Evening star., 1922-10-27
HIGHWAY FINANCE
PROBLEMS FACED
ParIey on Education for Road
Engineering Also Debates
Research.

Problems in highway finance and ed
ucation and research in highway engi-
neering featured today's session of the
second annual conference on education
for highway engineering and highway
transport. under the auspices Of the
highway education board. at the VIII
lard Hotel.
Addresses were delivered by A. w.
Campbell, commissioner OF highways in
The Dominion of Canada; DR.. w. X.
HIATT. director advisory board on high
way research, National Research Coun-
ell. and A. ]. Brosseau OF the National
Automobile Chamber Of Commerce.
\ definite policy of highway finance
was urged by Mr.. Brosseau. who said
that expenditures for roads in this
country were rapidly approaching the
pilllon-a-year mark.
Five Steps Urged.
He urged that five steps be taken to
insure their adequate and uniform
financing. They are: Preparation Of
construction budget by every state: that
cost of construction shall he borne by
state bond issues; preparation OF a
budget Of current operating costs: ex-
p"nditures in all states should be under
rhe supervision Of the state highway
should be as flexible as possible and
'odged entirely with the state highway
department.
In connection with the preparation
OF the budget for current operating
costs. Mr.. Brosseau asserted that this
fund should be set up to defray the
interest on the bonds, the sinking
fund charges and cost Of mainte-
nance. He said that the amount used
TO pay these charges should be in
GUIDED in the general tax charges.
hut that the cost of maintaining the
roads should be assessed on those who
use them.
Mr.. Campbell who is one cf the
fourteen foreign delegates to the con-
ference. addressed the convention on
anada $4,000 miles of highway.
~" told what the Dominion had done
III the construction of roads and what
road engineers We're expected to do in
the Improvement of roads in the
future.
Research Councils Work.
DR.. HIATT. in a brief address, touched
on the work OF the research council in
relation to the problems of highway
engineering and highway transport.
Delegates from the following coun-
tries ar" in attendance: France. Italy
AUSTRIA, Germany, CzechoslovakI "a,
Finland. Denmark, Japan, Mexico.
cuba. Costa Rica, Uruguay, Peru and
canada More than 400 delegates from
all sectionSc of the United States also
are attending.
Maj. Gen. Lansing II. Beach, chief
OF engineers of the Army, declared
a network of good roads in every
corner OF the nation was of prime i'm
p"rtance, and described maps Of road
systems gathered by the Army as a
means of national defense.
Wartime Aid Created
In the course of time" h said, the
country will have "A system of high
ways which will not only meet the de-
lnands of traffic. trade and commerce.
but will be admirable for use in mill
tary emergencies"
Highway construction throughout
the nation has not kept pace with the
growth of automobiles in recent
years, Thomas H. Mcdonald. chief of
the bureau of public roads, declared
showing that from 1919 to 1921 the
number Of automobiles increased
1000 per cent. while the increase in
funds for road construction had been
only 400 per cent. G.. c. Hanch vice
president Of the National Automobile
Chamber of Commerc". declared there
were at present 0.5O0.p0 automobiles
IN the United States-S3 per cent Of
the number in the entire world
At a banquet last night Maj. Gen
Mason NJ. Patrick, chief of the Army
air service. SPOKE Of the military need
of good roads, while col. George l.
C'u Mont. military attache Of the
French embassy, discussed French
road systems.