Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-03
SENATOR APPEALS
FOR MORE ROAD AID
Sterling Tells of Great AID.
vantages Due to Fed
eraI Policy.

We have provided ourselves with
the motor vehicle rolling stock at
cost of many billions of dollars, ana
we must now provide the tracks
upon which to operate it," declared
Senator Thomas Sterling of South
Dakota, chairman Of the Senate COM
lnittee on post offices and post roads.
in making a plea for the continue
ton Of federal aid in an address
broadcast recently from WRC for the
American Automobile Association.
After outlining the need of a fed
eral appropriation of $1o0,000.000 a
year for ten years and like appro-
priation from the states If the system
OF 100000 miles of federal aid high
ways is to be completed within ten
years, Senator Sterling stated that
he could not say just what Congress
would do.
But when it is known that the
wholesale value of automobiles and
trucks manufactured last year
amounted to over $4,000 100000 and
that the wholesale val,ae of tires
manufactured amounted to s760,o00,-
coo. and that we spent over $1,000
cessories, exclusive of tires" Senator
Sterling said, 1T does not sound un-
reasonable to propose that We should
spend at least s100.000,000 a year from
the federal treasury and an equal
amount by the states in order to COM
plete our federal highway system
within reasonable length of time.
Use of Good Roads.
we must not forget that the good
roads built under this system serve
even higher use than that of the
tourist or of the visitor or OF those
on pleasure bent We must think
of the commercial and economic ad-
vantages of a system of good roads /:
OF what they mean 20 the farmer.
who on such roads and by means of
the motor truck finds it easy and IL
great saving of time and expense to
transport not only his grain. but his
hogs and sheep or cattle to market.
Another consideration Is the en-
fanced value of his land due to the
good road at his very door or run
ring near by. One of our great eco
aomic and commercial problems Is
that of bringing the market and the
producer closer together.
L do not believe that there should
be the least hesitation about going
forward with the program. The pol
proven itself to be thoroughly sound
and workable. Seven years Of
achievement. each year showing a
greater result than the preceding,
has removed the possibility of any
doubt as to the wisdom of fedora
aid"
Has Watched Progress.
Senator Sterling stated that he had
served on the subcommittee of the
Senate committee on post offices and
post roads when the first federal aid
bill was introduced and passed, In
1915. He had watched the operation
of federal aid In his own state of
South Dakota He had been i'm
pressed with the wisdom of the peo-
pie of his own state in providing a
centralized state highway department
with sufficient powers and rights to
lay out and construct federal-aid
highways and bridges.
1T must be remembered" he said
that the powers and duties con-
ferred on the state highway authori-
ties in the location of roads and
bridges must not be perverted from
their true and original purpose or be
used to promote the political success
of any individual. but must be used
with an eye single to public welfare"