The Washington herald., 1921-09-04
OFFICIAL URGES
NATIONAL FIGHT
FOR RBETTER ROADS
Diehl Says Days Are
Gone When Autos
We're Luxuries.

With more than 100000 motor
cars in use in the United States
alone, and with one-half the popu-
lation of the country doing more or
less riding in these vehicles, II is
not strange that there should be a
nation wide sentiment for more and
better highways. in the opinion OF
President George c. Diehl of the
American Automobile Association,
who points out:
with light delivery cars and
giant motor trucks operating in
every section of the land where
good roads exist, transporting
quickly and economically every
human, need, and carrying every
type Of freight from eggs to pig
iron, blind indeed is the man who
can not see me value of highways
Today. however, this type is a rare
specimen.
Lons, Hard Fight.
But what a change from the
days when the American Automo-
bile Association came into being
and inaugurated its long. har
struggle to convert a presumably
enlightened people to the roads,
building ideal In those days auto
mobiles were few and generally
considered playthings of the idle
rich Now with the bulk OF the peo-
pie motors are a workaday need
and a Sunday pastime. And with
good roads TO travel upon today
they serve alike industry and COM
NJ
rich man. beggar man. thief"
First N this country to work in
organized form for good roads was
the American Automobile Associa-
tion.. IN the beginning of its ef-
forts,". he says. the A. A. A. stood
practically alone. while today 1t is
assisted. supported. and commended
by practically all big national or
ganizations. both in and out Of the
automobile industry.
Early Road Work.
Writing reminiscently of the A.
A. AS early roads efforts, and how
difficult 1t was in those days to get
the people to accept increased tax
alton for roads improvements. w.
A Johnson manager of the Good
rich auto tire department. in a let
ter to President Diehl. points out
and dwells most interestingly on a
sorrowful situation created largely
by a lack Of highways communica-
ton. Mr.. johnson said, in part:
over in China there is an area
about the size of the State OF Penn
sylvania where 50.0O0.0O0 people
are starving. Every blade of grass.
every green leaf or shrub. every
grain, berry or herb has been eaten.
The bark has been eaten from all
the trees. Millions have died and
despite world wide relief efforts,
millions more will die. The great
war was a catastrophe. but no such
tragedy as this. In all recorded his
tory only two or three pages tell
tale as horrifc as China's famine.
striking Contrast.
yet the very next province is one
OF the most fruitful sections of the
world. Grains. vegetables and fruits
in abundance. Think of Pennsyi-
Sania. starving and New York with
plenty and you have the right
mental perspective. Such condi-
ton could not occur in. this coun-
try. The specter of famine might
be seen and felt but the actual pinch
of desperate hunger would he un-
known even on the remotest hilltop.
Relief would come over every high
way and railway.
"In China there is not a single
modern highway between the fer-
tile province where song ana
laughter are heard and the lean
province where the children are too
weak to cry for food. When the
relief. agents went to China they
found II would cost far more 10