Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-04-13

iSht ana VIII continue TO be the
right of all the people.
transportation over the HIGHWAYS
is little loss Important, but the prob.
lens relate to construction and do.
felopmcnt and deserve your mos,
earnest attention, because we arc
laying foundation for n lonE time
10 como and tho creation Is very dIf-
ncult to visualize In It's great possi-
Oillties.
Tho highways arc not only recdcrs
to tho railroads and afford relief from
their local burdens: they arc actually
lines OF motor traffic In interstate
commerce. They nro tho smnllor mr..
teries OF tho lnrgcr portion OF our
commerce and tho motor car has be-
come an Indispensable instrument in
our political. social and Industrial
life.
Ihero Is begun n now era In high
way construction, tho outlay for
which runs far into hundreds OF mil
lions of dollars. Bond issues by
road districts. counties. and States
mount to enormous figures. and tho
country Is facing such an outlay that
IT Is vital that every effort shall be
directed against wasted effort and
unjustiiiablc expenditure.
/ know OF nothing more. shocking
than the millions of public funds
in improved highways wasted be-
cause there is no policy OF mainte-
nance. The neglect Is not universal.
but it is very near it. There is moth
ing tho Congress can do more efrcc-
| lively to end this shocking waste than
|
for maintenance. Highways, no mat
ter how generous the outlay for con-
| struction. cannot be maintained with
out patrol and constant repair. Such
conditions insisted upon in the grant
| of Federal aid will safeguard the
public, which pays. and guard the
Federal government against political
abuses. which tend to defeat the very
purposes for which we authorize Fed
cral expenditure.
Linked with. rain ana highway is the
| problem of water transportation-in-
| land, coastwisc and transoceanic. 1t
is not possible. on this occasion, TO
| suggest to Congress the additional
legislation needful to meet the aspira-
lions of our people for merchant
marine. In the emergency of war we
have constructed tonnage cqualing
our largest expectations. Its war
! cost must be discounted to the actual
values of peace, and the large differ
cnce charged to the war emergency,
and the pressing task is to turn our
assets in tonnage to an agency Of
| commerce.
1T is not necessary to say II to
Congress. but / have thought this to
| be Il BETTING occasion to give notice
that the United States means to cstab-
| lish and maintain great merchant
marine.
| SpcnIs ON Communication.
Our differences of opinion as TO a
policy of upbuilding have been re-
moved b. the outstanding fact OF our
having buildcd. II the intelligent
ana efficient administrator under the
existing laws makes established scrv-
| Ice Impossible, the Executive will
! promptly report to you. Manifestiy,
| if our laws governing American
activities on tho seas are such as to
| give advantage to those who compete
with lis for the carrying Of our own
| cargocs and those which ought ma
turaliy come in American bottoms
| through trade exchanges. then the
| spirit OF American fair play will assert
| itself to give American carriers their
! equality of opportunity. This repub-
! lie. can never realize its righteous
aspiration in commerce. can never be
worthy the traditions OF the early
days of the expanding republic until
the millions OF tons of shipping, which
we now possess, are co-ordinated
| with our inland transportation and
our shipping has government encour-
agemcnt, not government operation.
in carrying our cargoes under our
flag. over regularly operated routes.
TO every market in the world agree
able to American exchanges. 1t will
strengthcn American genius and man
agcment to have II understood that
ours is an abiding determination. be-
| cause carrying is second only to pro-
! duction In establishing and maintain
ing the now of commerce to which
we rightfully aspire.
Practical experience demonstrates
! the need for effective regulation of
| both domestic and international ra-
! do operation IL this newer means of
intercommunication is to be fully
| utilized.
Want Association Formed.
Aviation is inscparable from either
the army or the navy, and the gov
eminent must. in the interest OF ma
tionai defense. encourage its devel-
opment for military and civil pur-
poses. The encouragement of the
1ovolnnrnant nf
especially desirable as relieving the
government largely of the expense
OF development, and of maintenance
of an industry, now almost entirely
borne by the government through
appropriations for the military, naval
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