Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-12-04

, ingly Of his attendance at the con-
gress in Milan and of his travels In
Europe before and directly following
| the Milan sessions. He told his hear
ers that the Permanent International
Good Roads Congress was the devel-
opment from the original organiza-
ton sponsored by France in 1908, and
which has met annually with the ex-
ception Of the war years, 1915-1922
Mr.. Sargent told his fellow Rotar-
ians of his selection by President
Coolidge to go to the congress at
Milan, Italy as the representative of
the United States and of his accept
ance and consequent experiences.
At the sessions of the congress at
Milan there were 2200 delegates rep
resenting SO countries and five con-
tinents. The discussions were divid-
ed first into the two general groups,
technical and administrative, and I'M
der six sub classifications the prob
lens of highway construction We're
presented and discussed, in French,
German, Italian and English.
The speaker declared that as a re-
suit of his conversations with high
way officials of the several nations
represented at Milan and his own
personal observations, he believed
that the United States was ID to is
years ahead of any country in the
| world in respect to improved high
| ways.
Rome was the scene, of the final
| session of the International Good
| Roads Congress, and it was during
| his stay in Rome that Mr.. Sargent
with his colleagues of the American
/ tor nd
| with Premier Benito Mussolini.
| Before and following the Milan
| congress Mr.. Sargent and the other
| American members visited in several
! European countries and were rece1y-
ed with courtesy by government and
(, highway officials. The group visited
| Venice, Berlin. Prague, Stockholm,
! Copenhagen, Amsterdam. Par and
| London. They also enjoyed motor
| trips to scenic and historic places
! near all of these capitals of Europe.
/ Speaking of the light motor We
/ hicle traffic in Europe as compared
i with our American highways, Mr..
l Sargent mentioned that automobiles
are placed in the luxury class In all
! European countries and that the in
u some cases exorbitant registration
fees make the owning of cars pro-
] hibitive. In Vienna the fee is hgur-
ed at $40 per horsepower. In Eng
land, one pound per horsepower, ana
the so-called medium priced cars are
/ registered at the rate Of $500 In Den
mark.
The speakers anecdotes and stories
of personal experiences in the Varl-
Gus European capitals We're most IN
timately interesting, and the Rotar-
ians We're reluctant to permit their
t,ar IN hiring
a close. ,
George r. Weber reported Tor the
committee appointed at the meeting
of the club on Friday. November 20
to act with similar group from the
Augusta K;wanis Club in the inveSu-
cation into the ACCESSIBILITY OF re-
organizing the Chamber of Com,
merce. The report recommended
such action with specifications IN re-
gard to membership, fees ana adinin
istration. and larger committee VIII
be empowered TO act with the orsan
ization groups representing the M
wants CIuh and other local service
and civic bodies.
The general Rotary committee Is
composed of the three members OF
tie special committee. Charles n.
Weber, Willis Z. Swift. and ID. W.
Adams. The business methods COM
mittee. Horace Ingraham, Williams
B. Getchell and William ]. Beau
! chaine. and the followins membership
committee. Arthur n. Soule. George
w. Merrill. Charles F. Bilodeau. Ar
thur Liable, Charles T. Penney,
Ralph Herrick. Charles F. Flynt,
Walter C. Nelson. A. Nj. c. Soule,
Willard B. Purinton. E. A. Hussey,
Myron e. Maddocks. Earl Goodwin,
! Thomas g. stone. William Sherman.
and Daniel w. Sexton.