OCR Text |
Show FEDERAL ROAD PLAN IS ADVOCATED W ASHINGTON, D C That military mili-tary opinion, both here and' with the American expeditionary forces abroad, favors a comprehensive federal road plan, is becoming Inceaslngly apparent. appar-ent. Those high in the councils of the war department have accumulated a complete understanding of the highways high-ways and are deeply interested in any legislative plan in congress which seeks country -wide roads communication communi-cation and Includes consideration of possible military needs. Preceding the departure from the Ellipse, Bouth of the White House, of (he motor convoy of the U. S. army motor transports corps, on Its long journey from Washington to San Francisco, ih'- secretary of war dedicated dedi-cated the "zero milestone" with an address ad-dress which contained pronounced comment as to the wisdom of establishing estab-lishing a nation-wide road system Mr Baker referred to the departure of the army motor train, with its siv.? trucks and two hundred odd soldiers, as "the b'Kirming of a new era." He designated desig-nated the world was a "a war of motor there Included as among the "purposes "pur-poses of the trip": "The war department's depart-ment's contribution to the good roads movement for the purpose of developing develop-ing the construction of through-route and transcontinental highways as a military and economic asset." That the expeditionary forces are giving the American highways situation situ-ation positive attention, is sel forth to Chairman Diehl of the A. A. A. Good roads board in a communication from the editor of the "Amaroc News." now printed at Coblenz, Germany. Ger-many. This publication is devoting much space to good mid:, ma Iters, and a recent article by ('apt a M. Flint, of Indianapolis, contains these pert! nen parapraphs. ' 'The most urgent necessity of our country In the immediate future Is good roads, permanent roads that can be used twelve months In each year. "The roads of America today are absolutely inadequate, inefficient and antiquated. They are designed to carrj the heavy traffic now. what will become of them in the future ! "It Is a vital problem, this question of roads, one that reaches down into tip ver foundation of our social and economic scheme of life, for roads are the clearing houses for the various states and the only means of free travel. "In no small measure the success of the allies is due to the great arteries arter-ies of travel, which the farsighted Frenchmen had constructed in the time of peace. Subjected to a constant con-stant stream of heavy traffic for over four years, such as is largely beyond the imagination of those who have not seen for themselves, these roads stood the ter. , summer and winter, spring and fall, and made possible those vie- j tories which resulted in driving the Hun back across the Rhine. Whether those who are opposed to the building of highways are purposely blind to these facts, is not known. In the true sense, they are obstructionists They j are a drawback to any community. They are uncivilized. America, be- cause of her government, permits these creatures to hibernate and live among us. "Since the time is approaching when all of the expeditionary forces will return across the seas. It Is Inevitable that their thoughts should be more and more of home, their minds re-' re-' lieved of the worry of war I America has made a wonderful record rec-ord during the war; her fame has spread far and wide by the manner in which her men responded to the call to arms. Are we to show less foresight or less determination in meeting the problems of peace? "We are faced again with a great problem, for our national prosperity, education and social intercourse of the immediate future demand that this disadvantage of roads be overcome. This can only be done by honest legislators legis-lators making laws, the enforcement of which shall be placed in the hands of men who hao passed the test, by service in the construction and maintenance of highways Good roads mean extended prosperity to America " |