Arizona republican., 1919-07-07
Roads of Remembrance
fRv Erederin I HaskinN


 WASHINGTON, D. C., July 4-There started simultaneously today from the White House, string of motor trucks. tEose feeders of the gods of war at tli., battlefront and campaign for Roads of Remembrance" as monuments to the accomplishments of the drivers of these same trucks and others associ- ated with them in the Great War.
 The trucks, a stupendous array of , them, were the vehicles that had dis placed the army mule in the recent un- pleasantness. The campaign for Roads of Remembrance is no less modern since it would substitute living trees along the roadsides for monuments of granite and stone. The war depart ment is responsible for the trip of the trucks which is to terminate at San Francisco, and the American Forestry association is responsible for the cam paign of tree planting.
 The plan as to the roads is to repeat that bit of Oriental history of centu- ries ago when, in Japan, the great Ieyasu died and word went forth that each of his landed retainers should bring a memorial stone or a lantern to l decorate the crypt where he was laid away. But one nobleman failed. So | poor was he that he could not provide lantern. To make amends he plant ed by the sides of the road leading to Nikko, rows of the Cryptomerius trees. | Now the men who brought tablets and | lanterns have been lost to the annals of time but passing hosts continue to bless the poor nobleman who planted trees by the Nikko road, now one of | the most famous thoroughfares in the | world.
 | So, today, the idea IS interjected that 1 the route followed by these trucks be 1 chosen as that along which trees of 1 remembrance be planted for the bene- 1 fit of posterity. It is suggested that each county through which this road runs be asked to line it with little ] trees, which, as time passes, will be big ones like those of Nikko.
 This country is just now on the eve | of great epoch in road building IL 1 soon will spend S500,O00,0 900 for road building, and every dollar of this will be reflected in the profits of the users of these roads. The motor truck oper- ator must keep in mind constantly the absolute necessity of having good roads
 
 ciate the economy of truck operation when the roads are of the right sort. The last congress, shortly before ad- journment, made an extra appropria- tion of S209, 100000 in the postoffice ap- propriation bill to meet the federa- part of the program, the federal gov ernment going fifty-fifty with the | states. This work, it is estimated, Wit employ more than 10o,0 900 men in active road construction in addition to the men engaged in the production and furnishing of road-building materials It affords one of the large opportuni- ties for profitable employment for re- turned soldiers and sailors.
 Two years ago when it became nee. essary to concentrate great numbers o. men in cantonments, it was found that the roadways connecting the canton ments with the surrounding cities were in no sense adequate. For the most part new roads had to be constructed There is always the possibility of an other such emergency, and the only means of insuring facile communica- tions is by the construction of surfaced roads over which motcr trucks can op- crate. While the security of the na
 
 pend upon good roads for military uses, their service to the nation would not be confined to military matters For a great portion of the time during the past two years 90 per cent of the Erailroad capacity of the country was required for military purposes. The transportation of food, fuel and the like had to be accomplished largely by means other than rail Some hard ships were entailed. The motor truck however. over such roads as were pas sable, rendered excellent service.
 When the present road building pro- gram is carried out and the total oi improved roads is much greater thar at present, the service possibilities Q, the motor truck will he corresponding dw increased and the safety of the na- tion and the comfort of the people more fully insured. Likewise will the great needs of commerce, now enlarging be- fore us, be met and these roads vii indeed become the friend of man fol they will bring him closer to his fel- lows in community spirit until tn, nation becomes one in thought and il purpose.
 Charles Lathrop Pack, president o the American Forestry association holds that for the present halt should be called on monument building of tho old sort and that tree planting should be resorted 70 as substitute. He ad. vocates buildirg Roads of Remem. brance right now, roads that will no merely bear the burden of the trucl u affic of the future, the wagons of tht farmer in getting his produce to mar. ket, but the feet of the generations O children that are to come, that are t(