Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-20


lies. We can certainly agree that This
Is condition which should not exist.
There Is ono important question
which i wiah to bring to your at,cn,
tlon, and hone that your resolutions
committee VIII give il careful :on-
sidcration: There arc number Of Ger
man war mi sorers In this country at
this time, and Know az no more uss-
(ul work or which they can be en-
pioEed than In constructing our high
ways. or In the preparation OF road
materials. I'll" American Association
OF state Highway officials has taken
this matter UP with the Secretary OF
War ana J would suESegt that ,his
association would follow suit. This
would 60 4 long way in furnishing the
much needed labor for this purpose.
these are tho general chuugos which
we arc suggesting TO make tho work
of thr Highway Department more eff.
hcIent. and to place Us in "a position to
make highway transportation effective
ROADS NEEDED
As WAR MEASURE
Since the declaration of war with
Germany In April Of last yea:. have
consistently and regularly urged the
construction OF roads in this country.
nor only FOR our inferno, Improvement
put IS war measure, Az one or the
most important factors In CARRYING the
war to successful issue. and | am
more convinced to-day OF this neces-
SltN thaE ever before
VIC know now that railway and
water transportation are inadcuuatc
and, as Il matter OF fact. are breaking
down under present transportation con-
ditions. We also know that The gov
eminent IL calling on the various high
way departments to come TO their as
siStance and provide relief which. how
ever anxious we in Virginia are TO sive,
has been impossible by the lack of
system in our work,
believe that We are all agreed that
the most important question which con-
fronts us to-day is the world war and
the part which we should take in aid
ing the government TO carry it through
successfully. Some time ago, In an
address before. the American Associa-
ton OF State Highway Officials, | COW
cred this same ground, and | believe
that my answer now should be the same
as it was then: that is, that the an
swer Is not an easy one, since practical
~ all the forces OF the world are being
used to carry on the present war. a war
OF unparalleled horror but also of such
unparalleled justice and right, SO far
as our own country 10 concerned, that
we cannot relax until the triumph of
our cause is complete,
MUST PREPARE FOR
COMING OF PEACE
All the energies OF man to-day are
given 10 the construction of engines
OF destruction, and our world seems,
in it's effort to save,Givilization.t to have
become possessed by the spirit of war
that blinds IL TO the fact that this
strange era Is an abnormal one: that
1t must pass and the star of peace
return" usherins in i day when the
problems OF normal life will assume
an even greater importance than ever
before. There Is no doubt that many
of the strange, new experiences through
which We are passing have affected
our mental processes for the worse.
Cheap clap-trap and appeals, which .
short time ago we would have passed
by, or treated with derision. now stir
us with frenzy. Let us, then, az far
as possible at this time, prepare our
forces and organize our resources for
that peace which VIC know must come
In the end, reversing the saying, in
time of peace prepare tor war" and
make our motto in time OF war prepare
for peace. When that peace comes
each country Will have ita own prob
lens TO solve. and foremost among
these will be highway transportation.
These conditions we must prepare to
try is dependent. on tho Improvement
of Its highways for proper expansion.
The State which grudgos money for
highway work now and in years to
come Will find itself called upon TO pay
dearly for it's parsimeny, therefore, it
,Is our duty to concentrate our cncr-
gics on carrying forward the war by
providing highway transportation. and
In this way servo double purpose,
for we will rso be preparing for the
conditions whieh WIZ confront US a,
the end OF the war. when competition
will be- sharp and, the nations OF the
earth will be competing for the mar
kets OF the world. Our work. then.
is 10 build such i state system as will
enable us TO do our part to carry the
war on successfully. and at the same
time prepare our country for peace. and
enable us 10 develop our resources.
protect our commerce, extend our in
tcrcSIs ana take our proper place in
rsbuiidine world which has been
devastated by the forces Of war.
Co-orERATIoN OF ALL
CITIZENS or VIRGINIA
To gain these ends in Virginia we
must have the co-operation and assist
ance Of all nj the citizens OF the Statr;.l
We must work together tor the good
Of the nation in developing those re-
sources which are most needed for tina
successful prosecution OF the war; we
must develop our highway system to
allow the transportation Of our pro-
.duce to market, to develop our min
oral and agricultural resources, to re-
licve the consested condition on our
railroads and steamboat lines--this is
what the nation Is asking us TO do;
this is the assistance they require Of
us to aid in bringing victory TO our
cause. This, then. is our work a,worli