To involve logically the National Government in the highways progress of the country and to further discussion and action which will produce a plan satisfactory to the roads advocates of the various States, is the reason given by the A. A. A. National Good Roads Board for calling the second Federal Aid Good Roads Convention, to which have been invited all organizations interested in this subject. In the course of the five sessions at the Hotel Raleigh, in Washington, March 6 and 7, the entire subject will be comprehensively considered by a representative assemblage of good roads advocates. The holding of the convention in Washington insures the attendance of many members of Congress, who in numerous instances will serve as delegates for their local Boards Of Trade, and for automobile and good roads associations.
Though purposely the programme has been left somewhat open in order to provide adequate time for several general discussions, an outline of the proceedings indicates its scope. For the morning session of March 6 the registration of delegates, organization of the convention, and the appointment of the Resolutions Committee will occupy the time, with a probable conclusion in the form of a call on the President of the United States at the White House. For the afternoon gathering invitations to address the convention have been extended to Senator Jonathan Bourne, Jr., of Oregon, Chairman of the Joint Committee on Federal Aid for the Sixty-second Congress; Dorsey W. Shackleford of Missouri, Vice Chairman of the same committee; Henry W. Anderson of Richmond, Va., an advocate of good roads and participant in many conventions; and Jean de Pulligny, Director of the French Mission of Engineers, and Chief Engineer of Roads and Bridges of France. Logan Waller Page, Director of the office of Public Roads of the Department of Agriculture, will preside at this session.
In the evening addresses will include those by C. S, Stetson, Chairman of the National Grange Executive Committee; Warden Thomas J. Tynan of the Colorado State Penitentiary, who has made a success of the employment of convicts in road building; and Charles Thaddeus Terry, Chairman of the American Automobile Association Legislative Board. Mr. Tynan’s talk will be illustrated, and will be followed by an additional illustrated exposition of road building in California and the Southwest.
On Friday, March 7, the morning will be given up to the spokesmen of the most important proposed inter-State roads which are under consideration in all parts of the country. The list represents a countrywide belief in the present necessity for establishing both inter-State and intra-State roads. Spokesman will give facts in relation to the National Old Trails Ocean-to-Ocean Road, Quebec-Miami International Road, Lakes-to-Gulf Road, Meridian Road, Pacific Highway, Southern Transcontinental Highway, Santa Fé Trail, Memphis-to-Bristol Highway, Cross Arkansas Highway, Cross Missouri Highway, Omaha-Denver Road, Platte Valley Transcontinental Road, Iowa Transcontinental Road, Golden Belt Road, Iowa River-to-River Road, Jackson Highway, Crest of the Blue Ridge Highway, and Park-to-Park Road. In the afternoon State representatives will have their opportunity, and fully two-thirds of the Commonwealths will have spokesman present. The meeting will conclude with a report of the Committee on Resolutions, in which all parts of the country will have a voice.