Mr.. Hoover observed that
so per cent of the perishables pro-
duced in America are wasted, largely
though ineffective means of getting
, it to market. Fast, intimate service
by rural expresses, he foreseeS, will
be great source of saving. By the
use of motored expresses, Mr.. Hoo
yer pointed out, the farmer need not
maintain so many drafS animals on
the farm, animals that eat the crops
of millions of fertile acres that
otherwise could be devoted to rails
ing food for people. The failure
of the public market in America,
Mr.. Hoover said, was caused by
inadequate transportation of an in
innate sort, and he believes that a
developed rural express will give
public markets a basis Of economic
success and tend toward lower price
levels.
Franklin X. Lane, secretary Of the
interior, tied the highways develop
ment into his plan for putting mil
lions OF returned soldiers and their
families on small farms carved by
the government from great areas of
public domain now either unused or
in need Of reclamation.
Il can see the making Of new
America" said Secretary Lane, "a
nation of farming communities and
small industrial centers; for each
will have its own creamery, cannery
and other means Of taking care Of
ftsesafplus products. These farming
communities will be populated largely
by returned veterans, comrades in
! arms, comrades in peace, the ma
terial, political, and spiritual leaders
of these communities. These centers
must be developed and tied together
and made easy of access by good
roads, over which the most efficient
of transport will move goods to
market,