Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-02
HOUSE VOTES AID
! IN ROAD BUILDING
President Hoover's Plea for
Prudent Federal Outlay Re-
Elected In Appropriation.
BY JAMES ". BROOKS.

bx JAMES w. BHOOkS,
Director American Highway Educational
Bureau.
President Hoover's call for prudent
expansion" In road building has been
responded to with alacrity by the House
Of Representatives in the unanimous
passage Of new Federal aid authori-
Hation which provides for $125 ,000,0 900
year for the next three years. During
1inal consideration, to which only three
hours had been allotted, A members
Of the House spoke, all in favor of the
measure. It now goes to the Senate.
where early action is also anticipated.
Until the new authorization is passed
finally and signed by the President,
State highway departments viii be I'M
able to let contracts under expanded
programs as called for by the President.
The next move, therefore, rests with
the Senate.
Significant Facts Developed.
One significant fact brought out dur
ing congressional discussion upon this
measure was that the cooperative
principle Of highway progress as be-
tween States and the Federal Govern
ment Is now so well established that
scarcely a protest is heard. In other
words, good roads in the modern sense
have become "band-wagon' PROPOSE
ton. Harking back to days not so far
distant, when the finger of scorn was
pointed at the citizen who had the
temerity to suggest the invasion Of the
countryside with them sinful ottymo-
bile roads" the change in public senti-
ment has been marked indeed, and mo-
where Is it more sharply reflected than
In high places in Congress.
Another significant fact which is ex-
emplihed IN the speedy passage Of this
latest Federal aid measure is that the
seal Of approval has been set upon the
policy Of building out toward the farm
gate, putting IN order first those roads
that are most heavily travelled, rather
than beginning at the far end. where
trafic IS necessarily light. Motorists
and other taxpayers who are footing the
bill for the Nations roads, therefore,
appear to be in no danger of having
their money wasted through IlogicaIly
placed construction.
Statement by Chairman DOweII.
During the colIoquies which took place
between members Of the House upon
the new Federal aid measure the point
was m9oe clear 0y CHAIRMAN OOWell OF
the House roads committee that the
completion Of the Z per cent system in
any State would not mean the end Of
the Job, but that additional roads could
be added, in the construction Of which
the Federal Government would partici-
pate, provided such new mileage and
plans were in accord with Federal re-
quirements In the matter.
Again, with the aim Of keeping the
highway legislative record straight, the
fact should not be overlooked that not
one, but several, great organizations
have had a part in welding public opin-
ion into a unified power behind high
way progress. Leading these organtza-
tons and the one directly responsible
for marshaling the facts upon which
Congress relies for its intelligent action
is the American Association of State
Highway OfncialS. Other national bodies
making toward q common aim In the
advancement Of public highways include
the American Farm Bureau Federation,
the National Grange, the National Au-
tomobile Chamber Of Commerce, the
American Federation Of Labor, which,
incidentally, has been lending its inf1u-
ence to road improvement for 40 years,
and the American Automobile AsSo-
citation.