Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-18
|. e HIGHWAY BODY
.I}ADV|SORY GROUP
! ISOLATION Has No Power or
Funds to Construct Pro-
posed Boulevard.
what IS the lee Highway Associa.

HS&f \ = q 49, Vi
What are it's powers and limitations
Nfy. h regard to highway construction?
III IS it an Official body, or Is 1t
slrcrely an organized group of citizens
II crested in good roads for the
III 7ited States?
II These and similar questions have
Va sen of late in connection with the
Ike atroversy precipitated in nearby
s III rginia by the announcement or the
Jsee Highway Association that it had
4aelected' certain route for the pro-
f0~ed Lee boulevard, to connect the
"A "lington Memorial Bridge with the
Nalley of Virginia.
Selection Is Disputed.
The Selection" made somewhat ar
III rarily in the view of opponents OF
I circuitous course for the main ap.
frOach to the new bridge, has not met
with unanimous acclaim on the part
OF the citizens of Virginia
s CONSERVATION, in fact, beset certain
eniclxly settled portions of Arlington
C'cunty over the fact that the mean
tering path through undeveloped
farm land, chosen by the Lee High
Tray officials, deliberately avoided the
fuilt.up communities close to the
bridge and threatened to leave them
no direct access to the great $lQ,-
Da0 900 memorial span authorized by
Congress.
All of which, in effect, the Lee High
hay Association, through its general
director, DR., Samuel NJ. johnson,
readily admitted. The association an
rounced that: the southerly trend OF
the proposed right of way, away from
Che congested districts of the county,
was not an accident, but the result OF
a studious determination to open up
new and unimproved areas. II the
residents in the neglected portion OF
the county desired a road to the
bridge. it was stated, they should get
together and plan one, and the Lee
Highway Association would be glad
TO assist in mapping out such
project.
But as for the magnificent 200-foot
Lee boulevard traversing so built-up
part of Arlington County, never.
Doubled Associations Power.
That sounded sort of final, and
some of the protesters let 1t go at that.
not being certain as to the scope OF
the associations authority. others:
however, began to ask themselves II
the finality of the associations edlct
was actually Official" or assumed;
not have just as much voice in the
location of a boulevard that undoubt-
edIy is destined to be OF outstanding
character, provided its realization Is
effected
Sentiment was unanimous as to the
need and the desirability and the value
to the county and to the common
wealth of such highway, but there
was a marked division of opinion as
IT'S final auproach to the memorial
bridge should wind in a broad detour
from the direct line between the
bridge and it's eventual connection
with the present Lee highway, or
should follow the straightest possible
course between those points.
Out of this agitation there evolved
the surprising fact that apparently
the Lee Highway Association itself
had erred in its conception or the CO.
operation which the State Of Virginia
was to offer in furthering this prof.
ect. The governor of that state ana
the chairman of the State Highway
Commission let it be known that Vir'
gtnia. as a commonwealth, has no
official interest in the boulevard prior
to a formal request that it be taken
into the State highway system, and
the citizens of Arlington County were
given to understand that, so far as
the State was concerned, the selection
of the boulevard's approach to the
new bridge was still an open matter.
Uncertainty Still Prevails.
Hence there has been raised cloud
Of uncertainty as to just what powers
the Lee Highway Association may
have. and what official status it may
hold. locally, nationally or otherwise.
These questions can best be an
swered by DIR. Johnson himself. Ae-
cording to his own statements. the
Lee Highway Association was organ
lied years ago at Roanoke, Va. as
a southern counterpart of the Lin
coin Highway Association. which
sponsored the Lincoln highway pro-
ject.
The organization operates under a
charter granted by the commonwealth
of Virginia, and it's purpose was TO
serve as the co-ordinating unit and
the administrative agency in select
ing the route of the Lee highway and
in getting it built"
The organization was not sectional,
but national. 1t was designed to be
a rofit-making body dedicated to
the task Of fostering great Southern
highway in memory of Gen. Robert
e. Lee, Just as the Lincoln Highway
Association had sought to perpetuate
the memory of Lincoln.
Manifestly, then, the association has
no official status. 1t has no "aTbi-
trary powers" 1t is simply an or
ganization of reputable citizens of the
South, chartered for the estimable
purpose of seeking construction by
anpropriate authorities of g., great
highway in honor Of the South's most
dist{ppIIiSfad som Gen. Lee. 20
Sought Distinctive Highway.
with that purpose in view the Lee
Highway Association has succeeded IN
obtaining the cooperation of State
after State and of the Federal Gov
eminent itself, and its worthy once
tiyes have been furthered with extraor
binary success. The Lee highway
in the words of DIR. johnson, was
conceived to be not just another high
way-not merely one of many cross
continent tourist routes-but distinc
tive. with an individuality as clearly
marked as was the personality OF Gen
lee" The association therefore sci
out to secure much wider right o.
way than had been customary, and a.
a result Of the persistent EFFORTS o.
the body the Lee highway now has
n wider right of way across the Unitec
states than any other road, it Il
blamed.
Its detectives being monumental, the
Lee Highway Association quite nat
urally interested itself in sponsoring
the cause Of the Arlington Memorial
Bridge, and the association claims
much Of the credit for the enact.
ment by Congress of the Legislation
NECESSARY for beginning this project
Active assistance also was given the
proponents of great national parks
in. northern Virginia and southern
Tennessee, and when the park prof