Salt Lake Tribune | 1919-03-09 | Page 26 | Supercampaigns for Good Highways

WCWJ0I5 j FBrl GODOMUYSi Universal Demand for Road Determents Is Now Apparent. Newspapers and Magazines by Thousands Enlisted in Publicity Work. The Lincoln Highway association 'a headquarters at Detroit, Mich., is in j a particularly good position to l'eel tho pulse of American public sentiment in connection with highway construction. The organization subscribes to clipping servlcos covering the entiro union, and is weekly in receipt of clippings from every, paper in the United States, containing con-taining all road 'comment published. From inspection of editorial comment and news items concerning road con-' con-' utruction plans or bonds votod and projects under way; published since the signing of thi armistice, iu upwards of 1200 newspapers and magazines in every state in the union, A. F. Bemout, secretary of the Lincoln Highway association, asso-ciation, concludes that nevor before baa thero beon such a universal and 'widespread 'wide-spread demand for immediate road construction of the proper character and on a vast scale. "Not only has the amount of space devoted by the papers of the United States to the irnportauea of the highway high-way question been tremendously increased in-creased Binco the ending of the war over any period iu my experience, which has covered the past five of six years, speDt in close touch with the American highway situation," said Mr. Beinent, "but also there is a surprising unanimity una-nimity of 'sentiment on the part of the papers from every part of the union, and from sections which hitherto were inclined to decry the expenditure of funds for highway construction. "In states and" counties and whole sections of the union, where in the past a close scrutiny of ' the public press would indicate a wide diversity of opinion as to the necessity of expending ex-pending public funds for additional road construction, and where once controversies flourished between local newspapers and local political parties as to the wisdom Or desirability or necessity of road improvement, thero now is "no such situation evident. All Factions United. "All parties, all factions seem united and unanimous in the opinion that it behooves every county, twonship and state in the union, as well as the federal fed-eral government, to get busy at once and devote every possible dollar available avail-able and every effort which can be concentrated upon the program to increase in-crease the mileage of America's properly prop-erly constructed highway aud to linking up through connected routes, for the purpose or interstate transportation. The ?uestiou of providing necessary work or the hundreds of tbousands of re- turned soldiers i3 also commcutcd m extensively. "From every seetiiii of tlic m. comes a call for immediate decisu upon the highway question and an :: mediate start upon a constructive p gram. ' ' Papers which once gave but ii scantiest Attention to the imporii question of their local highway t, structibn, or in the past took a tiouary attitudo towards proper hi; way improvement and advocated, . was the popular thing to do in ma soctions of the union two or it: yoars ago, standing pat on a mud ic basis, are now devoting column! i editorial and news matter, not only i their local situation, but to the bioi ened outlook of a state highway ivii. and the necessity for a comprehend plan for linking up the various il highway systems into a unit of mu'l scone and utility. "The American public has mr been arou6ad to the vital necessity i-public i-public interest and attention to Ar ea's highway problem. It is oo Ion an abstraction to the average AuMrirv. The great war has tremendously . celerated our road building prop; and will probably ultimately advance :i progress by a decade."