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Show REPORT ON JHY J 3 ft l on I 0 War Department Recommends Real Roads and Bridges as Aid in War Time WASHINGTON, u. C, May 15. De- " daring tho problems of highway con- l struction aro national rather than the p concern of the Individual states, the report of tho war department to the t high ways committee of congress, sum- f marlzoa conclusions reached as a re- e suit of the army convoy of soventy- three trucks which blazed a trail from Washington to the Pacific coast, last j summer. Tho report recommended tho construction of a federal system of national highways. Urging ad a coiumerclaj asset, the need for "a comprehensive system of national highways," the report voices the opinion that the transportation ar- tcrios of tho country should bo built C to accommodate the rapid movement of heavy vehicles during any .season E vof tho year. Necossity for Roads Seen. Tho recommendations of the depart- ; ment are as follows: "First That the necessity for a comprohonslve system of national highways including transcontinental or : through routes east and west, and i north and -south, is real and urgent, as a commercial assot to further col- onlzo and develop the sparselv settled 'l sections of tho country, and, f'lnallv as i a defensive military necessity. Conditions in West. m i. j . i . ... . i ouuuu Him me existing roads and brings, especially In the sparsely settled sections of the middle and far I western states, aro absolutely incapable incapa-ble of meeting the present day traffic' I requirements, and until modern types I of roads and bridges are constructed which will permit tho rapid movement of heavy motor cargo vehicles during any season of the year and In all conditions con-ditions of weather, economical transcontinental trans-continental highway traffic will continue con-tinue .lto bo but a vain hope. Not Alone Local Problems. ! "Third That the road problems of tho middle and far western states arc national rather than local problems, as these states, while possessing vast area and tremendous mileage of high- Iways, have only a sparse population which cannot possibly undertake ' the needed highway improvement work, which moreover is usually of greater Importance to (he country as a wholo than to the individual states. ' "Fourth That the radius of action' and resulting utility value of the motor mo-tor vehicle Is limited only by the condition con-dition of tho roads, and that the provision pro-vision of adequate roads will have a far reaching effect on the economic development of the country at large. Co-ordinate Vehicle Typeo, "Fifth That the types of motor vehicles, ve-hicles, especially those used by the army, should be co-ordinate with the road conditions. In other words, until un-til such time as all sections of the country are connected by Improved highways that arc, passablo to heavy motor vehicle traffic at all seasons of the year, the size and weight of vein-cles vein-cles should bo limited to types of light and medium capacities." |