Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-17
MUST STATES GREAT ROAD
PROGRAM BE ABANDONED? ?

That VIII BE the Case Unless the People
Vote In Favor Of Holding the conven-
tion to Revise the Constitution
BY GEORGE NOX Mccain
ONE year from today State road building
~ win cease In Pennsylvania.
The present force of engineers, technical
experts, experienced superintendents, fore
men and inspectors which has been built up
during the last two years will be scattered
to the four corners Of the country.
Thousands Of implements will be stored.
Great machines, concrete mixers, road en-
sines and rollers will be permanently put
out Of commission.
The Highway Department under Commits
sioner Lewis 8. Sadler will become a mere
shell of the present efficient system.
1t will be reorganized as a bureau for
maintaining, as far as possible, the roads
already completed.
The only comparison to this remarkable
condition would be that of one of the great
United States Steel mills, perfectly organ
lied from general superintendent to water
with orders and running to its full capacity,
suddenly halted in It's operation, its train
rolls closed down, furnaces permitted to
chill, its Office force, its heaters, rollers and
laborers dismissed, and the vast establish
ment put In charge Of q few watchmen.
Six hundred thousand owners of automo-
biles and trucks, and farmers who have
become accustomed to fine roads, will doubt
less shout their protest. 1t will be IN vain.
Highway Commissioner sadler is au-
thority for this statement. He knows what
he is talking about. For three years State
road building will cease.
UNLESS the people of Pennsylvania
vote Yes in favor OF Constitutional
Convention at the election on Tuesday next.
It is the only alternative to the condition
outlined above.
Why?
Because. by this time next year all money
available for the building of State highways
will have been spent.
The $50, 200, 900 loan for permanent roads
will have been exhausted, and there is no
possible way by which the State can obtain
additional money. under the present Con-
stitution, until 1925.
1t will be, therefore. impossible to keep
the present highly efficient organization to-
gether and continue the comprehensive plan
that hns placed Pennsylvania at the head
of all the States of the country.
Since September, 1919, there have been
built twelve hundred miles of permanent
highways in Pennsylvania.
Between now and January this will be
increased to fourteen hundred miles.
By the first of next September hundreds
of additional roads will be completed. This
is the worlds record in the construction of
permanent highways.
There still will be left by September /
Of next year more than 1000 miles of roads
Of major Importance to be constructed.
There will be no money to complete this
work. II will be impossible to obtain any
more until 1925,
UNLESS a Constitutional Convention is
called by vote of the people next Tuesday
to permit the State to borrow funds.
On Tuesday next the voters will be called
upon to say whether or not they are in
favor Of calling Constitutional Conven-
tion.
Next year they will have the opportunity
to vote on the work of this convention.
If then you did not like the result Of its
lsbors you can vote against It, The slate
can be wiped clean. The present Corstitu
tion will remain in full force.
The State Federation of Motor Clubs and
similar organizations are sending out ap-
peas by the hundreds of thousands to auto
mobile owners to vote in favor OF Con-
stitutional Convention and continuance Of
Pennsylvania road building program.
The State Grange, Patrons of Husbandry,
has declared officially against a Constitu-
tional Convention.
Fred Rasmussen, Secretary Of Agricul-
ture, on the other hand, has declared en-
phatically in favor Of a continuance of the
highway program. He says:
"I would consider anything which will
delay the continuance of our road program
a disadvantage to our agriculture, especially
at this time, when competition IS Keen and
the farmers need every advantage 1t Is
possible to give them.
II believe the farmer, II he fully realizes
what is at stake when voting for the Con-
st!tutional Convention, will bring his in
huence to bear on this important question
which so vitality affects his interest in the
development of Pennsylvania agriculture"
The automobile owners and the farmers
hold the balance Of power in deciding this
question.
If the Constitutional Convention is de-
feated and the Department of Highways is
compelled to cease road building 1t will be
due entirely to the indifference of those most
vitality interested In the subject.
/ NUhiak u.in IL he tLYas,L In fauar of q