Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-09-18
get far enough from the local interest
to view the whole landscape.
Must BE Adequate Provision

The Governments interest IN nigh
| ways is toward integrity Of construc-
/ ton and conservation of values; to-
ward sound construction well main
| tanned This is not perhaps discern
ible from a reading of the last law
| or the last amendment alone. But
1t Is clearly apparent from the his
tory Of Congressional legislation on
| the subject. The first Federal Aid
Act contained weak provision COW
l ering maintenance. In President
Harding's first message to Congress
he gave greater space to the matter
, OF highways than to any other sub
ject. He clearly stated that he would
not favor any further assistance to
| the states unless there was some ade-
quate provision for preserving the
roads built in part at Government
| expense. The next step was the sew
ere and specific maintenance clause OF
the present act. There is no doubt
| that the Government desires first to
| build substantial roads and second
| to keep them in first class condition.
; There is also a clear interest OF
the Government in securing increased
attention to the science and the art
of road building, to better highway
! engineering everywhere in connection
| with the Federal aid work, to the
| improvement of types Of pavement,
| to the selection of better types in
any given case. The original law had
one requirement only directed toward
these ends. It demanded that the
| work be of a substantial nature.
But the relatively of so general
term as substantial was not left as
refuge for the careless and easily
| pleased when the Federal Highway
/ Act of 1921 was passed. This law
requires on primary roads a hard
surface eighteen feet wide, except IN
peculiar and specific cases which the
| law recites. Further, an expenditure
was authorized for cooperation with
| the states in research connected with
highway engineering. This authori-
cation has led to the creation OF an
| advisory committee on research
which acts in conjunction with the
Federal Research Council and Will
| harmonic the work of the Bureau.
of the states and of all Investigations
| al agencies so far as its authority
| goes.
From this legislation and from
| these requirements it is clear that
| the Government is interested in the
construction of even better roads
than are being built today. 1t is in
| terested In doing nothing that will
have to be thrown away or changed
later. 1t desires to have all lines
made permanent now, all grades adj
iusted so that future relocation Will
not be necessary. 1t expects the
states to build we'll and to maintain
in first class condition. 1t requires
not only that the immediate needs be
met but that reasonable provision be
made for the future: and should such
provision be inadequate the law clear
ly gives the Secretary of Agriculture
authority to require reconstruction.
The plan is drawn for very large
program of road construction. The
law looks forward into a vast future.
It's actual provisions will extend over
a period of probably fifteen years be-
fore the surfacing of the seven per
cent. system is completed, and 1t VIII
be much longer than that before all
the details and finish of the system
are thoroughly satisfactory. because
such a contamination will be attained
only when many bridges have been
rebuilt and many grade crossings
with railroads eliminated. The whole
plan of the Government Is forward
looking and optimistic. James Hill,
Of railroad fame, once said IN the
language of the Spectator that no
man could go wrong who was Dull
on the future of America. Our road
program under Federal Aid is devel-
oped and is being carried out 50 far
as possible from this point of view.
The good reasons for this need not
be elaborated at length. An associa-'
ton such as this, knows intimately
one Of the best reasons by heart
When we consider that the capital
investment in the motor vehicle in
dustries amounts to $S,322 100000 and
realize how entirely the future de-
velopment and even the protection or
this industry depends on the provl-
sions made for highway transporta-
ton, we find a. justification for the
protection Of a home industry fully
as great as that for the protection
against the competition of foreign in
dustries which is the basis of pro-
tective tariff system. The protection
Of the motor vehicle industry bene-
fits the public from all angles and is
not open to objections that may be
raised against a protective tariff.
Further. the great development of
| the automobile and motor truck in
dustry represents the growth of
popular demand. The actual number
of such vehicles is increasing at
rate much faster than our increase
in road construction or the increase
of highway expenditures. There is
constantly increasing demand that
additional highway mileage be made
available as rapidly as possible. The
Federal Aid plan encourages the
states to meet this demand and it is
indisputable that this encouragement
! is in line with the wishes of the
! Government and the people as
whole. The demand for additional
mileage is evinced in several ways.
There is a constantly growing mile
age Of motor truck short haul freight
lines, passenger bus lines, local de-
livery, school bus lines, local pleasure
and business travel and tourist travel.
Much of this demand is made de-
cdedly coherent and even vociferous
at times when automobile associa-
tons and manufacturing agencies
voice their immediate wishes.
The distribution of food stuffs to