Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-12-02

OF particular significance to all Amer.
| leans while their President-elect Il
| visiting in those countries, also o.
America to the south Of the United
States, Is the discussion now going or
between the Pan American Union, rep.
resenting the governments of all South
! American countries and those self same
governments, regarding the likelihood Of
construction Of an inter-Americar
| highway from the United States tt
Panama, and thence through the wilder.
nesSes of Central America to the rich
and prosperous countries near and south
of the equator.
While Herbert Clark Hoover, by the
choice of the people of the United
States their next Chief Executive, i:
| visiting nearly dozen South American
countries, he doubtless finds lack Of
communication by means of good roads
one of the chief domestic factors that
hold back their development Doubt
less also he will discuss with the repre-.
sentatives of the nations of South
America the project now under way
to construct roadway down the back
bone of the continent from the southern
border of the United States across the
high mountain ranges Of Mexico and
Central America and down into the
countries of South America.
Survey Is Discussed.
Director General Rowe of the Pan
American Union is at present carrying
on with the governments of Central
America a discussion looking to re-
connaiSSance survey of the first sector
in the proposed inter-American high
way, whose first link shall connect the
United States and Panama. Not alone
H. It A1r
large commercial benefit to this coun-
try, but its usefulness in time of war
granted Mexico gave us use of it
would justify its existence. At present
the only direct connection this Nation
has with its great connecting
Panama Canal is by water and by air
And air communication with Panama
is more or less stunt in these days
Water communication can be inter-
rupted by several means in time of war,
but internal communication by roadway
is not so easily stopped.
At present the countries to our south
are many years behind the United
States in road development. This comes
about from number Of reasons, in
Guiding the character of the country,
instability of government, heavy ex-
pense and extreme altitude. The needs
OF nOSC Oh the COuuGFIeS are SlLIllaT, DuL
the solutions of the problem differ
widely.
Secretary of State Kellogg is recently
in receipt of the official report of the
delegates of the United States to the
recent Pan-American Congress of High
ways, which relates, in detail, the man
ner in which the South and Central
American countries look to the United
States for the lead in road building.
Measured by United States.
Pointing out that giant develop
ment In road construction work waits
in these southern lands, the report says
that without the experience Of the
United States in the last two decades
of highway transportation, there would
be no yardstick with which to measure
the future Of the Southern and Gen.
trail Americas as their vast virgin re-
sources are made available through
roads.
For 40 years foreign capital has been
engaged in the slow, costly process Of
breaking down physical barriers through
the railroad development that has but
barely penetrated the key positions of
Natures defense of barren hill and
swamp, jungle, plain and forest. To-day
the domestic progress of this domain
is limited by the transportation pro-