Evening star., 1932-03-27
AMERICAN LEGION
BACKS ROAD FUND
Asks Favorable Action by
the Senate and Mr..
Hoover.

Passage Of the pending Federal
emergency highway construction bill,
appropriating s136,O00,OO0 for road
work all over the Nation, will be urged
upon Congress by the American
Legion as 'an economically sound and
definite measure of unemployment
relief, according to announcement from
the War Against Depression campaign
headquarters in New York City.
The Legion's united backing Of the
bill was made known in statement
from Henry L. Stevens, jr, national
commander of the organization and
general chairman Of the campaign,
who said that the Legion's legislative
representatives in Washington had been
directed to inform Senate leaders and
the White House of its stand The bill
H R. No. 9642-has passed the House
and been favorably reported out by
the Senate Committee on Post Offices
and Post Roads.
Employment Aid.
Under the stagger system, highway
construction throughout the country,
authorized by the bill, would put more
than 100000 men to work seasonally,
the statement from National Com
manoer Stevens said. About a third
OF the States have been financially un-
able to match the Federal appropria-
tions for road work, and the fund
made available by passage OF the bill
would enable them TO begin needed i'm
provements almost at once, 1t was said
Passage of the emergency highway
construction bill at this time will be
of almost immediate benefit to the
Ioy- cot
and in urging its adoption the Ameri
can Legion feels it is putting its
strength behind an economically sound
and definite measure OF unemployment
relief.
Our great effort now is to put job
less men back to work, and the records
OF the United States Bureau of Public
Roads show that from rs to 80 per cent
Of the average dollar spent in highway
construction goes ultimately to the
wage Garner either directly or through
employment in industries furnishing
materials No other type of public i'm
proyement gives such large share Of
the expenditure to labor and distributes
its benefits SO generally through the
country.
Our estimate that passage of this
bill would put more than 100000 Job
less men back to work on the stagger
plan is based on Government statistics,
proven by the past expenditures of Fed
eral highway construction funds. BY its
very nature the road work will be sea
Scnal, but by using the stagger system
OF employment this great army of job
less men-jobless through no fault Of
their own and facing the future with
discontent and despair-will be given
the chance to work and support them
selves and their dependents.
Aid to Business.
Better roads always have meant
better business, and no one can ques-
ton the wisdom of the expenditure of
Government funds for such a purpose.
We believe also that the example of the
Government will inspire the leaders of
business and industry to loosen their
purse strings and institute needed i'm
provementS and expansions, all of which
will furnish jobless men with employ
ment and lead to the economic reha-
bllltation OF our country.
Unless this bill becomes law thou
sands OF men will be added to the
ranks of the jobless. because employers
| all over the country will be forced to
discharge men now engaged in road
work"
The National Employment Commits
sion OF the American Legion, which, IN
cooperation with the American FEEDER
alton OF Labor, the Association of Ma
tional Advertisers and the American
Legion Auxiliary, has been conducting
the War Against Depression campaign
to put million men back to work, is
backing up the Legion's stand in urging
passage of the highway construction
bill, the headquarters announcement
said.
OF the s136. 900 900 appropriation
contained in the bill. the ALLEGATION
would be as follows: Federal aid high
way system. $l20,0 100000; national for
est highways, $4,000, 900; improvement
OF national forests. $1,000 900: roads and
trails, inclusive of necessary bridges In
national parks and national monu-
ments, $3,000,000; Indian reservation
roads, sl,000,000; main roads through
inappropriated or unreserved public
lands, non-taxable Indian lands or
other Federal reservations other than
forest reservations, 100000.