The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1956-08-02
THIS WEEK
WASHINGTON
ROadblOckS
REP. JOHN e. HENDERSON

Ht lIG1uSllL liltGI SdlS, lHoSS
who favor keeping the Fed
eral government engaged in
every depart tment renew
their effort to place road
block in the commendable pro-
gram to take Uncle Sam out of
some of its commercial-type
operations and let private enter
prise take over. The "get Gov
ernment out of competition with
business firms" program has long
been advocated by Congressional
committee and the Hoover Com
mission, whose reports have re-
vealed many examples of waste
full and expensive operations
which could be more economic
ally and efficiently handled by
private enterprise.
In 1855, a Legislative attempt
was initiated to make it more
difficult to continue the change
over. That effort was defeated,
as was another early in 1856.
Again, however, in the closing
days of this Congress-, an amend
ment was introduced to place
legislative restraint upon the
authority of the Secretary of De-
fense to convert such CONNER
cial type activities as a barber
shop, or laundry, or cleaning
establishment, from a Govern
ment operation to one conducted
by the initiative of private
citizens.
Certainly, the days has not
come when bureaucracy can cut
hair, or clean clothes, or for that
matter, build airplanes, dig coal,
practice medicine or run rail
roads, with more efficiency and
economy than the people them
selves, although some members
! of Congress would like US to
think so.
Highway Money
Prospects for improved high
ways under the recent Federal
Highway Act will be forthcom-
ing in the very near future, ac-
cording to information which l
have obtained from the Federal
Bureau of Public Roads last
week. The new legislation over
laps a highway aid program en-
acted in 1854 and for the next
twelve months Federal funds
authorized by both laws will be
available.
The Bureau has explained that
the interstate highway system
will receive Federal money in
the amount of SLIT billion in
the next year. This amount will
be progressively larger each
year until fiscal year 1860 when
the Federal contribution will
reach $22 billions over twelve
months. 1t will remain at the
yearly figure until fiscal year
1868 when it will be reduced to
SIS billions. In the last year of
the program (July 1868 July
1869 it will be $l.02 billions.
| AS of June 80, 1856, Ohio had
an unprogrammed balance of $43
millions for interstate highways
under this program. The State
has already submitted recon-
mendations of more than twice
that amount. Under this program
for interstate projects, the Fed
era government contributes 900
of the cost with 1870 to come
| from the State.
| Possibly of even more import
ance to Southeastern Ohio is the
program for primary, secondary,
and urban roads and highways.
Under this program, the State
must match Federal funds on a
500 5000 basis. For the next
| twelve months Ohio's share of
| federal funds is $129 millions
| for primary roads, $7.79 millions
for secondary roads, and $1l.8
millions for urban highways for
a total of 1927 millions.
| AS of June 80, the State has
notified Washington of plans to
use $7.44 millions for primary
roads, $1.90 millions for second
ary roads and $3.9 millions for
the urban system. Additional
State programs for the remain
ing $18.39 million will undoubt-
edly be submitted at later date.
| Considerably more Federal
money will be available for
primary, secondary, and urban
roads starting in June 1857
through June 1859. Major control
of fbiS proorarp iS left IN the