Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-08-03
FEDERAL ROAD AID FOR
State IN 1922 UNLIKELY
Serious Prospect Faces Highway
Builders, According to Vir-
sinia Association.
is BLOW TO OLD DOMINION
State Funds for New Construction,
on Present Financial Basis, Will
Amount to Only $4,000. 900, In.
Guiding Convict Labor.

No Federal aid for 1922 for State
highway construction in Virginia or
any other state is the serious pros
pect which is facing road builders i'm
TINS state, according to officials OF the
Virginia Good Roads Association who
nave been keeping in close touch with
road legislation now before Congress
How serious this would be To Vir-
E.nia may be gathered from the fact
that the heretofore expected aid from
the Federal government, amounting
to S2.0O0,0Oo. which is the amount
Virginia received this year. represents
two-hfths OF the total amount avail
able for new construction of State
highways In Virginia, provided the
General Assembly only continued the
present source of revenue
Ihe state funds for new conStrnc-
ton on the present financial basis for
49, Will amount 20 only $4,000 100
including the valuation of convic: Ia
Dor. In the face of Il big rcdu.t;on
IN the price OF labor ana materials
tor road construction, Virginia viii
nave onlT about onc-half of the limit
cd funds available for this year. ana
less than onc-third OF the amo.Int
which West Virginia. Maryland an.
North Carolina already have mao.
available for road construction for
1922. unless Congress can he pcrsuad-
ed 10 continue Federal aid ana the
General Assembly can materially, in
crease the amount Of road funds
available for new construction of
State highways.
Say Fears Arc Well Grounded.
That the fears of the good roads
advocates N he In ~
gross 10 grant Federal aid are well
grounded. requiring the active work
through their Congressman ana Scna-
tors on the part OF every person in
tcreStcd in the cause. Is evidenced by
the apparently ;rrcconcilcablc differ
cnccs between the Senate and the
House rs 10 the form OF administru-
tion of Federal aid. The Senate is;
insisting on the Townsend bill. which
provides for a commission OF three
while the House is Usually insistcnt
on the Dowcll bill. which provides in
the main for the continuation Of the
Office OF public roads of tho United
States Department OF Agriculture.
The Townsend bill is also !nsistcnt
on the expenditure of Federal aid on
highways OF interstate Importance.
Tho differences between the two
houses of Congress is being main
groups in both houses. One OF these
groups is composed OF Senators and
Representatives from the thickiy pop
ulated states, such MS New York and
Pennsylvania, who are opposed to
Federal aid OF any kind on the
grounds that thir constituents pay
the larger proportion of the taxes
used TO build highways in the South
and other sections.
Another group which takes In the
majority OF the supporters OF the
Townsend bill asserts that Federal
aid in the past has been wasted. as
far az the Federal government is
concerned. in being expended on
short stretches of state highways,
which begin nowhere aud end mo-
whore. Unless bin can be passed
which viii insure the expenditure OF
Federal funds on highways Of inter
state Importance they are opposed to
Federal aid Of any kind
Mig sum IncNpcndcd.
still another group. taking the fig
rrcS Of the Secretary of Agriculture
only as to the amount of Federal aid
which has not been actually checked
out, assert that there is "A biz sum
al Federal aid previously granted
which has not been expended, and
that the StnE;s can be given a year
or two 10 take MP the funds. This
group has in mind that failure on
the part of this Congress 10 appro
pirate 500. 100000 annually for Fed
crul aid will help to keep down the
total amour, of Federal a-propria
TONS
, That failure on the part Of Con-
Ercss TO continue Federal aid, which
expired on June Goth OF this year,
would be little short Of n calamity.
is recognized by good roads en-
thusiasts generally. States all over
the Union are just beginning TO at
tain their fun stride In road con.
struction following the interruption
of the war. The need of highways 10
help solve the transportation problem
Of the country goes hand in hand
with the need OF the Federal gov
eminent, states. counties ana other
political units to carry forward
needed improvements for the pur-
pose OF giving cinpio yment TO labor.
Secretary Hoover, Of the United
States Department OF Commerce, is
urging states TO 20 ahead with road
construction as rapidly as possible
and award contracts in the fall and
winter. instead OF waiting until
spring 10 meet this need in taking
UP the slack in labor. Unfortunately.
Virginia is compelled to wait action
by the next General Assembly and
on Congress for additional funds for
- f,N,., r~,nStvur.t.,,