Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1921-06-03
FEDERAL VS.. STATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM

FEDERAL VS.. STATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM
Congress during its present session will proba-
bly, make choice between the Townsend and
the Dowell bills for federal investment in the
highways of the nation. Both bills are sincerely
offered for the Improvement of the nations new
and growing artery OF commerce and travel the
paved road The bills seek this improvement in
widely different ways and would accomplish
widely divergent results.
The Townsend bill contemplates a system Of
national highways for interstate and ntersec
tional travel and commerce Its greatest good
would come in time OF war when motor trucks
filled with troops and munitions could be hurried
IRON Maine to Florida or Illinois to Texas or
the Middlewest to California almost as RAPIDLY
as they could be carried by rail- 1t would make
OF the highway and the motor driven vehicle in
time OF war valuable adjunct to the railways,
which showed their woeful inability to stand up
and deliver under pressure in 1917
However, we are not planning to have another
war soon, thank you, and we hope that when we
do have another war we will have an air force
sufficient to care for military transportation thru
the clouds. For year in and year out service
the system contemplated in the Townsend bill
would be boon to tourists, help and an en-
enlargement to the much sat upon "tn cam
tourist. 1t would encourage people in the East
to visit those of the South and West and those OF
the South to go North and East and would slim
ulate greater 1ntersectional interest would help
KNIT the United States together on sounder
national basis. The idea is good one Some
time IN the future when the more immediate
needs OF the nation cared for-and the war
debts have been paid and the nation has come
sufficiently to its senses to quit pouring out more
gold at the altar OF the red god Mars-in that
glad day the United States NAV be able to build
great trunk highways from coast to coast and
from the Lakes to the Gulf But not now.
Inc Dowell bill proposes more literal Federal
aId to state highway departments along lines
similar to those on which the aid is being given
now The Dowell bill looks toward hundred
fifteen foot paved roads in every state while the
townsend bill looks toward half dozen sixty
loot paved roads The Dowell bill will help to
bring fast and permanent highways by the front
gate OF every farmer in America, highways con
Meeting cyery2 small city with every other one
he Dowell Bill plans on a national scale what
Georgias highway department has planned for
Georgia
The Leader hopes that the Dowell bill will pass
and is glad that it has the support of so influen-
tlal statesman as Thomas E. Watson. among
many others who will aid in its passage The
DoWell bill is the farmers and the merchants and
the small town mans proposition. 1t will slim
ulate and encourage interstate and nterurban
traffic 1t IS good business proposition The
narrow strips OF paving that will be possible I'M
der the Dowell bill would not be of much use in
time OF War. But nations have too long been or
ganlzed Tor war; it is time they were organizing
and thinking and working solely and eternaly
for peace.
we must have good roads and lots of them in
TINS country The trend of industry is toward
efficiency. True efficiency means that every
man snail have work and shall have leisure in
which to enjoy the fruits of his toll Good roads
are one step toward the day when the farmer
can work eight hours and spend eight in enjoying
NE When he can make his daily trip to town
with his produce and back in an hour with his
money he can begin to enjoy life When the farm
er boy or girl can spin along over paved roads to
city schools or for evening of recreation in
town every day in the week, the farm labor prob
lem VIII be solved, and the problem of education
as we'll. .,.~i I 49,.