r 



^saL^y 



WHAT R^AL ROADS DO FOR 



Photograph from Office of Public Roads 

 THE PEOPLE 



"In comprehensive transportation plans it is now essential that highways be given equal, 

 if not greater, consideration than rail lines. Main arteries must accept the multiplying traffic 

 of the tributary roads, which means rugged construction and systematic maintenance." 



much more insistently it must apply to 

 highways building in connection with 

 those roads within a State which unite 

 with similar roads in adjoining States ; 

 for if we are a nation, why should inter- 

 course cease or hesitate when a State's 

 horder is crossed ? 



FEDERAL AID FOR STATES IN BUILDING 

 GOOD ROADS 



Under the provisions of the Federal 

 Aid Road Act, achieved by the distin- 

 guished Senator from Alabama, John H. 

 Bankhead, the money contributed from 

 the national treasury, to which the States 

 add a like amount, can only be expended 

 upon roads over which United States 

 mail is delivered or may be delivered. 

 There exists no provision whereby mili- 

 tary needs can be taken into considera- 

 tion, and the present situation demands 

 the early passage of a law which will 

 grant to the Secretary of War authority 

 to build roads used by the army. The 

 Chamberlain-Dent bill gives the Secretary 

 of War authority to build military roads 



into the authorized cantonments and 

 camps from nearest railroad or water 

 transportation centers. At the present 

 time he is authorized to spend millions 

 for building the camps, but not a cent to 

 construct a road within their limits nor 

 to connect them 'with anywhere else. The 

 War Department thus finds its hands tied 

 when it comes to obtaining a more com- 

 plete line of communication with its sol- 

 dier cities in the Southland, where for 

 years the problem of roads has scarcely 

 been touched, owing to the poverty of a 

 great many counties, as well as slowness 

 of the people in realizing the importance 

 of all-year highways. 



Not until the motor-road travelers be- 

 gan to multiply and gradually extended 

 their journey ings from county to county, 

 and then from State to State, did we be- 

 gin seriously to consider and view things 

 from the national standpoint. 



True, the number of our States had 

 gradually increased until there were 

 forty-eight, connected in a way which at 

 times betrayed startling defects in na- 



487 



