Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-26
Highways Transport Work.

| Committee, Council of National De-
fense, this committee having been ap-
pointed to make the most effective use
possible of the highways as one of the
means of strengthening the nations
transportation resources, is now being
| developed in such a way as to take IN
every State in the union. Further,
through the medium of State highways
transport bodies. functioning with the
national body, this organization is being
developed in some state not only down
to the districts, but to the counties and
even communities.
The State Highways Transport bodies
are part of the State Council of De
Tense They consist of the following:
The chairman of the State highways
Transport Committee, five members of
the highways Transport body, and
secretary.
The five members in question are named
to represent areas of varying sizes and
populations, each of the five members
being chosen from one of such five differ
ent areas, and in turn serving as chairman
of his district committee. The district
! boundaries are laid ont in harmony with
| existing conditions, the aim being that
| the most effective results possible may
| be brought about. For instance, IN one
locality, large population centers may he
| found to be best as the heart of one or
more districts. Again, in other sections,
where cities of large population are not
found, the district boundaries may be
made to embrace agriculture, lumber,
oil, or other areas
Such High ways Transport Committees
have been organized in practically all
of the States of tire Union, and are now
functionng not only rs a part OF the
State Council of Defense, but with the
national body at Washington. While
in some States the work in detail has
gone forward to a most gratifying extent,
thus pointing the way to those in which
the State Highways Transport body hiss
been more recently organized, without
exception efforts looking 10 the desired
eud in all States are being made.
The main activities of the national and
its allied highways transport bodies are
Tor the present hcing devoted directly
to tho following man purposes:
Return loads bureaus, rural express,
cooperation with Federal Railroad Adj
ministratlon transport operating eff
cIcncy
Typical Of the work being done by
some Of tho State Highways Transport
bodies, that already naug,Irated in such
representative States as Connecticut,
New York Pennsylvania, Michigan, III
inols and Colorado may bc suggested.
For instance, resolutions recently adopted
At a meeting Of the Michigan highways
Transportation Committee point the way
10 the manner in which that cntcrprIsing
State Is aiding in tins vital phase Of the !
war work
Resolutions. in part, recommend that
inter-citv and rural motor express and .
return loads bureaus he established where !
practicable IN every part Of. he State. I
hat steps bc taken 10 have the State /,
Constitution amended and suitable leg
islatIon enacted, to aid in the granting OF !
franchises. properly restricted, for or
ranizing and eqHpplng motor express
lines.
Again, in Pennsylvania, an organiza-
ton down TO the county has been per /
fected, and noteworthy development has /
been brought in many counties Penn .
sylvania co-operated most effectively /
during the heavy SHOWS of the past winter (.
to the end that routes selected for govern /.
Inent motor truck trains on their way
from points north to seaboard were /
cleared Of snow and the overland trips, /
the first attempted by the government, /
made possible In this work Michigan /
also lent hand most effectively
Connecticut was the irst State TO /
organize completely, with a return loads .
central bureau at Hartford Il has /
numerous fiourishlng bureaus outside of /
Hartford, equipped with telephone ser
VICE, that delays IN the transmission Of |
orders may be eliminated The Hartford /
bureau is constantly on the alert to the
end that interested persons such as truck
owners. merchants, farmers, manu-
facturers, may know just when and where |
return loads service is available
The establishment of return loads /
bureaus throughout Colorado is being
given intensive study, and the State
highways transport body IS confident
of being able shortly to have this vital
war activity in operation.