The Washington times., 1919-11-22
NATIONAL H|CHWAY
SYSTEM ADVOCATED
Townsend BIN for Federal
Roads Commission to Be
Pushed at Coming Session.

The demand for national highway
system has found expression during
the past week in an unexpected quar-
ter. Resorts hotels have taken up the
slogan. See America First. in the
hope OF stimulating travel to Offset
the loss in revenue which has result.
ed from the shutdown in ths LIQUOR
traffic and the consequent closing OF
hotel bars. To make such . campaign
result in . permanent increase In
travel. IL II now recognised q never
before that . trunk line systaA Of na-
tional Highways IL the Arst imSortant
step.
When the slogan, which the public
In now getting behind with renewed
vigor, was flrst presented, the primary
purpose was to stimulate pleasure
travel on railways. With the knowi.
edge that Amertca can be seen to best
advantage from . touring car. travel.
ing BY easy stages and with ample
time to stop where nature lures to re-
freshing side trips, the larger func-
tions OF the public highway become
more distinct. Oddly enough, II ap
pears to have remained Tor prohibi-
ton to put in . good punch for road
development on comprehensive
scale, . result which evan the most
ardent dry advocates failed to include
in their predictions Of national bene-
At.
Advocates Of q national highway
system. TO be constructed and main
tainsd under federal control. have been
keeping In close touch with Ccngres-
sfonal action and are prepared to
press the Townsend bill to Q conclu-
sion during the coming session. rhis
n, MEASURE proposes to create Fedora
highway eommis ssioA for the express
purpose Of taking ever such lines ~
may be designated - part Of ma
tional system, and to construct such
highwsys upon q basis that will not
eniy insure the sound investment Of
highway funds, but to create . sys-
TEN Of highways nationwide N their
structure which will serve mt only
as the baekbene Of . peyfseted high
way transportation system in ttaeif ~
an auxili&ry to the railway, but
construction Of State and county lines
connecting Herewith.
Highway officials and others inter
ested In the adjustment OF the public
read to all types and conditions OF
traffic, long or short. are pleased over
the fact that the public locally IL be-
ginning to see the ADVANTAGES that
will accurs to every community
through the how OF long distance
travel.
1t has been q theory, nationsi high
way supporters assert. that tho build
ing of roads for tourist traffic. So
called. would In no. way bAnent the
man who Il in need Of more depend
able roads to his local market. But
wherever tourist traffic has been
given an open road, local trade has
increased. both for the farmer who
has produce to sell and for the local
merchant a. well. Instances CT this
rbsse OF highway travel are found
al along the main routes act oss the
country. and new stopping points for
motorists are developing, thus apply
ing greater stimulus to local trade.
The movement inauguratsd to in
crease nationwide travel promises to
proht those who travel far more than
those to whom mere coin 10 paid for
nuch personal service or comforts sup
piled along the way
Shortly after the assembling of the
next Congress, supporters Of TIE ma
tional highway project expect to get
In action and successfully launch the
building of Federal Highways, the
greatest public enterprise since the
building Of the Panama canal.