Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-26
MOTOR-MINDED CONGRESSMAN
FAVOR GOOD ROAD PROPOSALS
Car Users Make Laws, and American Body
Is Held Largest Legislative Group in
World to Push Hig hways.

latter "Is this practice general" wss
the query. 1T certainly is, and 1t is
increasing in popularity was the re-
ply.
Representative Cassius C. DowelI of
the Des Moines, Iowa, district, aid
chairman of the House committee on
roads, is an outstanding example of
those members, who believe in practic-
ing what they preach, automotively.
Mr.. Dowell soon will have served Is
years in Congress. 1t Is not of record
just how long he has found the trip
from and to DeS MoineS by highway
so desirable as to travel that way, but
he has been doing this for some
time. The distance one way, between
1,450 miles, based on the table of dis
tances used in determining travel al
lowances on Capitol Hill.
Quorums Possible on Highways.
Again, on the other side of the Hill,
Senator Wesley L. Jones of Seattle
thinks little Of stepping on the gas,
shifting the gear, starting for Seattle
and reversing the procedure when he
starts back to Washington. On the way
back and forth Senator Jones and Rep
resentative Dowell could hold commit
tee meetings, with quorumS present
every once in awhile, doubtless, as they
meet and greet other motoring col
leagues.
And so it goes as to the travel-mind-
edneSS of the National Congress. So
pronounced is it that, while the sugges-
ton of Marines in Haiti, a duty on steel
or hides, the ethics or non-ethicS of
lobbying or which political party was
foreordained to save the country may
quickly cause such row out of a clear
sky as to have the galleries sitting tense
and thinking of the stories to be told
when once more back home, mention of
cash for highways means q love feast,
with members on the two sides of the
chambers vying with each other only in
saying II did it first
There is another angle to this eager
ness upon the part of members of Con-
greSS to support appropriations for high
ways, aside from their own personal in
terest in the same. Such support means
warm approval of their acts upon the
part Of the folks back home" those
whose votes say who shall or shall not
represent them in Washington, Fortu-
nately, in this particular, views Of mem
berS and voters alike are as one. But
qualification felt back In the district"
over a members support of Federal aid
to roads Is none the less sincere because
the two minds happen to meet on the
proposition.
Phipps Backs Moves.
Senator Lawrence w. Phipps of Colo
RADIO, chairman of the Senate commit
tee on post offices and post roads, which
committee handles highway legislation
in that branch of the Congress, con-
Sistently has sponsored and supported
measures for the betterment of high
ways throughout the land. Senator
Phipps owns two or three motor cars.
thus testifying to the faith that he has
In the vital need for motorized trans
portation in this day and age
AS has been suggested, in order to get
q picture Of the individual members of
the two houses who are sold on modern
~ built highway transportation, it is
necessary to start with the committees
on post of1ces and post roads of the
Senate, and OF roads In the House, and
then 60 down the line alphabetically as
to memberships in both houses and see
them all line up on the Affirmative side.