The Washington times., 1919-08-30
BILL TO
HELP FEDERAL AID

Farmers throughout the, country
are evincing a deep interest in the
movement to establish q national
system OF public roads. They are
asking their State highway officials
and Representatives in Congress for
definite information concerning the
national highway bill now pending in
the United States Senate, and with a
clear understanding Of the national
road project they are in general ex-
pressing their approval.
An impression Is held in some sec
tious that the continuation OF Fed
eral aid will be affected should the
pending measure become q law. since
il provides for construction and
maintenance under exclusive Federal
control on such highways as may be-
come state links in the national
system.
The fear has been expressed that
such a step would result In . lessen
ing OF Federal cooperation on purely
state and county roads.
Federal Aid strengthened.
Senator Townsend, OF Michigan,
author OF the bill and chairman Of
the Senate Committee on Postofflees
and Post Roads. Is keeping in close
touch with highway problems, par
ticularly during this period when
auxiliaries to railways and quicker
methods Of food product distribution
are so urgently needed to cheek Nv
ing costs.
Noting this tendency OF fear that
the national highway project might in
some way affect adversely the present
system OF Federal and State co-opera-
tion, he has expressed the opinion
with emphasis that the Federal aid
plan will in no wise De weakened.
On the contrary the Senator as
serts that Federal aid will be
strengthened since roads are what the
people need, and q greater mileage
Of permanent highways Will be
and put into use in much
less time under the proposed national
highway plan than is possible even
at the rate roads are now eeing ouiIt'
OBJECT Of hin.
'sThe object OF the bill introduced by
me-" Senator Townsend states, sis to
establish and maintain a national
system OF highways according to a
national plan connecting the different
states of the Union, and afording an
example Of proper highway construe-
ton which will be bene2sial to the
states. The bill does not In any man
ner injuriously AFFECT existing law; In
fact. IL provides that the commission
created under It shall have charge OF
the Federal aid law, and shall make
reports annually to the Congress as
to what is being accomplished under
existing law, and TO make such recon- |
for the future as the op-
Grafton OF the law and its results seem
TO be necessary.
The two systems Of road building /
are separate and distinct, except that
they are under control OF the same
Federal commission. The appropria-
tions, however, cannot be mingled, and
the results will be known and0properly
appraised by the people from time to |
time II the present Federal aid law |
proves satisfactory, Il will as a matter |
Of course be continued and probably |
II the proven results are
not satisfactory, that law will be dis |
And what I say of the |
Federal aid law will be true Of the |
bill now pending before the Sem
ate. The commissioned appointed |
under the law, II may safely be pre- |
Sumed, will be high-grade men. repre-. |
senting different sections Of the coun- |
try, and their lifework will be to |
serve the people by furnishing the |
best possible highway transportation |
facilities"