The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-08-30
CHANGING
PUBLIC CONCEPTION
OF NATIONS ROADS.
Universal Recognition Of
Shipping Over Highways Is
Daily Proving Contention of
FarSighted Business Men.

Public conception OF good roads
has undergone a radical change in the
last two years. says r. II. Spear, pres
ident OF the AIl-American Truck Co,
Chicago. Prior to the entry OF the
United States in the war. the non
motoring public, more often than not,
thought good roads were advocated
chiefly for the use and benefit of those
who owned automobiles. There was an
inclination generally to look upon sueh
movements as class legislation for they
did not believe in lending their nnan-
cial and moral support to good ROADS
laws which provided for something IN
which they could see no direct ad-
vantage to themselves.
To-day this conception has changed
and the change has been brought about
through universal recognition of the
MOTOR trucks value as a means OF
Transportation, demonstrated under the
stress OF war. War merely fastened
what leaders of the industry had seen
for years; i furnished the eonditlons
which enabled the truck 10 establish
itself as a factor in the economic life
of the country.
"Nonmotoring citizens no longer look
upon good roads as speedways for what
they were once pleased to term the
motoring aristocracy.' Instead they
have come to a complete realization
that motor trucks are essential as fac
tors In transportation and that good
roads are necessary to their efficient
operation, Their vision has broadened;
they see the advantages and benefits
which accrue from a combination OF
these factors-benefits which have a d.
rect bearing upon the economic condi-
tons OF the community in which they
live.
Trucks virtually bring the farm to
IN table of the consumer with a on
sequent decrease in the prices of food,
and, further, those with a keener sense
OF the future see the ever-expendingI
range OF possibilities Of the truck and
It's ally-good roads-throughout the in
dustrial and commercial world.
in the past we were prone to build
roads for the present only; in the flu
ture and present we will build for the
future as well as the present. We have
come to the realization that building
roads of lasting materials, Of laying the
most durable neutrality-suspicious.
which will last for years and REQUIRE
minimum attention-really pays.
Roads Of the future win not only
he built to meet the requirements which
necessarily will be made upon them,
but they will be maintained, or should
ne. lin the same systematic manner
that a railroad maintains 1t right-of-
way. Such methods are common to
European nations, or were before the
war, In England and France, road pa
trolls are universal, One man has charge
OF a certain number of miles. At the
sides Of the road. at regular intervals,
are small piles OF material for making
immediate repairs when the need shall
come. IL a hole 1t is quickly re-
paired while small, and thus the roads
are always first-class.
Railroads utilize their own equip-
ment for renairing and CONSTRUCTING
nurposes and hence It follows naturally
that the truck will be utilized in good
roads building and upkeep. Road
maintenance crews. with their truck
equipment, will be as familiar a sight
from now on along the highways al
are those we have been accustomed to
seeing constantly at work along the
railroad right of WAY -