The citizen., 1920-05-27

movement. Arrangements have also
been completed for conducting 90 au-
tomobile tours radiating from as many
cities into the rural districts contie-
uous TO these centers and an essay
contest on the subject "ship-by-truck
and good roads," In which a four
years university scholarship has been
offered for the best essay written By
a high school pupil, has been arranged
for.
The war department which has had
great deal OF experience with roads
In every section Of the country since
April, 1917, Is the chief promoter OF
the campaign that is getting under
way. Last fall the department sent
33 army trucks from this city to the
Pacific coast The officers In charge
of that overland tour have recently
summed up their observations for the
benefit of the organizations that are
trying to increase the interest in good
roads.
Results Of Army Truck Tr'ps.
The following are their recommends
tions:
"First.-That the necessity for .
comprehensive system OF national high
ways, including transcontinental or
through routes east and west, ana
north and south, is real and urgent, az
commercial asset to further col
onlze and develop the sparsely settled
sections Of the country, and. finally
NJ a defensive military necessity.
"Second.-That the existing roads
and bridges. especially In the sparsely
settled sections of the middle ana
far western states. are absolutely In
capable Of meeting the present day
traffic requirements, and until mod
ern types Of roads and bridges are
constructed which will permit the rap
i'd movement of heavy motor cargo
vehicles during any season OF the year
and in all conditions of weather, eco
nomlcal transcontinental highway traf-
&c will continue to be but vain hope.
"Third.-That the road problems OF
the middle and far western states are
national rather than local problema
as these states. while possessing vast
area and tremendous mileage Of high
ways, have only a sparse population
which cannot possibly undertake the
needed highway Improvement wOrE,
which moreover, Is usually Of greater
importance to the country as whole
than to the individual states.
"Fourth.-That the radius Of action
and resulting utility value Of the mo-
tor vehicle is limited only by the
condition of the roads, and that tho
provision of adequate roads will have
a far reaching effect on the economic
development of the country at largo
"Fifth.-That the types Of motor
vehicles. especially those used by the
army. should be co-ordinated with the
road conditions. In other words, un-
I'll such time as all sections OF the
country are connected by improved
highways that are passable to heavy
motor vehicle traffic at all seasons 0f
the wear. the size and weight Of We
hicles should be limited to types OF
light and medium capacities"
Good Roads and Right Living
What is called national ship-by-
truck" organization has been formed
and is doing its share of work In the
effort to get better roads built II
was this organization that conceived
the thought of having good roads ser
mons preached in as many churches
as possible during the present month
II asserts that 1t has discovered there
is "a direct relationship between good
roads and right living and good roads
and Christian progress" Stressing the
noint that the early construction on
better highways will prove one of the
quickest means of facilitating produc-
tion the national ship-by-truck" or
ganization says: "The purpose ID 70
Az in the heart of citizens the convic-
zion that the next step to be taken
for the welfare Of the community. the
nation and the world is Immediately
to improve the highways and to In
ongurate measures whereby every
mile OF road bed In the United States
may be hard surfaced as soon as the
combined forces Of counties. states
and the federal government can secure
this result"
The urgent need Of increased trans
portation facilities is thus emphasized: I:
"The waterways and railroads no
longer can handle the volume Of traf-
fc that must be moved. Daily nx
carloads of freight are offered for
shipment In five cars that are avail
able for this purpose. City dwellery
cannot continue to pay the present
prices of foodstuffs. A national fac
tor in these excessive costs is the haul
from the farm TO the town over primi-
tive roads. The human family can
not live ON the present annual supply.
If production is to be increased, the
farmers life must be made attractive.
Nothing else will produce this result
as surely as modern highways"