Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-12-18

place of existing special excise levies,
which bear so heavily on the motor
vehicle. But we are unalterably op-
posed to Federal gaso inc tax on any
other basis than applied to other
commodities"
Road Construction Urged.
So that States may go on with road
construction and job-giving programs,
immediate action by Congress in con-
tinuing the regular Federal aid road
appropriations was urged in resolutions
adopted at the recent convention OF
the American Association of State
Highway Officials.
The association points out that au-
thorizations for Federal aid terminate
with the fiscal year ending June 80,
1893.
Because of the large road task and
the great numbers of workmen de-
pendent on highway building. Congress
should again make $l25, 1000, 900 avail
able for roads for each Of the fiscal
years 1884 and 1885, declares the
association
It is further asserted that even with
annual appropriations Of SIPS, 000. 900
the States will have less Federal money
for roads than In 1882, because emer-
gency Federal road advances and loans
from the Reconstruction Finance Cor
poration must be repaid to the Federal
Government from future Federal aid
allotment.
w. c. Markham. executive secretary
of the association, in his annual report
declared:
In August. 1882, an average road
building month. 1913 900 men were en-
ployed in State highway work, directly
on the job, including Federal aid prof.
ectS. This means that one out Of every
367 persons in the United States was
earning his livelihood through State
road construction by direct work, while
there were at least two men preparing
and transporting material to the jobs,
making in all at least 100000 men
given employment for State road work
only. If for no other reason than the
provision Of Jobs, Federal aid should
be continued on its present basis"
Change In Travel Reported.
The trend Of travel during the past
Summer season was toward resorts and
play places adjacent to the large cen
District of Columbia division Of the
American Automobile Association.
"Vacationists remained nearer their
homes and adjusted their vacation plans
to their pocketbooks," the division re-
ports. Economy was the controlling
factor in the movement of the army
of recreationists All this was to the
advantage of resorts and historic
shrines which in the past have suf-
fered from the appeal of distant va
cation objectives.'
The statement accompanied report
that motor travel to Yellowstone Ma
tional Park, one of the outstanding
American tourist objectives. was off
nearly 80 per cent this year as COM
pared with 1881. The playground of
geysers was visited during the 1882
season by 127,985 motor visitors, as
compared with l80. $50 last year.
Travel Expenditures Huge.
Statisticians who have been at work
on a mass of very large figures re-
port their computations show highway
Sill 900, 900. 900 enterprise in 1882. even
though it is the third year of the de-
preston.
The study is reported by the General
Committee of the Highway and Build
ing Congress, which will convene in
Detroit next month.
The figure on the stature Of highway
transportation is arrived at by de-
termining the mileage of motor vehicle
travel and multiplying it by the av-
erage cost of vehicle operation per
mile. The result was figure exceed
ing Sill 100000
Indications point to a gasoline
consumption of approximately 15.000,-
100000 gallons this year" the report
stated. The average vehicle is eSti-
mated to yield II miles to the gallon
of fuel. which indicates that total
mileage traversed will be 10000 900 900.
THE most searching study Of vehicle
operating costs. made by the engineer
ing department of Iowa State College,
places the expense for the average car
at ga cents per mile. Multiplying the
1870, 900, 100000 total mileage by this
figure gives product of s11 $50 900 900.
Nine items are included in the esti-
mated cost per mile of operation. They
are fuel, oil, tires and tubes, mainte-
nance, depreciation. registration fee,
garage. interest and insurance"
Charles M. Upham chairman Of the
Highway Congress Committee. finds
that, although this year will show a
decline in motor vehicle use as COM
pared with 1880 and 1881. it will COM
pare favorably with the figure for 1929.