Evening star., 1940-01-01

BY BLAIR MOODY.
Two factors have contributed
chiefly to the congestion and con-
fusion that mark most of the al
legged arterial highways which move
or stall-rush-hou traffic in our
major cities. Congress shortly will
have an opportunity to CO some
thing about both.
The first is the current, antedi-
luvian system of acquiring rights of
way. It is slow. 1t is expensive.
It is pain in the neck.
The second is that familiar friend
finance Few, if any, are the
cities which can survey their post
depression budgets and crack into
either bond or tax column for the
millions necessary to turn ancient,
narrow, COW paths, now piled high
with brick on either side, into rea-
sonably wide. safe channels for
traffic.
1t is not that these cities, or at
least the States with which they
can or should cooperate, will not
have plenty of money to do bang
up job of street widening and con-
struction of Limited way elevated
and depressed highways in the next
few years.
They will have the money. 1t will
be provided by the taxpayers, in
gasoline, license and other levies,
and, whether the rush-hour prob
lem Is solved or whether it is al
lowed to tester until it affects ad-
versely the value of the motor car,
the money will be spent somewhere,
on some roads, anyway.
Horse-and-Buggy Laws.
But the way cities now have to
90 about it, hamstrung as they are
by horse-and-buggy laws, they have
little chance to do job" The
course is so complex and the cost
so onorous that there has been no
chance to make sweeping correc-
tions. The best that has been posi-
ble is a magnificent development
here or there, relieving d single
situation but leaving the situation
as a whole nearly as bad as ever.
Under the terms of a bill laid be-
fore Congress by Senator Carl Hay
den of Arizona and Representative
Wilburn Cartwright of Oklahoma
cities would not have to string out
their improvements a stretch this
year and job next, as usually has
been the case. For Congress would
chart and start comprehensive
program, which would, incidentally,
provide thousands of jobs where they
are most needed.
1t would sweep aside the con-
demnation" hurdle, where one
greedy property owner or stupid
conscientious objector" can now
hold up an improvement for months
by stringing out court appeals.
And it would make available money
for financing in such a way that
States and cities would be silly not
to take it.
No New Deal Program.
This is no New Deal spending
program. President Roosevelt is
4ol ~, WV ~ OOCS 1lOU 1llVOltC Ca.
penditure of dollar in addition to
the present system of Federal road
aid, nor any increase in national
debt not thoroughly covered by self
liquidating bonds. In fact, its spon-
sors, who include industriahsts
seemingly afraid some one will dub
1t New Deal program, want the
impetus to come as much as possible
from public demand" and as little
as possible from political sources, as
they seek unity of political in
terest in Congress behind a proposal
they believe will benefit every one.
But what can Congress do about
It? Is not the money now used hap
hazardly in the States, which Fed
eral Road Commissioner Thomas H
Mcdonald and his supporters would
like to see used "for first things
FIRST" purely a State responsibility
of State officials? How can Uncle
Sam stick his fist into the mess, even
in good cause?
Senator Hayden and Representa-
tive Cartwright reply that said Uncle
already has stuck his fist in, a fist
bulging with dollar bills. Not many,
Of course, when placed beside the
total spent annually for roads and
streets, but still enough to make
any State think for long time be-
fore turning them down.
Safeguards Local Rights.
The Hayden-Cartwright proposal
Is surrounded with ample safe
guards for local rights. 1t is de-
signed to break up traffic jams
rather than gather power.
Specifically, the measure, based on
the exhaustive report prepared by
Mr.. Mcdonald looking into where
road relief is needed and why, would
do two things:
/. It would give the Department
of Justice power, at-mark well!-
the request of State or city, to
condemn land for highway purposes.
1t would set up procedure follow
ing that now used in North Caro-
lima and a couple of other States
which permits taking over the land
first and arguing over the price
afterward.
2. It would create, as an offshoot
Of the Reconstruction Finance Corp,
q Federal land authority which could
underwrite financing Of major i'm
provements when submitted by
States or cities and approved by
the Federal Road Bureau.
This land authority would act in
similar capacity to F. H. AS guar
antees in the building field. It would
lend the Governments credit, issu-
ing bonds and channeling the money
to local authorities to pay land costs
But, In the long run, it would not
cost the Governmentanything, its ad-
vocates contend, since States would
be required to post as security
pledges to redeem the bonds from
road money they already anticipate
both State gas and license tax rev.
enue and Federal road-aid money
The Federal Land Authority would