Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-17
DECLARE BAD ROADS REAL
CAUSE OF HIGH COST EVIL
Senate Committee at National Capital
Again Strikes Trail OF Old
II. G. l..
ONE WAY TO GET CHEAPER FooD
Make Highway Passablc From Fields
of Producer to Table OF Consumer,
Thereby Reducing Expenses OF
Marketing Farm Products.

WASHINGTON D. C.. August 10
!.eGisiat;vc forces are again on the
traii OF Old High Cost Of Living. These
.otces are In fun swing. with the SEN
lead at the National capital
SO far. Old High Cost has had his
uAuai luck in keeping more than L
,aiIs length ahead. His pursuers have
heen unable TO get anything on him
mat is. anything that they can tie to-.
This last chase started few days
ago. when government employees de-
1ided they had reached the limit OF en-
uuranGe In trying TO keep. up with
Tor economic relief reached Congrcss
with the result tina; the hunt for the
oid villain was on again, and the en-
Already the pursucrs are striking the
usual conflicting and dvcrginS trails
one scent leads TO the packers, an
other TO the butter and cEg trust an
othcr TO this. another to that
Seek Fundamental Rensons.
In ALI OF the hearings and discus
SONS. both in public and private, earn
est seekers after the fundamental rea-
sons which undcrlic the present cause
Oh unrest. find themselves coming out
on the same old trail. the unim-
proved road. IT is the proltecr's safe
AMBUSH. protecting. II does "A long
me OF comorants in the form OF un-
necessary m:ddlcmcn who are aided in
Their efarious work by the devious
ana unreliable routes 10 market
nttevcr the remedy proposed the r.
Is always the matter Of transporta-
tion. regardless OF how many market
anE agencies may be brought into oper-
ation. or how many restrictions may
DC thrown around the mddlcman, no
permanent solution can be reached rn-
III the road between the producer and
consumer is shortccd by types Of con
struction that viii insure a speedy
ana open thorouShfarc 10 market UNI
1cr an weather conditions. These arc
ihcts That are becoming more deeply
impressed upon The legislative mind
as hish cost inv" siiEations proceed
IL is admitted that road building has
peeh given tremendous boost during
c cnn pa, ie" years But even with
CONSTRUCTION under way practically in
every state. such construction is
working out from the ncirhborhood
road 10 comprehensive system must
necessarily he slow. too slow in fact,
70 meet the economic demands Of the
hour. which are now being so sharpi,.
expressed in tho cry for lower prices
on food.
FarsiEh,ed Members Of Congress
nave had in mind tho need for a still
greater development Of public roads
with the result that a bill for "A ma
,ional highway system is now pending
in tho United States Senate. introduced
by Senator Townsend. chairman OF he
Committee on Post-OfficcS and Pos,
Roads 1t is proposed in this measure
to create nation wide system OF high
ways under Federal control and main
tcnanCe, embracing not less than per
cent. nor more than per cent Of the
mileage In actual use in each State
The location OF the Federal lines is
to be determined by a Federal Highway
Commission. after advising with the
various State highway departments
The national system is planned TO
provide an outlet or logical and eco
nomical connection with the various
state highway systems. the latter in
turn To bc co-ordinated with county
systems. Thus II is proposed 10 per
manen,ly solve tn" highway transpor-
tation problem in its relation 10 liv-
Ing costs by providing once and for
all a complete system Of logically con-
ncctcd and wcIl-buiIt highways in order
10 finally remove the prohteer's
chances for covering UP his nefarious
practices in price Juggling on food
products, as he is now able 10 do owing
10 Inadequate lines of delivery from
the producer to the consumer.
Advocates Of national highway
system are presenting with much force |
the fact that tabilized living costs
will come only with the construction
of modern roads upon a co-ordinated
county. State and national basis. and !
that this much desired aim can be
achieved best by the government be- !
ginning at once the long lines. /
while the States build the short lines. |