Evening star., 1927-03-13
BY WILLIAM ULLMAN.

When a nation fixes an arbitrary
limit. mentally or physically, on the
construction Of roads, it is fixing at
the same time an arbitrary limit on
it's economic development and on the
material well being of every citizen.
There can be no saturation point in
highway building. And in the United
States this fact is truer than In any
other part of the globe.
America has at hand every tool
necessary to the upbuilding and main
tenance of a chain of roads which will
oEtstrip anything ever before dreamed
of in the world-a. chain of highways
which will play fundamental part In
the Nations stability and in its
progress.
Cast aside for a moment the arbi-
trary mental limit now placed upon
our roads system by the casual OBJ
server. Why need there be any
bounds on the number OF highways
which eventually will connect every
scattered portion of the country with
ard.surface roads? Why should one
think that because there now are but
two roads between given points. heav-
ily travelled that in the future there
may not be five or more, cutting
through territory which the motorist
senses just over the horizon?
Space Nearly Unlimited.
Such visions are eminently practical
ones in a country where foor space is
so nearly unlimited as 1t is mere. Inc
United States is not hampered by any
lack of room wherein to lay its long
lines OF roadways, nor is 1t minus the
yigor and energy to carry through
nrogram of highway construction un-
paralIeled in the worlds history.
The important thing in envislonlng
a factor of such magnitude is TO put
auyav the circunlscribed ideas now IN
vogue on the subject and to look fof-
ward with definite and practicai anu
cipation to the time--far distant per
haps, yet not nearly SO distant as
many might be inclined TO Deheve--
when America will be crossed ana re-
crossed by an amazing multiplicity OF
roads. when the country will be held
IA ct and firm In one unrelenttng chain
which will bind farm with farm, nam
Iet with hamlet, community with COM
munity, and State with State, 20
degree entirely unique in wrltteh
annals. TO-.
Does 1t sound preposterousG Does
n Saarn ridicuIous in the face OF the
difficulties encountered in some states
to obtain barely. adequate construc-
ton programs?
Perhaps, and yet the progress thus
far accomplished throughout tne
country as q whole surely gives
promise of still greater Things 10 coIIe.
THAT thew will is the belief or some
who see in the increasing use OF the
automobile an entirely new era; an
era which can be gauged py no
standards which have served In the
past.
America Has Ample Funds.
America has the funds with wnicn
to carry through even so eianorate
a program as herein indicated. Amer
ica has the funds, America has the
power. the will and the energy, ana
an encouragingly large number OF ner
citizens have the foresight to visualize
the highly beneficent results.
Granted that billions OF dollars
would be involved in a plan OF such
tinrgantuan proportions. Granted
That the expenditure would be the
most tremendous for such a purpose
ever recorded. Granted that years OF
toll would be necessary. Grant every
| obstacle and every handicap. AND
then, with these qualifying factors
in mind, regard the ultimate end.
Rome built roads, spent gold lavish
ly for them and turned the man
power OF her slaves to the gigantic
task of making the City OF the Seven
Hills the hub from which a world radi-
ated No other investment ever made
by any nation exceeded in value that
made by Rome in its roads.
Rome rose and fell; but her roads,
soundly and honestly built, went on,
a priceless possession which neither
the vicissitudes of fortune nor the
| ravages of time could take away
from her And even today they are
being used, still paying dividends
to the descendants of government
| which saw that roads are great
and vital consolidating factor in
national life.
The vast suma which America t0-