Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-11

Engineering students today who spe-
cialize in highway engineering will find
many avenues Of employment open to
them as they 60 from the halls Of learn
ing to the beckoning fields OF life
career. ....s
Highway engineering means in q gen.
eral sense all activities that have to do
with the highway industry, sixth of the
Nations industries from q standpoint
of finance and ranking among the lead
ers in the number OF people associated
In 1t.
Last year 5,651 900 motor vehicles
were produced in the United States and
Canada, with q valuation of some So
483. 100000. These with those already
In use brought q total registration fig-
ure for the year of 20. 400, 900 motor We
hicles, an per cent gain in registration
over 1928.
Twenty-six million motor cars and
trucks that have to have somewhere to
go! OF the total 3,0l6.28l miles of
highways in the United States. $50 900
miles are surfaced. The rest range from
mountain trails to fairly serviceable
secondary roads.
Plenty Of Work Ahead.
These facts show plenty OF work
ahead for the road builders. Automo-
bile registration grows by leaps and
bounds. Highways must keep the pace.
There is no other solution to the in
creasingly difficult traffic problem.
The vast scope of the highway indus
try Is of such nature as to affect the
daily life Of every citizen OF every ma
ton OF the world, for there are not
many nations today that are not build
least they are hoping for them.
In the United States more than a
quarter century of time has elapsed
since the first road enthusiasts" en-
dured the jeerS and the criticism OF
those who said that sit couldn't be
DONE" It is q far cry from the mud
wallows and the forest trails OF those
days to the efficient and magnificent
boulevards that stretch, wide and
country today.
The American public has not failed
to appreciate the benefits that followed
In the wake of the good roads move
ment. If they were unappreciative at
first, they have caught the enthusiasm
in recent years, for the evident facts
could not be ignored.
Appropriation Increased.
When Congress this year took up the
question of adding an additional
$50 100000 yearly to the present
$75 900 900, which is given the States to
build the highways in the Federal-a1d
program, there was little, II any, adverse
comment. Both the Senate and the
House of Representatives quickly passed
the bill, although 1t became tangled
later in legislative red tape. President
Hoover had previously urged the in
creased construction OF highways as an
aid to national prosperity and to ale
viate the unemployment situation, and
he had also encouraged road building IN
his message to Congress.
Abroad, the nations that have been
active in road building have likewise
reaped the benefits of their efforts and
they, like the United States, are now
ready to increase their programs and
spend greater sums than ever before Tor
With the possible exception Of few
of the European nations, such as Eng
land, France, Germany and Italy. most
foreign countries lag far behind the
United States, not only in the amounts
they spend for roads, but in their
methods of construction. They lack
also the modern machinery which
American manufacturers produce.
Russia at present Is spending vast
sums for machinery III this country
and American highway engineers are i'll
great demand there to build roads on
the American plan. The Soviet govern
ment has made great appropriations OF
government money for road conStruc-
ton. China and Africa are also awak-
ening to their need Of highways and
these great expanses OF undeveloped
country offer an outlet, beWildering in Its
scope, for American highway materials
and man power.
Old Methods Change.
This Nation unquestionably leads the
world in It's advancement in the high
way field. The methods OF a quarter
century ago in vogue, when road funds
were considered as political "plums"
and all highway contracts were entan-
when highway officials were named as
reward for service TO their political
masters rather than for their engineer
ing skill, are fast disappearing.
Business efficiency has entered the
field. The system with which Federal
aid is distributed to the States and by
which the primary highways are being
rushed to completion, the building of
city streets by municipal government
and OF county and secondary highways
by local units; all are subject first to
comprehensive and cooperative plan
ming such as never has been known be-
fore. Traffic needs are studied COM
mercial advancement Is considered,
serving the greatest ends to all the peo-
pie are the elements which decide where
the public funds shall be spent In road
construction.
Financing has been developed to a
point where certain sum does not now
have 10 be collected by taxes and in
the public treasury before such amount
may be turned over n road authorities.
Bonding has proven thdbpughly reliable