Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-22

well as the smaller states thickly
Formulated
The need of improved highways in
this country, made SO apparent in re-
cent months has resulted in an ava
Ianche of bills introduced in Congress
looking toward improvement. Among
those who have introduced bills, in
addition to Senators Chamberlain and
Poindexter, are Senators Bankhead,
who fathered the present good roads
law: Smoot of Utah, Shafroth of Col
orado. Jones of New Mexico, Shields
of Tennessee, Swanson of Virginia,
and Representative Browne Of Wis
consin, and a score of other member rs
Of the House Various plans are sug-
gested in these bills, but those of Sem
ator Bankhead and Senator Swanson
and Representative Browne are the
administration bills. They have been
prepared with the approval of the
Secretary of Agriculture and other
IL is said. of the President himself.
Two Administration Bills.
There are two of these administra-
ton bills. The first. introduced by
Senator Rankhead and Mr.. Browne,
amends the existing good roads act
by making available. in addition to
the funds already appropriated, $780,
100000 to be expended over a period
OF seven years ending June so. 1925.
The second, introduced by Senator
General to set aside at the close of
each fiscal year, 60 per cent of the
net proceeds derived from the opera
tlon OF motor trucks engaged in car
ry1ng parcel post to be used in con-
struction, repair and maintenance of
the highways over which the motor
trucks operate. The money is to be
expended by the Secretary of Agri-
culture. after the Postmaster General
has aided him in the selection of. the
roads on which the work is to be
done.
Senator Bankhead, chairman of the
committee on post offices and post
roads. to which these bills have been
referred in the Senate, is emphatic in
his demand that road legislation be
speedily enacted. He will call the
committee together to consider the
bills after the Christmas holidays. In
the House the bills have been refer
red to the roads committee,
Ihe war conditions. while placing a
tremendous strain upon the roads OF
the country, also resulted in causing
postponement of much needed road
construction. the money being needed
Tor the purchase of liberty bonds and
the stimulation of war industries. In
ms annual report. recently made pub
nc, the Secretary of Agriculture says
agree
ments and that the money was avail
able from federal and state funds at
the close of the last fiscal year. Fiji
teen million dollars more from the
federal Treasury became available
July l last for the present fiscal year.
rroJect statements not yet reaching
the stage of agreements, involving
$2S,O00.O00. have been approved. max
ing the aggregate of $42O0O.OoO def
lnitely or tentatively agreed upon. Of
the federal funds approximately s16,-
100000 is tied up leaving $4,000. 900
udn and there is about $50.
100000 in state funds also uncovered
me Secretary expects there will be
available from all sources for expen-
d1ture on roads in the fiscal year 1920
about $10,000.000.
Not Properly Connected.
While there has been considerable
road improvement under the operation
of the federal good roads act. the ex-
penditure has not been, to any con-
siderable extent along lines which
would produce a national system of
interstate highways There has been
too strong a tendency to look to loca
interests alone. Instead of putting
the needed improvements on roads
that VIII connect up into a great
through highway. the improvements
have been made in various corners of
the states. on roads that are not CON
nected and that at present can he
only of value to the communities
which they connect If the money of
the entire people is to be expended
upon highways. should it not be ex-
pended SO as to develop a system of
national highways, SO greatly needed
by the country?
national highway project looking
TO the development of 10000 miles Of
roads, providing three transconti
mental highways and three CIR four
highways running across the country
from north to south might well be
~ ea Appro1imating the cost
OF construction at $4,000 mile,
0o.000.000 would be needed to com
plete it. 1t would make splendid
start for national highway system
TO which additions could be made a s
speedily as possible. Under the good
IoaeS act 1ne government would put
up s200.000,O00 and the states SINH
lar amount.
Representative Browne of Wiscon-
SIN has plan whereby federal aid
snail go into road construction CON
Meeting all the capitals of the various
states as the first move for national
highway system. Such a plan would
result in several transcontinent.i
highways and would be of very great
value
Great Britain, France and Germany
walked to the fact that the old road
construction. with graded dirt roads.
would not meet the needs of the com
try either in war or peace. and esnec-
Tally IN war times. half a century ago.
IN consequence they built good roads
IT France had not been prepared with
good roads. she never would have
been able to defend Paris against the
Germans in 1914 and hurl them bacE
at the Marine, nor would she have heen
able to defend Verdun and other
places along the battle line II Great
Britain had not been prepared by
proper road construction, her war
preparations would have been greatly
handicapped, just as those of the
United States were handicapped after
this country entered the contest.
Torn by Heavy Traffic.
1t is true that the roads of France
and of England have been torn by the
heavy traffic over them. But they
We're good roads TO begin with. and
the French and the English were able
to make the needed repairs If they
had not been good. it would have been
impossible to keep them in repair at
this emergency.
Take the great cities along the At
of them. with the possible exception
of Boston. has roads around it ca
pable. in time of emergency. of meet
ing the military needs that were
placed on the roads of France about
Paris and Ferdun. And the roads
about Boston could have been used
only for a comparatively few miles
back into the country. The movement
of troops and their supplies from
northern New Jersey around New
York for the defense of that place
would have fallen down because of
tho lack of eood roads