The Little River news., 1923-05-09
WllS0a3 MAY CLOSE
 STATE DEPARTNaE FEW '
Highway Commissioner to "ohut et Shop" Unless Funds Are
 Provided.

Little Rock, May 6.-Unless the legI isia.ure in special session can enact an appropriation for the State Depart ment Of Lands, Highways and PuDhc Improvements, the department VII. cease to function at the beginning or the next fiscal year, July l, according tn Herbert R. Wilson, head of the deJ partment. MT. Wilson said yesterday that he could not assume the obllgas ton of financing the department wlths out appropriations a cost of aDo.. S2OO 900 a year, nor could he ask his friends to assume or share this ooll1 gation.
 The appropriation for the depart ment was vetoed by Governor McRaa when. in the face of threatened with drawal of federal aid unless provisions were made for the maintenance Of the roads, the Senate killed the Grablel bill which would have taken care Of the maintenance The governors at titude was that without federal aid the state could maintain no highway sys- tenn. and in that event the state needed no highway department.
 Federal aid was ordered withdrawn by the United States Bureau of Roads after the adjournment of the legiSla- ture, but proposals now are before the federal highway heads under which it is hoped that a recession of the ord CT of withdrawal may be made. Col. Jno. R. Fordyce, member of the State Highway Commission, who went to Washington short time ago to pre- sent the states case, asked for an outline of the government require ments, including 8 statement Of changes needed in the present state system.
 Changes Necessary.
 It is known, although no commun!- cation has yet been received from Washington, that the requirements will include a pledge from the state for the maintenance of federally aided roads, sufficient fund under control of the Highway Department for the employment of necessary engineers and an engineering personnel, and prohibition of the use of federal funds in the administration expenses of the department A direct statement from the United States secretary of agricul- ture is awaited before announcement concerning a call for special session ot the legislature. However, the gov ernor has said that unless some assur- ance can be received from the legis- iators that the required remedial leg islation may be enacted, no call for the special session vii be made The present appropriation under the Highway Department now is oper- ating will expire at the close of this fiscal year, June 30. Should no pro- vision for continuance be made, and the department cease to function with the expiration of it's appropriation, a great amount of confusion which will be felt throughout the state will re- suit
 Closing the automobile division would mean that owners of cars who have not already obtained their tags would be unable to obtain tags, al- though the law fixes a $5 fine for op- erating a car without state tag. It would De impossible also to keep up with the transfers of cars, except purely locally.
 Loss of the land office would make land transfers, especially in the oil fields, extremely difficult and in many cases impossible, as a tract must be clear Of state claims before clear title may be passed and the state land of flee is the only agency through which this information may be obtained.
 The Highway Department is the pay ing agency through which federal aid payments are made to road districts. and it's failure to function in this ca pacity might tie up hundreds of thou sands of dollars already allotted, but which have not already been paid.