The Washington herald., 1921-05-08
WANTS IMPROVED
ROADS TO BOOST
MOTOR BUSINESS
Stresses Need in Message
To First Extra Session
of Congress.
STAND is FAVORED
Auto Chamber of Commerce
Praises Policy of the
President.

h,.eoms an indispensable instrument
in oSff political. social and indus
trfar life" President Harding. in his
hrst message to the special session
Of Congress, calls for amendments
IN the Federal aid road act which
will strengthen il, and says further
that "the Federal agency OF admin
istration should be elevated to the
Importance and vested with author
ity comparable to the work before
a And Congress" he continues
"ouEht. to prescribe conditions TO
Federal appropriations which VIII
necessitate a consistent program OF
.unitormity which will Justify the
Federal outlay"
With the principle OF Federal
participation acceptably established
probably never to be abandoned. he
hCIds that a comprehensive program
looking toward the promotion OF
commerce must be developed. and
adds that ample funds for main
tsnanCe must be included in high
way programs.
So rfar-visioned, so far-reaching
in its influence is the utterance of
the President that the National Au-
tomobue Chamber of Commerce
urges its members to study it care
fully. and do all in their power to
aid the President in driving his
message home to the consciousness
Of every citizen of the United
States That part OF the Presi-
dents message dealing with high
WAYS is reproduced verbatim in the
following:
Transportation over the high
problems relate to construction and
development and deserve your most
earnest attention. because we are
laying a foundation for a long time
Z" come. and the creation is very
difficult to visualize in its great pos
sibilities.
Arteries of Commerce.
The highways are not only feed
erS to the railroads and afford relief
. fl ON their local burdens, they are
actually lines OF motor traffic in in
t"TState commerce. They are the
smaller arteries Of the larger por-
tI"n Of our commerce, and the motor
c"- has become an indispensable in
strument in our political, social. and
industrial life.
Therc is begun a new era in
highway construction. the outlay for
which runs far into hundreds of
VIII ms Of dollars. Bond issues by
r ad districts. counties. and States
1H"Gnt to enormous figures, and the
GENTRY is facing such an outlay
that it is vital that every effort
snail be directed against wasted ef-
fort and unjustifiable expenditure.
The Federal government can
place no Inhibition on the expendi-
Congress has embarked upon 4 pol
iry Of assisting the States in high
way Improvement. wisely. | believe.
Il can assert a wholly becoming in
fTnnce in shaping policy.
with the principle Of Federal
p.-rtIci ipatiOn acCeptably established.
rrpba bly, never to BE- abandoned it
Il important to exert Federal in
fuence in developing comprehen-
Svp plans looking to the. promotion
a. commerce, and apply our eXpen-
diyures in the surest way to guar
aUter 4 public return for money
expended
Large Federal outlay demands
Federal voice in the program OF eN-
p-nditUrr. congress cannot Justify
a mere gift from the Federal purse
t. the several States. to be prorated
among counties for road better
ment. Such course will invite
abuses which il were better to guard
Eainst in the beginning.
Federal Road Agency.
The laws governing Federal aid
should be amended and strength
ened. The Federal agency Of ad-
ninistratiOn should be elevated to
the Importance and vested with
authority comparable to the work
before il. And Congress ought to
prescribe conditions to Federal ap-
propriations which will necessitate
a consistent program OF uniformity
which will justify the Federal out
lay.
Maintenance. Policy.
81 know Of nothing more shock
ing than the millions Of public
funds wasted in improved high
WAYS. wasted because there is no
policy Of maintenance. The neg
lect is not universal. but is very
near II. There is nothing the Com
Eress 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 con-
struction. cannot be maintained
without patrol and constant repair.
Such conditions insisted upon in
the grant OF Federal aid will safe
guard the public which pays. and
guard tie Federal government
against public abuses, which tend
20 defeat the very purposes for
which We authorize Federal expen-
aiIure."
MOderate-Iaeome Glass.
"-The theory that the tax on motor
vehicles is a tax on wealth is dis
proved by the fact that two-thirds
of the 100000 motor vehicles now
in use in this country are owned
An homes whose total INCOME is
$4,000 per year or less. says a state
ment Of the chamber
~ tits sometimes said that steam
railroads and trolley companies must
buy right of way and lay tracks.
while motor vehicles operate over
the public highway, but II should
he remembered that in considera-
-tfon of such investments both steam
railroads and electric troIIeys ac-
quire monopolies. whereas the mo-
tor vehicles share the highway with
all transportation.
Taxes Apply to All.
1T is right to reach the profits
of the automobile manufacturer
through the same taxes that apply
TO other kinds Of business.
I'VE now accept without complaint
State automobile taxes sufficient to
keep all roads in repair. Thus we
pay not only for the damage we in