South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-11-02
TRANSFER MOTOR
EQUIPMENT FOR
USE ON ROADS
Bill Passed by Senate Will
Give Public Benefit of Sur
plus Government Cars.
BY LOUIS LUDLOW.

WASHINGTON. d. c., Nov. L.
Under legislation which has passed
the senate during the last few days
and is in a fair way 20 pass the
house soon the general public viii
receive the benefit Of a vast sur
plus OF mOtor-propelled vehicles and
other motor equipment whicS was
left over when the armistice was
signed and is now in the possession
of the war department.
The bin authorizes and empowers
the secretary Of war to transfer.
free OF charge. such ~mOtor-pro-
PEELED vehicles and motor equip
Inent. including spare parts. as are
or may hereafter be found 70 be
surplus and no longer required for
military purposes to the department
Of agriculture. for use in the i'm
provement OF highways and roads;
20 the p~ostofhce department. for use
in the transmission OF the mails. TO
the treasury department, for use Of
the public health service, and TO
the navy department.
RuIes Of Transfer.
10 IS expected that a vast deal Of
this motor-propelled MATERIAL vii
ind its way 10 the states for use in
building roads. The bill establishes
the following rules for the transfer
OF the material;
Freight charges incurred in the
transfer Of the property provided for
in this act shall not be betrayed by
the war department, and If the war
department shall load any of said
property for shipment the expense
of said loading shall be reimbursed
the war department by the depart
mert TO which the property is trans
ferred by IN adjustment of the ap-
propriatiOns Of the two depart
ments: provided, however. that any
-state receiving any Of said property
for use in the Improvement of pub
lie highways shall, as 10 the prop
Crty it receives, reimburse the de-
partment of agriculture for all
amounts paid by that department TO
the war department in reimburse
ment of loading charges upon said
property.
For Use On Roads
ANY state highway department
10 which is assigned motor-propelled
vehicles and other equipment and
supplies. transferred herein 20 the de-
Fartment OF agriculture, may, in its
discretion, arrange for the use of
such vehicles and equipment, for the
purpose of constructing or maintain
ing public highways, with n state
agency or municipal corporation at
q fair rental, which shall not be less
than the cost of maintenance and re
l,air OF said vehicles and equipment.
The title 20 said vehicles and
equipment shall be and remain vest
eI in the state for use in the inn
lrovcment of the public highways
and no such vehicles and equipment
:n s-crviceable condition shall be sold
cor the title TO same transferred 10
uur individual. company or cOrpo-
ration"
The same bill provides for the
transfer from the war department
TO the department of agriculture for
road-Luilding purposes of a vast
of other road-making ma
t.ridl no longer required for mile
tary purposes including road rollers.
graders and oilers, spriukling wa
gone concrete mixers. d|crJicks. pile
drivers. air and steam drill outfits,
centrifugal and diaphragm pumps
With power, rock crushers. road
ariacrs. caterpillar and drag-Hne
tNcavators. plows. etc.