The New York herald., 1921-04-13


shall be directed against wastou ca
fort and unjustIfable expenditure.
The Federal Government car
place no inhibition on the expendi
ture In the several States. but since
Congress has embarked upon policy
of assisting the States in highway
Improvement. wisely. believe. It
can assert a wholly becoming infiu-
ence IN shaping policy.
With the principle or Federal
participation acceptably established
probably never to be abandoned. IL
is important to exert Federal .nflu-
ence in developing comprehensive
plans looking to the promotion OF
commerce and apply our expendi-
lures in the surest way to guar
antee a public return for money ex-
pended.
Large Federal outlay demands a
Federal voice in the programme
of expenditure. Congress cannot
justify a mere gift from the Fed
eral purse to the several States. to
be pro rated among counties for
road bet.errnent. Such -ourse will
invite abuses which 1t Were better
to guard against in the beginning.
The laws governing Federal aid
should be amended and strength
ened. The Federal agency OF ad-
minisxration should be elevated to
the Importance and vested with au-
thority comparable to the work be-
fore It. And Congress ought to pre-
scribe conditions to Federal appro-
priations which will necessitate a
consistent programme Of uniformity
which will Justify the Federal out
lay.
Waste I'm Highways.
! know OF nothing more shocking
than the millions Of public funds
wasted in improved highways
wasted because there is no policy of
maintenance. The neglect is not uni
versal but It Is very near 1t. There
is nothing the Congress can do more
effectively to end this shocking
waste than condition all Federal
aid on provisions for maintenance.
Highways, no matter how generous
the outlay for construction, cannot
be maintained without patrol and
constant repair. Such conditions in
sisted upon in the grant of Federal
aid viii. safeguard the public which
pays and guards the Federal Gov
ernment against political abuses,
which tend to defeat the very pur-
poses for which we authorize Fed
eral expenditure.
Linked with rail and highway Is
the problem Of water transportation
inland. coastwfse and trans
oceanic. 1t is not possible, on this
occasion, to. suggest to Congress the
additional Legislation needful to
meet the aspirations Of our pepole
for a merchant marine. In the
emergency Of war we have con-
structed q tonnage equalling our
largest expectations. Its war cost
must be discounted TO the actual
values Of peace. and the large differ
ence 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 1t to
Congress, but have thought this to
be befitting occasion to give no.
tice that the United States means
to establish and maintain a great
merchant marine.
Our differences of opinion as to
a policy OF upbuiiding have been re-
moved by the outstanding fact OF
our having builded. If the iptelli-
gent and efficient administration
under the existing laws makes es-
tablished service impossible. the
Executive will promptly report to
you. Manifestly. IL our laws gov
erning American activities on the
seas are such as to give advantage
to those who compete with us for
the carrying of our own cargoes and
those which ought naturally come
in American bottoms through trade
exchanges, then the spirit of Ameri-
can fair play will assert itself to
give American carriers their equal
ity Of opportunity.
Cooperation I'm Shipping.
This republic can never realize its
righteous aspirations In commerce.
can never be worthy the traditions
or the early days of the expanding
republic until the millions Of tons OF
skipping which we now possess are
coCrdinated with our inland trans
portation and our shipping has gov-
ernment encouragement, not govern
mcnt operation. In carrying our car
goes under our flag over regularly
operated routes TO every market In
the world agreeable TO American
exchanges. It will strengthen Amer
icap genius and management to
have 1t understood that ours Is an
abiding determination. because car
rying is second only TO production in
establishing and maintaining the
flow OF commerce 10 which we right
fully aspire.
1t Is proper to invite your atten-
tion to the Importance of the ques-
ton of radio communication and
cables. To meet strategic, CONNER
cial and political needs active en-
couragement should be given TO the
extension o. American owned and
operated CABLE and radio services.
Between the United States and it's
possessions there should be ample
communication facilities, providing
direct services at reasonable rates.
Between the United States and other
countries, not only should there be
adequate facilities, but those should
be so far as practicable direct and
free from foreign intermediation.
Friendly cooperation should be
extended to international efforts
aimed at encouraging improvement
OF international communication IA
cilities and designed to further the
exchange Of messages.
Private monopolies tending to pre-
vent the development OF needed fa-
cilities should be prohibited. Gov
ernment owned facilities. wherever
possible without unduly interfering
with private enterprise "r Govern
ment needs. should be made avail
able for general uses.
Cable and Radio Services.
Particularly desirable is the pro-
vision of ample cable and radio SER
vices at reasonable rates for the
transmission Of press matter. so
that the American reader may re-
ccivc a wide range OF news. and the
foreign reader receive full accounts