Arizona republican., 1921-05-09
NEW HIGHWAY BILL PROPOSES FEDERAL
 ROAD COMMISSION

The concentration of federal funds upon highways of interstate impor- tance, the creation of a federal high way commission to supersede the present bureau plan, and the inclu- sion of drastic provision for the maintenance of roads are the chief features in the highway measure which has. been introduced in the United States senate by Charles E.. Townsend, chairman of the senate committee on postoffices and post roads. The following examination of the measure, which is of particular importance to Arizona, has been re- ceived by the chamber of commerce from the American Automobile asso- citation, Washington, D. C.:
 Concentration of federal funds upon highways of interstate impor- tance. creation of a federal highway commission to supersede the present bureau plan and otherwise unify the governmental highway agencies. and drastic provisions for adequate main tenance. are chief points in the high way bill introduced iby Senator Charles E. Twonsend, chairman of the senate committee on post offices and post roads. The measure will be called up for hearing in the near I future
 ''The bill provides for an appropria- : | ton of s2O0,000. 900 with s100, ,000.0 .00O for the year from July. 1921, to July 1922, and the same amount for the Succeeding twelve month period, to l be expended on main highways in CO., operation with the state highway de- partments. the states themselves sup plying a like amount. AdoItlonal sums of $5,000.000 and s1O.000. .00C respectively are provided for the same periods for the construction and maintenance of roads wholly or partly within forest reservations. The mea- sure also provides that such work shall be undertaken at the direction of the federal commission, which is also empowered to cooperate with the Indian service in similar work within the Indian reservations.
 States are required to meet fedora funds as state units instead of being allowed to pass their apportionmeni
 on to the counties, thus draining tn,
 latter of their resources as in tn, past. Considerably, county fund:
 are released for use in the construc- ton of farm to market roads of les
 ser importance, while the nation anC Estates are permitted to use theil
 funds for the main market highways
 "A new formula is introduced il the case Of those states having mor'
 than per cent of their total area il
 unappropriated public lands thos,
 states being no longer required t'
 meet federal funds on a fifty fifty
 basis although the ratio and amour of federal funds appropriated to sucl
 states remains unchanged
 Tn drawing his measure, Senator
 Townsend had before him Presiden
 Harding's message to congress, and
 accordingly, the bill contains all tn, recommendations of the chief execu
 tive. Because of this fact and becaus,
 of Senator Townsends position, tn,
 bil lis therefore considered an ad
 ministration measure.
 This statement is particular, l true of the sections relating to main tenance, where drastic provision ] have been written in, requiring tn states to insure government eXpen
 ditures against loss through made
 quate upkeep.
 Tn states where primary roads O . interstate importance have been com 3 pleted. the commission is directed L r apply the states apportionment 0 r national funds to ordinating O l correlating highways.
 Tn the defination of interstat p roads. the commission is directed | . give first consideration to those high { ways meeting the agricultural. com
 merciaL postal and military needs O . the nation.
 The principles written into th