The Washington herald., 1921-06-12
FEDERAL MONEY
FOR HIGHWAYS
HELD ESSENTIAL
Claims No Other Single
Issue Affects Lives of
So Many People.
SUPPORT U RG e D
Head of Highways Committee
Asks for Help on Vital
Problem.
SUPPORT UR G E D

with committee hearings con-
cluded in senate and house and
with the present federal sppropria-
tions coming to an end June 30. the
whole question OF the future high
way policy of the United States has
reached a stage where the delfbera-
tions Of congress become Of imme-
diate and vital importance TO the
nation. according to Roy D. Chaplin.
chairman of the highways commit
tee of the National Automobile
Chamber Of commerce
Because of the principles In
volved," said Mr.. Chaplin. perhaps
no single issue now refore congress
will affect more profoundly the lives
Of more people in this country than
the necessity for . broadened high
way policy.
Road Economics to Reduce Living
The appropriations sought are
comparatively Insignificant The
serious aspect Of the problem Is
found the fact that the decision
OF congress will affect not only gov
ornamental expenditures. but will
have a large influence upon the hun
dreds of millions Of. dollars now
available from state and county
sources for highway construction
maintenance. Vast economies In
vehicular transport over the high
ways which cannot but have an ap-
preciable effect upon all living costs
rest In the balance as well.
President Favors Adequate Road
Agency.
NO one has stated the case more
accurately or with clearer vision
than did President Harding in his
first message to congress when he
said that the federal agency Of sd-
mnistration should be elevated to
the Importance and vested with au-
thority comparable to the work
ahead of it, No one has spoken
more forcibly than he when he said
I know of nothing more shocking
than the millions of public funds
wasted in improved highways, vast
ed because there is no policy OF
maintenance
when the federal government
embarked upon its course of partic-
ipation in highway work I'VE years
ago. the federal aid road act then
adopted seemed ample. But In the
time intervening a world war and
the almost unbelievable growth of
highway transport have brought us
to a new consciousness Of the far
reaching influence of this new and
evolutionary form of individual.
supplementary transportation.
Townsend Bill Meets the Need.
"A federal highway commission,
concentration of federal funds first
on primary interstate highways,
drastic provisions for maintenance.
such as are now under consideration
by congress in the measure intro
duced by Senator Charles z. Town
send. chairman of the senate COM
mittee on postoffices and post roads,
following the Presidents pro-
nouncement. are the need Of the
hour in our highway program.
Questions Too Extensive for q Blu
reau.
Tn the light Of our past expert
ence we have come to q realization
that we can no longer treat this
question as a bureaucratic detail.
The condition Of our highways af-
fects agriculture. commerce, our
military and postal needs. the whole
economic and sociological fabric of
the nation. The problem is too In
tricate for any one man. Inter-
relationships as broad even as those
OF the railway cannot be left solely
to the states Continuity Of policy,
direct responsibility, a control which
while 1t takes into account the needs
OF the state, never forgets the great