The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-09-14

money rolling out of the
federal treasury during the
next biennium will be some
S200.000.000 for roads and
highways. chiefly to be con.
structed with reference tC
points of national defense.
Fort Lewis is interested.
Three road projects that re-
quire immediate attention are
ID an underpass under Pa
cific highway near the main
gate of the reservation; (2)
improvement of the road net
work within the fort; and (3l
construction of a new road
linking Fort Lewis proper
with the new 41st division
eantonment area where the
Northwest national guards
men will be in training for a
year.
Federal Works Administra-
tor Carmody has indicated
states will be required to
match fedora. funds for regu-
lar federal aid and for sec
ondary or feeder roads: grade
crossing eliminations by UNI
derpasses or overpasses are
to be paid for entirely with
federal funds.
Allocated to Washington
are the following amounts
from this future fund: Regu-
lar federal aid roads, S1,573,-
600; feeder roads. $275, 900 {;
grade crossings, 100000.
Total, $2,148, 900.
So far, so good. Unless
the Fort Lewis-McChord field
Tacoma area gets the bulk Of
that, it won't be enough.
Adequate underpass or
over pass construction at Fort
Lewis and Camp Murray, the
state reservation, would eat
up that $500, 900 in no time.
Present grade crossings in
the military area are viciously
hazardous to military person
mel and to civilians driving
on the main north-south state
highway in Western Wash
ington. This situation should
have immediate attention for
the earliest possible correc-
ton.
In view of the long time
training period now planned,
and the increased permanent
personnel at McChord Field
and Fort Lewis, some provis-
ion of adequate federal funds
should be made for alternate
routes connecting these points
with Tacoma. There's much
too much traffic on the Ia
coma-Fort Lewis -0l y m p a
highway to be safely accom-
modated on the existing fac
ilities with the new military
burden added.
WHAT has become of Vice
I" President Jack Garner?
That query has become more
than a by-word these days.
AS far as known, Cactus
Jack" is not in the national
capital. He is presumed to
be at home in Uvalde, Texas,
"sulking in his tent" He
was undoubtedly disappointed
that President Roosevelt
smashed tradition and was
renominated for a third term.
However, that does not en-
title him, as an elected officer
of the United States, to stay
at home and neglect vital
duties, viz, presiding over the
United States senate.
If Vice-President Garner
wants to stay at home and
sulk that is his business. But,
he owes a duty not only TO
his party, but to the country
as a whole to discharge those
duties for which he was
elected. If he doesn't want
to do so, then it is for him
to resign his post, give up
the salary that goes with the
office, and let someone else
carry on as presiding officer
Of the senate.
II is sad enough to be disap-
pointed in politics, but much
worse to permit it TO vinegar
a disposition to the point
where those who were friends
of the venerable Texas states
man hesitate to say they
formerly had admired him.
Fisherman that he is, he
should, in the vernacular,
fish or cut bait"