The Washington herald., 1921-05-17
SPEAKERS URGE
GOOD ROADS AT
A. A. A. BANQUET
Senator Townsend Tells
Of His National High
ways Bill.

"Tne expenditure Of sloO.ooe'ooo
.or a system of national highways
Is arsoiution for transportation in
:erstAte commerce, and to a great
extent. employment problems now
,aiai,x the nation. Is the most
,aluabie investment I can imagine.
Thus did Senator Charles Z.
Townsend. of Michigan. author OF
ne Townsend bill, which provides
:or and supplies the maintenance OF
a system of national Interstate high-
ways. explain to manbers OF the
American Automobile Association as
,he Intention Of his bill. when ne
spoke last night at the annual BAN
luet. held on the roof of the WASH
tngton Hotel.
Roads Concern Everyone.
"Road building is of concern to
Ayery business" he declared. 1T Is
iifaeult and practically impossible
to separate IL from other business
proiects, since it serves society, busi-
sssand government
NY idea is that there be COM
mission Of nve to supervise Federal
highway projects. chosen for their
abiIfty. not political Affiliations.
This, body. as a department, and not
4 subsidiary bureau. would care for
the difficulties Of land travel He
noted expectancy that the bill would
pass the Senate. One member of the
commission. he declared. would prob
ably be Thomas II. Mcdonald, chief
Of me Bureau Of Public Roads. He
visuaIized a series OF Federal high
ways winding as the threads of
fabric throughout the country.
senator Praises A. A. A.
Senator Pittman lauded the work
of the A A A, declaring that
through their constant travelling
and. broad experience they were able
to educate members of Congress to
the needs of various parts of the
country. He told how many Ameri'
ciSik toured their own country dur
ind the past few years rather thar
Eurppe. and as a result CLEANED the
knowledge that helps Congress:
make legislation truly national.
Tsrig. Gen. William Mitchell OF
thel.air service. advocated a system
of htr highways. with proper land
ingsplaces and similar necessities
and promised in return a thirty
six.hour schedule from New York tc
SAN Francisco He said that with
theA eighteen branches of the all
sertice cooperating. with the all
service systematized. this cross
country line would serve business
and the people. with so per cent oi
the trips successful He declared
tbsf this branch of governmental
operation saved s19.OoO.Oo0 for the
nation during the past year.
The fnaI speaker of the evening
UaEC. II. Houston, Assistant Sec
rstnry of Commerce and president
~ the Dixie Highway Association
We smoke briefly of the troubles in
,ident TO the accomplishment OF tins
Dixie Highway, stated that one o
The. most important activities OF th'
r-overnnent is the construction o.
good roads, and pledged the suppor,
Of his branch of the Department o.
-onmerce to the development oi
national highways.
following the speakers, VINO "eIs
introduced by President George y
DirhL. motion pictures were shown
Election OF ouic
Al the afternoon session, Officers
of the association were elected MT
D,.h1 was named president and the
s,nIlouring were reelected: 3 u
WaIaon; Walter n Meals and A. L.
Terstegge. vice presidents; r. A
RonneII, treasurer. and Arthur FL
foot. secretary
Preceding the session the entire
,sSanblage, including representa-
lives of twenty-four States. were
rscsiyed BY President Harding al
the White House. President Haro'
inr. was asked to dedicate the zero
milestone. to be located here ano
TTom which all roads will radiate
He was assured of support Oh 'n'
Townsend bill by the A A A
Today the body will meet the sen
..cT.n5 the spokesmen will appear
before the Senate Committee or
PoS1roads.