Imperial Valley press., 1919-03-22
Uncle Sam To
Aid Highways
I'm California

| A@Soo Siistti IOI live VI lOetbo
are reported completed by states
availing of federal aid. Appropria-
tions made by Congress to pay the
federal governments proportion of
the cost of state road building pro-
4 jects now total $48,500, 900. This
soon will be increased materially. An
addition of 100000 probably will be
available during the next three
! years.
With these millions available and
with the approval of the federal gov
ernment on 760 road-building pro
jects, involving 7,S6961 miles of
roads, less than forty-five miles
44.96 to be eXact-of roads have been
constructed under the federal aid
plan.
The Information and Education
Service of the U. S. Department of
Labor, cooperating with such ma
tional organizations as the American
Automobile Association, the Auto
mobile Chamber of Commerce and the
National Highway Industries Asso-
citation, is calling to the attention
of state officials the desirability of
at once getting under way such state
road construction as has been ap-
4 proved by the federal government
and fer which the latter has set aside
funds.
| In addition to obvious benefits de-
rived from improved highways, the
| Department of Labor urges a new
argument, especial yimportant at
this time when labor conditions are
arousing anxiety and business is en-
| deavoring to find an unembarrassed
way back to peace condition. For
he state at once to go in for road
building is, according to the Depart
ment of Labor, direct way to stim-
ulate business and absorb labor. To
all that has been said heretofore on
| the value of good roads, now may
be added road buildings potentialities
as an efficacious tonic for the indus
trial organization of the country.
The. Department of Labor does not
deny that road materials and labor
costs are high. Rather, the 1nfor-
nation and Education Service as
| serts, indications are that prices will
remain high for some time to come
and, in view of the forecasts for mar
| ket conditions, it is imprudent to
longer hold up state construction an
ticipating lower construction costs.
Secretary of Labor Wilson, both in
recent address in New York City
and in an article in Golfers Week
| ly, expressed the conviction that an
era of unprecedented activities is
ahead of American industry. He as
serted his confidence in the ability
| of American industry to absorb,
eventually, the labor released from
| the army and from war industries.
He did not hesitate, however, to en-
phasize the fact that during the
months of transition from war to
peace conditions the labor situation
is fraught with disquieting possibili-
ties if it altogether neglected.
Road building will provide buffer
employment for thousands of men
until they can be absorbed by indus
tries as the latter gradually reach
their peace stride production. Road
building Immediately pays dividends
in increased land values. Roads are
an asset to every state and to their
permanent value as public improve
ments is now added their temporary
value, of incalculable Importance, of
stimulating business and protecting
states against the possibilitie of gen
eral unemployment.
If the various states would get un-
der way such road building projects
as have been approved by the fed
eral government, $56,171 ,S46.72
would be spent for better roads and
if the construction costs are higher
than in pre-war times, the actual
financial outlay for the states need
not be higher, since approximately
half of the bill would be paid by the
federal government.
There have been set aside to cover
the federal governments portion OF
the costs on the 760 road projects
approved in various states, more than
S21, 100000. This now is available
for states which will go to work or
their road construction on plans ap-
proved by the federal government.
Although federal aid for state
roads has been available since 1917
but eight states report road pro
jects, involving federal aid, COM
pleted. Arkansas has completed one
project involving5.549 miles, Califor.
MIA has completed two projects OF
6.7S5 miles, Louisiana has completed
one project of miles, Massachusetts
has completed two project of 13.8Oz
miles; North Carolina, one project
of sol miles; Vermont, one project
of .793 miles; Washington, one pro.
jest of 3.5 miles, and West Virginia
one project of 2.53 miles. In all
ten projects have been completed OF
a total mileage of less than As miles
In so far as getting under way
road building projects involving fed.
eral aid goes, Arizona, Connecticut
Delaware, Maine, New Jersey, Okla
homa, Rhode Island and Tennessee
have five or less projects which now
are approved by the federal gov.