Evening star., 1919-04-13
ROAD
BILL GAINS FAVOR
Many National 0rganiza-
T, tions Indicate They Will
Support Measure.

| Many national organizations inter-
| ested in one way or another in high
ways improvement will support in
the next Congress what is now known
as the Townsend bill This is evident
from the numerous inquiries received
by the American Automobile Associa-
ton from all parts Of the country.
These letters find their way to the
a A. A main headquarters because of
the cooperation of this country-w
| organization Of car owners with the
american Association of State High
way Omcials in the passage of the
| ieoeral aid road act, as a result of which
, inc Ie1eraa S11 government is now spend
| ing $275,000.000 in the next two and
nail years with like amount con-
trlbuted by the several states.
| director of Roads ]. E. Pennyback-
er. who recently resigned as chief of
| management of the United States bu-
reau of public roads to devote his
energies to A. A. A. highways work,
thus outlines the support that will
| unooubtediy accumulate behind the
Dill which will call for a federal sys-
| tenn OF interstate hilhWays:
Back Auto Owners.
While it is to be expected that the
SIX million motor car owners in an
organized form should contend most
vigorously for a maximum federal
| concern In roads progress. there are
other national associations the men,
Ders or which have an equally great
| interest in highways Improvement
would approach the subject from the
| transportation viewpoint, since it
profits the farmer little to raise crops
| which cannot be economically deliv
cred to market.
The United States Chamber of
Commerce, with it's powerful local
chambers and, thousands OF Individual
| members all over the country, gives
evidence of it's interest in the subject
by adding to it's committees one
| which will devote it's activities to
highways betterment. The American
| Association of State Highway Officials.
| composed Of the respective state
highway departments and the federal
because these are the road building
organizations upon which the various
commonwealths depend for the con-
struction and upkeep Of state high
state systems with a national policy
to- meet interstate needs.
with the road user. the road build
er. the food producer and big business
coming together in the interest of a
sound national policy toward high
ways, it cannot be doubted that tan
gible results clearly in the interest
of the public welfare would result
Get-Together Movement.
There has recently been a get
together movement Of the national
bodies identified with memorial and
| interstate highways resulting in the
formation of the Associated High
| ways of America. These co-ordinating
agencies will undoubtedly sit in when
| the national bodies seek to smooth
! out their differences at a common
| table. SO to speak. to the end that
Congress may know just where the
thoughtful men of America stand on
this fundamental question of high
way improvement.
'It is not propaganda, primarily,
but counsel which is needed at this
lstage. 1t is the time for getting
down to brass tacks, with each or
ganization speaking as a whole for
all the interests of all it's constitu-
entS and in a spirit of co-ordinatine
their interests with those of the other
| bodies involved"