Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-13
SOUTH AMERICAS PROGRESS
ON ROADS TOLD BY ODDIE
National Highway Programs of Latin
Republics Reported Gaining Head
way at Congress.

way at
"See the Americas First" will 500
torist Of the western Hemisphere, IN
Of Nevada, member Of the United
American Congress Of Highways at Ri
the congress made to the United State
Senator Oddie, O member OF the
of the Upper House, was the represents
Hoover to attend the congress.
As the resolutions and recommend
lowed out and incorporated IN nations
countries, the Senator said, facilities Il
where the scenic splendorS and the I
Americas viii be accessible to the ints
Latin American countries are today
where the United States stood in the
point of road construction prior to en-
actnent Of the Federal aid road act OF
1916" Senator Oddie said. There Is
one important difference, however, and
that is that the social and economic
influences exerted by motor tranSporta-
ton are much more clearly understood
and the period of trial and error
through which the United States had
to pass has been largely eliminated be-
cause of the great work Of the engineers
of the Federal and State Governments.
Everywhere there Is an urgent de-
mand for more and better roads, but
thus far there has been little legisla-
ton passed in the various Latin Amer
lean countries which would consolidate
the road programs" the Senator said.
THE remarkable results which have
been obtained in the United States
through the enactment Of our Federal
aid road act are clearly understood and
appreciated by leaders in the Latin
American countries and there is more
than passing evidence that it will not
be long before the national governments
Of these countries accept In greater de-
gree their responsibilities in this en-
deavor. When that time comes it may
be expected that just as Federal legis-
lation welded together our several State
highway systems, gave impetus to
heightened standards and tremendously
stimulated highway progress along eff
hcieut and economical lines, 30 Will
similar results be noted in these coun-
tries"
Needs Are Recognized.
Realizing that coordination Of effort
is not only desirable but necessary for
the creation of an adequate system Of
national and international highways,
the congress went on record as favoring
cooperation between the central gov
ernments and the provincial or munich
pal authorities, assisting In the building
as well as the financing of roads, Sem
ator Oddie brought out. Thus, he said,
an intelligent, economic and serviceanie
system will be created which, with
proper connections at national frontiers.
will serve to provide excellent means OF
international intercourse.
In its advocacy of good roads, the
congress did not overlook the fact that
the first essential is roads no matter Of
what type they are. Therefore, the
Senator said, it strongly recommended
that the governments participating IN
the congress first of all build low-cost
roads, letting Improvements on these
roads go until the increase In tramc
demands higher type of surface.
This recommendation is expected to
result in the opening up of number OF
hitherto more or less inaccessible Sec
lions in many of the Latin-Amertcan
countries, and, as trafflc on these high
ways increases, thereby bringing great
er income from motor and gasoline
taxes, which in turn may be used for
road construction, these roads will be
improved TO the point where they will
be flrst-clAss motor highways.
Modern Methods Used.
Modern methods Of road construction
ton are in use throughout most cot1n-
tries in South America, Senator Oddie
asserted, and on most work that is being
done machinery Is of the most up-to-
date type At the congress itself there
was complete agreement between the
different technical delegates as TO what
constituted the best methods and the
conclusions adopted may be considered
as the last word on the subject.
The progressive system of highway
construction was recommended by the
just closed. Under this system, after
the location has been decided upon, the
road is graded and drained and bridges
and culverts are put in. AS soon as
this original road bed is no longer able
to withstand the increasing traf1c, q
new and more resisting surface is APP
piled. Finally, durable type Of surfac-
ing of superior quality is applied the
exact type to be determined by the traf-
flc requirements and the financial abil-
tty Of the state building the road.
Accompanying Senator Oddie's report
to the Senate and incorporated with ii
was q set Of conclusions adopted by the
congress setting forth the opinion OF
the delegates. In addition to enbodyine
the questions of federal aid In highway
construction and progressive road Inn
provement, the congress recommended
! that each country represented in the
Pan-American Union incorporate a sci
of basic principles Of trafdc control in
| Its national motor vehicle laws.
Treaty Is Sponsored.
These basic principles are to be pro-
vided by q treaty which win be spon-
sored by the Pai1.American Union, and
upon its ratification a great step toward
uniformity of international traffic con-
| troll will have been taken.
The question of such a treaty came
up, the Senator pointed out, when the
| congress was upon the subject of the
Inter American Highway.
This phase of the conference" Sena-
tor Oddie said, twas one of the most
interesting and In this discussion it was
evident from the start that leaders ir
| all the countries of the Americas are
looking forward to the day when
through the gradual building of ma.
tioT1a1 highway systems, it will be pos
sible to INK together all the mainland
countries of North, Central and South
America with roads over which the mar
| from Canada may visit the resident oi
TERRA del Fuego without taking to tht
sea.
while it was recognized by all tina
this constitutes a longtime program
there was a general feeling that certain
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