Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-12
MOTOR TRUCK TRAFFIC.

Editor Every Evening Prom time
% ,,,ne az late | have read with interest
various news items and comments IN
Every Evening concerning the very I'M
portant question of motor trucks ana their
relation 20 road wear.
II seemE that there is a marked ten
denev on the part Of Legislatures, not
only in and around Wilmington and the
State of Delaware. but IN other parts
of the country as well, 10 fecl that large
capacity motor trucks, by vlrture of
their sire, are destructive TO the roads.
They seem 10 feel that they are scrv-
,np the best interests of the country by
placing restrictions on the sire OF motor
transport units :,
1t occurred TO me that most people fail
TO realize that motor transportation is
now recognized economic necessity
that there is definite increasing amount
leof material that must be shipped by
truck and cannot be diverted TO other
agents. The roads of today have already
failed in their effort 10 support present
traffic. What will be the situation ten
wears hence if men in responsible positions
continue 10 look upon the problem through
! smoked glasses? Anyone at all familiar
with the history of commerce knows that
laws favoring short-sighted restrictions
| can, at best, be but temporary.
Did the absence of mammoth piers
and deep channels prevent the develop,
ment Of the ocean greyhound of commercef
| Did the absence of something better than
IRON strips nailed TO wooden stringers
prevent the development. OF our present
| day I50-ton locomotive havlng single
pair of drive wheels that weigh more than
| the entire first steam engine? Did steam
railroad interests finally prevent the Sc
| curing of rights of way" for the much
| needed ntcrurban trolley? The flying ship
/ has become q thing of commerce that
| literally shrinks the map Of the world.
| Will its development cease because OF
| the scarcity of landing fields at convenient
| points across the earth's surface2 Did the
| early opposition TO the boseless carriage
upon our turnplkes prevent the present
| Horseless Age? No And can the develop.
ment of the efficient present day Motor
| Truck which is yet in "knee trousers"
/ be checked by men who cannot read the
/ clear handwriting upon the wall that
/ New Epoch Has Dawned?
1 Unlike other h istory-making inventions
| the present gas nglne is not q substitute
! for something sn ti1uated, but acts AS the
most powerful ally to the railroads that
has ever been dreamed of II is eliminat-
4
main line short hauls and bringing freight
| from isolated sections In manner that
! Vanderbilt, Hill or Hartman had never
| even hoped for.
If the present railroad systems were
| relieved of terminal congestion and the
Improbable short hauls, they could take
care of the demands of today with their
present equipment.
tits gratifying to note that constructive
minds are coming to see the modern motor
| truck as a solution in the form of an evou-
tion that will be felt by every family
| throughout the country-as great an evo-
luton and h9ying as far-reachlng an effect
upon the life OF each individual as did the
introduction of the steam engine.
tits known by the people that almost
so per cent Of Americas perishab lie farm
4 products are absolute y lost because of
| inadequate transport facilities. Do these
10 million people of the United States
still holdthat the axiom; The greatest good
to the greatest number is sound2 Are they
finally going to vote to restrict the Motor