Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-12
COUNTRY IS AROUSED TO
NEED OF GOOD ROADS
After-War Problems Sure to Arise
Mako Them Essential to
Nation.
MOTOR TRUCK A BIG FACTOR
Is Permanent Feature in Transpor-
tation in America-In limo OF
War, Prepare for Peace, Slogan
Now Of Road Builders.
Editorial From Good Roads."l

Editorial From Good RoadS."1
Whether the end OF the war Is TO be
nthis year or several years hence. IT is
mot too early for road builders to give
"a part OF their time to tho considera-
,tion OF what they will be called upon
rto do when peace has been restored.
alt has cost this country dearly to learn
,that preparation for war should be
,made in time of peace: II is not neccs-
ssary to pay the price OF learning the
equally vital truth that we should at
yleast make beginning on preparing
FOR peace while wc are still at war.
The effect OF successful prosccu-
'tion OF the war--the only possibility
OF its termination to be considered =
-can be judged By little except the his
story OF this and other countries dur
ling the years Immediately following
,othcr wars. And even with Tat GUIDE,
.Ittic can be asserted positively, Tor no
war ever ended in circumstances even
remotely like those that VIII exist AT
.thc close OF this conflict. no previous
:war among world powers has involved
ESQ many nations. cxac.cd so heaEy d
ttoll OF human lie or cost 80 much III
imaterIal resources.
WILL HAVE HECOME
AROUSED TO ONE NEED
. One very importan, result. however.
ais certain. The United States Will have
walked UP to the value OF good ROADS.
.The realization OF their Importance
would have come. even without I'M
spctus from the war, put II has been
drought many years nearer by the les
ssons learned during the past year. The
.ina ability OF other means Of transpos Ia
.tion TO take care OF their unusual bur-
Idens has done much TO bring home 10
.the public the possibilities in highway
traffic. Tho highly developed highway
in tlcater of have
Hprovcd their worth IN both offensive
sund defensive warfare. And when the
-nghtlng has ceased those same roads
swill facilitate the gigantic work OF
-reouildnS and restoration that VIII
have TO be done.
1t seems inevitable that for several
years after the war this country will
shavc TO provide much OF the raw ma
.terials, food and manufactured pro-
ducts used the other side OF the
Atlantic. II so, IT Will mean an era
,of great AGRICULTURAL commercial and
industrial activity. That, OF course.
will bring heavy demand for trans
tportation facilities, and roads VIII have
to be built. not only TO serve as feeders
for the railways and waterways. but
To take from the railroads n part OF
their burdens. specially in short-haut
freight.
MOTOR TRUCK PERMANENT
TRANSFORMATIONS FACTOR
Motor truck freight trans poriat!on
has come and come to stay. To a
lesser extent the !notor-driScn vehicle
has been developed as passenger
carrier. There is II, -caaun TO looh
for "A decreasing use OF the motor In
either kind OF service. ON the con-
trary, there Is every reason TO expect
that II Will be used more and more.
Up to the present only II beginning
has been made in road Improvement in
this country, even though tho c%pend'-
lures during the past fcw years have
doubtless exceeded "a quarter OF n bill
lion dollars annually. AS the popula-
ton and wealth of the nation grow
larger. the demand -or good roacs
will increase. Unless the effects OF
the peace following the war arc very
different from what logically can be
expected, there will be an immediate
demand for more and better roads,
and that demand viii have 10 be met.
Road builders should be prepared TO 20
ahead with their part OF the work.