Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-05-31

rotary Of the North Dakota state high
way commission. In publishing it
The Herald has deleted some sections
consisting Of attacks ola personal
nature against some Of the county au.
ditors Of the state.
The communication follows:
To the Editor. Grand Forks Her.
ald:-Our attention has been directed
to q copy of a resolution published
In many of the papers Of the state
which is said to have been upani-
mously adopted by the Association of
State Auditors, May FL, 1919, CRITICIZE
ing the state highway commission in
It's application of federal and state aid.
This resolution coming rs it does at
this time is very unfortunate indeed,
when every public-spirited and patri-
otto citizen of our country and others
that have been plunged in the great
world war are expanding every effort
to stimulate public and other works,
to provide employment for our re-
turned soldiers and thereby aid in
warding off that natural postwar re-
action which might easily prove
calamity at this time. The recent X
p%erience of our armies in Europe has
brought to our attention as be-
fore the necessity for better roads.
1t was the knowledge of this great
need and the necessity of special slim
ulation of industry for the re%construc-
ton period that prompted congress
to appropriate two hundred millions
for road construction last winter. This
appropriation in addition to the pre-
vious one makes a total of $275, 000.-
600 for road Improvement and Is the
greatest appropriation ever made by
any. country for public improvements.
The various heads of the federal
departments. such as Secretaries Will
son. Redfield. Baker and Houston.
as we'll as President Wilson himself,
are earnestly urging the support of
all loyal citizens to the great road
building movement. In addition to
these the U. s. department of labor,
the U. 8. chamber of commerce and
other important organizations are
constantly urging accelerated road
improvement. Further proof to the
Importance Of this movement is the
action of the army in turning over
to the various states vast quantities
in road building. North Dakota's
first allotment Of trucks under this
provision is Sc. valued at about
$265,000. There is now a second al
lotment of SO additional trucks ready
for shipment as soon as this depart
ment issues the proper shipping or
dcrs.
f0O6u Bona ISSUES.
Falling into line with this great
roads: oregon. / 5000, 900; Nevada,
$1,000, 900; Utah. $4,000. 900; Wyo-
ming, $%2,So0,00o; Michigan. $50,000.-
900. Illinois $4,000, 900, and Penn
sylvania $50, 900, 900. Other states
issues totaling :4l1,ooo,oo It
no bond issue under consideration, as
il leaves it directly up to the counties
to furnish the bulk of the funds by di-
rect taxation. However, twenty
counties have requested federal aid
in sums aggregating sufficient to take
up North Dakota's entire quota of
federal aid. 1t is very gratifying to
know that tL 9SEa STATE at ,has counties pro-
dividuals. 49,
~, Ignorance CHARGED.
The second paragraph of this reso-
luton shows gross ignorance on the
part Of the committee which drafted
it regarding the relations which exist
between this department and the fed
eral government in the administra-
ton of the federal aid act. II it had
been sincere and honest it would have
investigated the matter before pub
fishing this libel. If it had done so 1t
would have found that this depart
ment has very little control over the
administration Of the federal aid act.
Rules and regulations r made by
the director Of the Office of public
roads at Washington for use in every
state of the Union and North Dakota
and every other state must abide by
them If it is to receive any Of the
q CTE nnn mn -A< 1riI@ h., 4@n0~n45
Some of these regulations are> unsat-
~isfactory to us and we have endeav:
ored to have some of them modified
to better suit the conditions in some
parts of the state. but to date have
received very little announcement in
u efforts. In several instances we
have endeavored to get approval on a
cheaper type of road in counties
where it is impossible to raise the
Of construction. but to date we have
been unsuccessful in our efforts along
this line also. The only hope that
can be held out to the resolution COM
mittees Of the state association of
boot blacks, chimney sweeps or what
ever other organization that may feel
cock sure that 1t Is more competent
minister the federal aid laws is to
suggest that such body direct its eff
forts towards congress and awaken
that body to the dire need of arrest
ing this and other states in their mad
careers Of "willful waste" towards
better roads.
Commission Handicapped.
This resolution. attacks the state
highway commission /" as constituted
at the present time" This article Is
in no manner intended as a eulogy
to this department as 1t has made
its share of mistakes in the past. But