REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRTCULTURE. 39 



maintain a system of highways " to comprise not less than 2 per 

 cent nor more than 5 j^er cent of the total highway mileage ac- 

 tually used as such in any State as ascertained by the 

 commission hereinafter provided for, nor less than 2 per cent 

 nor more than 4 per cent of the total highway mileage actually 

 used as such in all of the States as ascertained by the commission, 

 and affording convenient ingress to and egress from each State at not 

 less than three points and connecting with highways forming part 

 of the national highway system in adjoining States." The commis- 

 sion is given the power to select or establish the highways to be 

 comprised in the system, after having requested the State highway 

 departments to recommend routes, and to determine the order in 

 which all or parts of such highways shall be constructed, recon- 

 structed, improved, repaired, and maintained. The Federal Govern- 

 ment is to assume the maintenance of these roads. The commission 

 is furthermore empowered to take over the work of the Department 

 of Agriculture relating to highway transportation, to construct and 

 maintain buildings outside the District of Columbia, to operate 

 housing and subsistence facilities and commissary stores for the 

 benefit of its emploj^ees and others engaged on work under its direc- 

 tion, and to purchase, lease, operate, and maintain such motor and 

 other transportation facilities as it may deem necessary in the per- 

 formance of its duties. 



In considering any proposal of this sort, certain fundamental con- 

 siderations must be borne in mind: (1) The roads in each section of 

 the country are of varying degrees of importance in the service which 

 they render or may render to the particular locality, to the State, and 

 to the Nation as a wliole; (2) this is a big country and the traffic con- 

 ditions and needs vary greatlj'^ from section to section; (3) the State 

 highway dej)artments, being in immediate touch with local conditions, 

 are best able to classify the roads properly on the basis of the economic 

 purpose which they may serve; (4) the Federal Government, under 

 the Federal aid road act, is cooperating in the improvement of the 

 roads of greatest importance, the classification of which is fixed by 

 the State highway departments; and (5) when this classification has 

 been carefully made and by agreement between the highway depart- 

 ments of adjoining States, the roads of first importance generally 

 meet at State boundaries, and, therefore, become interstate highways 



