The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-12
HEFL|N GETS DIGEST. OF TWO ROAD BILLS.
Shows Wherein Differences Arise Between Townsend
 and DoWeII Measures
By HUGH W. ROBERTS Washington Bureau The Age-Herald
 300 Davidson HuiIdinR

Washington, July --tSpecial.) The bureau of public roads of the de- partment of agriculture gives Sena- Townsend and Dowell road bills, as follows:
 'The requirements of the Dowell bill are that the system shall not ex- ceed z per centum of the total road mileage of the state, and this system is divided into two classes. one of which shall be known as the primary or interstate roads, which shall not exceed three e-sevenths of the total mileage which may receive federal aid, and the other shall be known as secondary or inter-county roads.
 There is an added and very neces- sary provision in Section s of the Dowell bill which specifies that the secretary of agriculture shall encour- age more general understanding of the economic uses of public roads and highways, and ~shall collect, publish, and demonstrate for the benefit of all sections of the United States use ful information on highway transpor- tation, construction and maintenance. which shall also include such recom- mendations as he may deem neces sary for preserving and protecting the highways, and insuring the safe ty of traffic thereon.
 The Doweli Bill
 '"The Dowell bill provides for the establishment of an interstate sys- tenn supplemented by intcrcounty roads, laid out by the state highway department with the approval of the secretary of agriculture. In request ing a state department to put road into proper maintenance, the Dowell bill gives the state 100 days. the Townsend bill only 50, which seems an insufficient length of time.
 The present law, and also the Dow ell bill provide for the retention of 8 per cent by the secretary of agri- culture for the expenses of the fed eral government in administering the provisions of the act The Townsend bill proposes to cut this in two, allowing but F per cent. This pro. vision, if enacted, will cause very dangerous eurtailment of the super vision by the federal government The expenses of the bureau of public roads are now running just little below the amount authorized by law (they have been to date approxi- mately 2.7 per cenO, and there IS nGtu- TOT dbiS CAPohoiOh II necessary research work Is to be car ried on. The portion of the funds appropriated under the Bankhead law now obligated, would be expend- ed as the bligation provides. The unobligated funds would be subject to the provisions of the Townsend bill, if enacted into law, and conse-' quently the unoblg gated balances would have to be spent on interstate roade only.
 Forty per cent of all federal ait allotted to the state under the provi- sions of the Dowell bill may be ex- pended upon inter- county roads"
 Heflin's Comment
 Senator Heflin's comment follows:
 '"rhe Townsend bill in terms re- peals the Bankhead- -Shackelford road law. The Dowell bill amends, rati- fies and extends the main features of the Bankhead law. The Townsend bill takes away from the states the right to locate roads on which fed eral funds are to be expended. The Dowell bill which has just passed the House by a majority of nearly four to one, keeps the right in the state agencies to select the roads which are to receive the federal ald.
 The Townsend bill specifically gives the federal commission in Washington the right to locate all roads. An amendment offered in committee by Senator MckellarN of Tennessee to require all federal aid projects to be approved by both the state and federal authorities was voted down.
 No one who ever knew Senator Bankhead will believe for moment, Director General Rountree's state ment to the contrary notwithstand- ing, that he ever agreed to substitute A system of national highways such as are contemplated by the Town send bill for the cooperative road building plan now provided for in the Bankhead law.
 "The general. I mean the director general. whose sir name is Roun- tree, should at least read and under stand. if he can, the two bills be- fore he undertakes to discuss them before the public"