Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-04-19
Foster Movement for Build ing System Of Interstate
 Highways.

is clubs, Travelling Mems associations and all of the national and state good roads organizations.
 This nationwide demand for a fed eral highway commission and na- tional system of highways, as recog- nized in the recommendations of the Chicago highway congress and later covered by the Townsend bill, intro- duced in the last session of congress, would assure the country of defin- ite national highway policy and plan.
 State highway officials represent ing forty states, have gone on record strongly in favor of federal high. way commission and a national sys- tenn of highways. One prominent of- ficial representing the highway de- partment of one of the largest states, writes: "Onc important thing is to sec that a federal highway commits sion is placed in charge of national system of highways and that they be given as free a hand as possible. I trust that they will avoid placing the construction of any national system on cooperative basis. In my opin-- ion, it would be great mistake if a national commission has to seek the cooperation of the various states. Our own experience here makes it clear that such an arrangement would
 be most unsatisfactory and embar-r rassing to the commission. Where
 cooperation is necessary, any state can hamper and obstruct construct
 ion until the demands of that parti- cular state, or perhaps small 'co- terie of men within the state, are satisfied" Another prominent state
 highway official writes: "No state has been able to develop a system of
 state highways on a purely coopera-
 tive basis between the state and it's
 subdivisions. When local cooperation
 is required the needs of local traf--
 fife will always be given preference as against the needs of through traf- fic in locating roads to be improved. This same objection to the develop ment of a national system obtains in cooperative work between the states
 and the federal government. The highways of most importance to one state do not meet those of prime im- portancc in the next states at the state lines, and through traffic in will be forced to make considerable detours and not travel the most direct routes"
 Regarding federal highway com- as provided in the Townsend bill, prominent state highway en- gineer wrote: My reasons for be- lieving that a commission should be created to handle this work are based on personal experience, as we'll as on observation. l have enjoyed the privilege of being single commits sioner for five years, and of being the executive officer under commission of three men for period of six years. Under the latter arrangement the executive officer does not have to deal with questions of policy and his time is devoted entirely to the business affairs in connection with l the work. The commission bring to the work the viewpoints of different | interests of different parts of the state and are far better able to pass |
 judgment upon matters affecting the entire state than is any one man. Up on any matter that is under contro- versy the judgment of three or five men will always be received with far better grace than will the judg- ment of ono man. On this account the public will have greater confi- lcnce in the work of q commission than in the work of any one man. With problem as diversified as in shc construction and maintenance of highways throughout the United States, 1 believe we should have the benefit of the composite judgment of men representing different interests and parts of the country. For these reasons l believe in the establish nent of commission to have charge ,f this great work.
 Speakers at the Chicago meeting strongly emphasized the necessity of national highways to meet he requirements of the heavy vol me of interstate travel, and pointed % the fact that the highways, not their unimproved state, ire carrying more traffic, both freight and passenger, than is being .arried on and over all of the rail- ways of the United States. MT. chairman of the federal highway council said: |
 "The time is here when we should not only consider the cost of highway development, but along with the cost He should consider and determine he value in dollars and cents of the highway to the community it serves ,r to the country at large, if nationalj highways. If we do that, the cost of my highway properly designed and to carry the traffic upon t, with safe margin for increased
 raffic, will fall into insignificance. Unfortunately we have not as a coun- ny, awakened to the fact that our highways have an earning capacity which can only be increased with he improvement of the highways" Ivery mile of highway properly i'm proved. is one Step more toward q