Milford chronicle., 1940-06-28
DOWN THE ROAD
BY CHARLES n. uPHAM
Eneineer- Directer
American Roaa BuildsE1s Association
Washinsiea, y. Q.
ROADS AND FREEDOM
zee
The rockets red glare,
The bombs bursting In air,
Gave proof through the night
That our flag was still there.

LdNG DIOQA ANIOukN tAAG
That our flag was still there.
More than a century and a hall
has passed since Francis Scott Key
penned these immortal words His
song, which SO elOquently expressed
the spirit of '76, has never been
more meaningful than IN 1870. To-
day, a United States at peace is firm
in its hard-won right to life, liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness, free
from control by any nation across
the sea. An ocean lies between us
and the bombs bursting in Europe.
The rockets whose red glare will
paint the skies on the Fourth OF
July win be set OF by the hands Of
peaceful celebrants OF Americas g
successful fight for independence.
Americans will celebrate Indepen-
dence Day this year with more than
usual thought for the significance
Of the occasion. July orators will
find new meaning in the phrases,
freedom of speech" freedom OF
the press and freedom Of wOr-
ship" These constitutional guaran-
tees can no longer be taken for
granted and forgotten. The citizens
rights are being destroyed with
alarming speed IN the Old World.
The United States Is forced to em-
bark en- a gigantic preparedness
program. The nation must make
ready to defend It's rights II the need
arises
The possibility Of foreign inya-
sion Of these shores is no pleasant
consideration. America has In the
past rested secure In the confidence
that two oceans are protection
enough. Today, that confidence IL
shaken. Adequate defense has be-
come one Of the nations most inn
portant needs. We must now be pre-
pared to meet attack cn either coast
Although we are speedily taking
steps to increase the size OF our
armed forces, we cannot expect to
build up an army large enough to
defend our long eastern coastline,
plus a duplicate force that can al
ways be stationed in the West.
Instead. we must have mobile
army that can quickly move from
place to place. II we are attacked
on the West Coast, when our main
forces are stationed in the East,
Il must be possible to send help to
the invaded area with the least pos
sible delay. The United States Army
Is doing it's best TO make rapid trans
portatiOn possible. Every branch is
speeding up the addition Of motor
ized uats. The growth Of rapid, me
chanized fighting equipment has
been phenomenal. Our men, arms
and supplies are today carried on
rHbber-tired wheels Unfortunately,
however, rubber wheels and gaso-
line and diesel engines are not the
only requirements for rapid move
ment. Our hopes for the future may
some day be In the hands Of AM
erIca's armed forces. Their ability
10 fulfill these hopes may In turn
rest ON Americas highway system.
How we'll are our highways pre-
pared to meet the test OF modern
warfareg You will receive striking
answer to that question II you, like
thousands OF other Americans, cell
ebrate the Fourth Of July with a
motor trip. You will find the high
ways congested aud incapable Of
meeting the demands Of modern traf-
fic. You will lose many minutes In
traffic tie-ups, minutes that might be
priceless TO an army IN wartime. Il
sou leave the main highways, you
will find many miles Of unimproved
dirt roads, roads over which food
stufs must be transported from the
farms to the army In the event of
war. You will probably experience
at least one narrow escape from ac-
cident at a sharp curve, railroad
grade crossing or some other high
way hazard. You will return home
at night with darkness added 70 the
other dangers Of driving. And you
will find reports OF hundreds OF
deaths and injuries due 70 holiday |
traffic In your morning newspaper.
The trafic that you will find on
the roads on July 4 will be small IN
to the numbers that
must use these same roads IN war
time. The inadequacy OF our high
ways becomes increasingly appar-
ent as we consider the need for speed
IN the transportation Of troops,
arms and supplies. We must streng-
then our army, navy and air force.
We must also perfect our highway
system that we may be always cer-
tain OF an Affirmative answer to the
query,
on say. does that star-spangled banner
Der the land Of the free and the home
Of the braveg