Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-22
CONGRESS SPEEDS
ROAD FINANCING
Wide Range of Support Is
Shown for Federal Aid
Measure.
BY JAMES w. BROOKS,
Director, American Highway Educational
Hurean

Director. American Highway Educational
Bureau.
Hearings on the measure introduced
by Representative Dowell of Iowa,
chairman of the House committee on
roads, to increase Federal aid for high
construction from $75, 900, 900 to 1925
100000 year, beginning with 1880,
have been concluded in the regular
course of legislative procedure.
Out Of the details involved came the
significant fact that never before since
modern highway improvement was in
augurated IL or Is years ago has there
been given such wide and effective sup
port to this phase of national progress.
No doubt much of the present situation
Is due to the leadership of President
Hoover who has urged greater activity
in public work, but for some time past
there has been a growing consciousness
that road building cannot be permitted
to lag without serious loss to the people.
State officials Help.
Foremost in placing the facts before
Congress as to highway needs in the
various States was the American As
ISOLATION of State Highway Officials, to
whose membership is intrusted the re-
sponsibility IF getting the work done.
These officials were supported by such
national organizations as the United
States Chamber of Commerce, the Ma
tional Manufacturers Association, the
American Federation of Labor, the Ma
tional Grange, the National Automobile
Chamber of Commerce, the American
Farm Bureau Federation and the Amer
lean Automobile Association. In con-
nection with the support given by the
American Farm Bureau Federation, an
interesting bit of highway history was
brought out in the fact that this farm
organization began passing resolutions
for road improvement 40 years ago and
that at each successive Congress SIM
liar resolutions have been presented.
Two points in particular were made
at the hearings, however, that fall
short of the mark. One statement was
to the effect that the quicker the
United States can complete its system
OF transportation, the quicker we will
reach the apex of our prosperity" So
far as the actual completion of high
way building in the United States is
concerned, this can never be, for, how
ever well the work may be done, there
will still be more to do.
Work to Continue.
With approximately 100000 motor
vehicles already on the road, the ex-
O%AAoAOAAS WHEELING Oh
highways must continue with undated
energy. 1t is as If some great giant
were feverishly engaged around manu-
featuring centerS forging new vehicles
for modern transportation and throw
ing them out on the roads red hot. So
long as makers of automobiles keep this
up, there will be continuing need for
roads.
The second point made at the hear
1ngs was in regard to the employment
OF labor, very necessary and a very
desirable goal to be sure, but beyond
that is the matter of holding down
motor vehicle operating costs. AS to
labor as necessary factor In con-
tinued prosperity, however, it has been
found upon careful investigation by
State highway departments that in
building roads of whatever type 40 ner
cent of the cost goes to labor, The
percentage is even more than that when
the manufacture of materials and other
contributory items are taken into ac-
count.
Highway pavement, when laid In
logically connected systems, as State
and Federal highway engineers are now
doing, will clip penny a mile at least
on OF every motorists gasoline bin
With 25,000,000 motor vehicles using
highways at the average rate of :, 1000
miles year each, a penny a mile saved
with pavement Is something to think
about.