The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-06
BANKHEADPLANS
FURTHER j. s. AID
IN ROAD BUILDING
Introduces Bill That Would
Give S125,00O 900 to
State AgenCieS-LittIe 0p-
position Is Expected.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6. (Spl)-Ths
extension Of the good road movement
through the cooperation Of federal and
state agencies is contemplated in a bill
Just introduced IN the senate by, SEN
ator John II. Bankhead Of Alabama.
Under its terms $50. 600 900 would be-
come Immediately available and with
the SIS, 000. 900 available July !. 1919,
would give a total OF sl26, 900 600 for
this purpose from federal sources alone.
This is 10 he followed by an additional
appropriation so as TO make SlOO, OOO, 900
available in 1920 and like sums for each
OF the three succeeding years.
II is confidently predicted that the
bill will meet with little opposition. for
one Of its subsidiary purposes Is TO
provide work for returning soldiers
Before submitting 1t Senator BankheAd
conferred with Secretary Houston OF
the department Of agriculture, under
whose supervision the good road work
Of the national government is done,
and he also discussed the matter with
President Wilson. Both of them favor
the measure, as do a number of Sem
ator Bankhesd's colleagues.
The federal aid road act Of 1915
said Senator Bankhead, has resulted
in the creation Of the machinery Of OPP
Grafton to carry forward q great CO.
operative road work In every state,
Up to Nov. Is Of this year there has
bEEiA a lVAhA VI AoN hlEAllllN OauN al
projects approved by the secretary OF
agriculture. These aggregate 1889
miles at an estimated cost of SIS, III
20S, of which the federal governments
share is $40, 900. sos.
AN the preliminary difficulties have
been overcome in the various states
and the advantages are apparent 10 all
who have given this matter any
thought, Traffic over these roads has
developed with wonderful strides. We
now have in this country upward Of
5000 600 motor vehicles and 500 600 Of
these are motor trucks.
In normal times the expenditures for
good roads in this country amount to
about $500 900, but by reason Of the
war all such Improvements, save Of a
distinctly military character, have been
held back and II Is safe TO assume tina
the mex year will see increased eX-
penditures, OF the funds nov avail
able for this purpose only about $50
600, 900 would be contributed by the
federal government and should the total
reach the sum of $500, 0O0, 900, which IL
probable, the national government
would not be bearing its fair share un.
der the plan contemplated by h fed
cral aid road act.
Only Il few minor weaknesses have
developed in the federal road act as II
now stands and | think such as have
been discovered may easily he corrected
by simple amendments. II should he
borne ip mind, however, that the cost
Of anything like permanent road con.
structlOn is considerably higher now
than It was when the present law was
passed and, II seems to me, a slightly
different system should be devised 80
that the cost may he more eQuitably |
distributed TO the state and the ma
tional governments.
The bill | have introduced Ia In the
nature of an amendment 10 the present
law, II carries an appropriation OF
$50, 000. coo Immediately available. This,
we estimate, would make Sl25, 900. 900
available for this year, Next year 1t Is
contemplated to provide a total fund OF
Sl00, 900, 900 and the same amount for
three successive years thereafter"