South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-07-13
HIGHWAY PROBLEM
MAY Be SOLVED BY
FEDERAL AID ACT
Military Importance Of Road
Building Is Recognized by
Government.


Importance OF the country's roads
according TO a letter form Secre-
tary OF Agricultural Houston 10 Ar
thur H. Fleming. chief Of the state
councils section, council Of national
defense.
The secretary. whose department
administers the federal aid road act.
stated also that the government
recognizes that it is necessary 10
construct reconstruct or maintain
roads essential for military and
vital economic purposes and TO de-
fer action on roads not Of this class;
and that il Is desira bic wherever
possible. 10 use local materials for
road building and maintenance in
order TO relieve railroad traffic.
Important highways, as described
in the secretary's letter, include only
those utilized. or 10 be utilized. by
the military establishment, those
which carry a consiG cradle volume
Of materials and supplies essential
10 war industries. and those which
have a bearing on the production
and distribution Of food supplies
connecting population and shipping
centers with surrounding agricultur-
al areas.
Duties of Highway Council.
Attention is called TO the fOrma-
ton of the United States highways
council This body was suggested
by the secretary TO coordinate fed
eral agencies interested in highway
problems. The council is made up
of a representative each from the
department of agriculture, the war
department. the railroad admins
tration. the fuel administration and
the war industries board. IL will
form a unified agency for dealing.
on behalf Of the federal govern
ment. with highway construction,
maintenance and policies. II will,
of course, through the office OF pub
lie roads and rural engineering OF
the department. continue the close
contact already established. both
formally by law and informally by
practice, with the state highway
commission in each state.
The Office of public roads and
rural engineering and the highway
council will actively consider the
supply. for highway purposes. OF
road oils. asphalts and other BIZ
luminous road materials controlled
by the fuel administration and the
matter Of priority production for
highway materials controlled by
| the war industries board. They will
also. i'm contact with the railroad
administration. aid in securing. sc
/ far as practicable, facilities for the
! transportation of road materials and
I supplies. Furthermore. the Office
} Of public roads and rural engineer
/ ing will act AS the medium for fur
nishing Information and assistance
on highway problems. especially tC
state highway authorities i'm meet
/ ing the variou difficulties which
they encounter.
Work Planned Before War.
! When the United States entered
I the war the work OF planning state
/ highway systems. so that, as far "a:
| necessary and feasible they woulc
| connect with the systems OF Other
states. was well under way This
resulted from efforts TO administer
! the federal aid road act, so that the
/ roads of vital Importance FOR eco
monte. military and other purpose:
( should FIRST be dealt with. The fed.
eral aid road act-involvinc an az
gregate flve-year expenditure di-
rectly and from state and loca
funds. Of S160.0OO.00O in addition tC
lat least s200.0OO.OOO spent indie.
pendently each year by the states
/ provides that the states must main
tain the roads and that before any
money can be expended the roads
must be selected and approved anc
plans. specifications and contracts
submitted. 1t also provides that the
federal government must inspec
! the construction of the roads.
War Road Policy Adopted.
soon after the United States en-
/ tered the war. the department o.
agriculture requested the stat,
highway commissions to join il in
directing expenditures only OF
roads of prime importance for eco
nomic and military purposes. ID
this undertaking, the secretary says
I the department has received the co
( operation Of state authorities.
The department has been activel
} cooperating with the capital issue
} committee IN its task OF keeping on
1 OF the market road bonds the issu
ance OF which was not urgent from
the point OF view Of aiding The na
ton in winning the war
The secretary also calls attentio,
20 the fact that road engineers hav
been provided bv the department 70
each OF the army environments am
for work on roads elsewhere II
which military authorities were in
terested