Mr. McDONALD. No, sir; we have none. Mr. WOLCOTT. How are you going to raise the money, following the war, to match your proportion of the $3,000,000,000, if you haven't built up a reserve? Mr. McDONALD. There has not been a reserve; no, sir. Mr. WOLCOTT. How are you going to get the money? Mr. McDONALD. The Governor has assured us he will support this program. Mr. WOLCOTT. Now, wait a minute. I hope that doesn't come within the category of campaign promises. But how is the Governor going to get the money to match the Federal Government's allocation? Mr. McDONALD. Well, that is a financial angle that I cannot answer. Mr. WOLCOTT. That is a detail that has got to be worked out? I see. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Mr. McDonald. Idaho is next. STATEMENT OF HON. HENRY C. DWORSHAK, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF IDAHO Mr. Dworshak. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee; our director of public highways, Mr. J. D. Wood, had been planning for some time to make a personal appearance before your committee in behalf of our State. He wired me 2 days ago that because of official business it would be impossible for him to attend the hearings, and he sent me a statement. It is very brief. I don't know whether you want me to file it or read it. The CHAIRMAN. I think it would be all right to file it. Mr. DWORSHAK. In that case I simply want to stress one point. Of course, Idaho is one of the expensive public land States of the West, and the construction of highways is a very complicated and serious problem. I want to stress just this one paragraph in the statement of Mr. Wood: Idaho is a Federal lands State. About 70 percent of its area lies within forest reserves, parks, power sites, grazing lands, Indian lands, etc. State lands cover about 5 percent of the area leaving about 25 percent accessible to State taxation. Farms occupy 17.5 percent, and of this latter a considerable portion is pasture. On this basis there isn't must left against which to levy road taxes. The ownership of some 70 percent of the area of the State places upon the government a heavy responsibility for highway development. The only State highway income is from motor license fees, gasoline taxes and Federal aid. Intermountain States, Utah excepted, have few war industries, but are well supplied with air fields which provide little in highway motorfuels tax to the State. The CHAIRMAN. I might say this, Mr. Dworshak; the plan of the committee is to hear the papers of those who are not here in Congress, and the members of Congress will be privileged to appear before the committee at a later date, at the convenience, largely, of them and the committee, so that you will have a chance later, if you want, to appear before the committee. Mr. DWORSHAK. In that case, I will be glad to withhold my own remarks and simply submit this statement of Mr. J. D. Wood for the record. The CHAIRMAN. Very well. The best we can do now is to give those who are here from the outside the opportunity of appearing before the committee, and we figure we can get to you Members of Congress afterwards and give you what opportunity you want to discuss any problem you may have with reference to your district or your State Mr. DWORSKAK. Then I will offer this, with the request that the committee give consideration to it. The CHAIRMAN. Very well. STATEMENT OF J. D. WOOD, DIRECTOR OF HIGHWAYS, STATE OF IDAHO Mr. WOOD. Our interest in H. R. 2426 lies primarily in bringing our highways up to adequate standards as the demand for highways has outstripped our capacity to provide them. Also to rehabilitate large mileages which war operations have overstressed and war-deferred maintenance has allowed to deteriorate. In addition there is the necessity of preparation for the post-war expansion of the Pacific Northwest area, felt to be imminent as a result of greatly increased industrial operations on the coast, and related agricultural expansion in Idaho which will increase the population. Idaho lies in a particularly strategic position as regards transportation on U. S. Number 10 and U. S. Number 30 for access to the Columbia River gorge, the only river route through the coast mountains between Canada and Mexico. Any development of routes from the east to the Pacific Northwest must go across Idaho. An indication of the highway progress Idaho has made to date is the fact that in 1918, the time of World War I, there was a State highway system of 2,255 miles, of which 5 miles were oiled or paved. Twenty-four years later, in 1942, the total system was 5,138 miles, of which 3,163 miles had oiled surfaces; in addition there were 23,800 miles of county and local roads, making a total of 28,938 miles. Of these mileages, a great part are in mountainous areas, thus having their cost compounded. The improvement of these highways to an adequate standard is estimated to cost: This sum indicates an Idaho condition. And that condition is lack of facilities to provide highways to satisfy the public demand. The satisfying of this demand in toto at this time is naturally not considered. The largest annual highway program ever undertaken by Idaho was in 1936, and in the amount of $8,500,000. Today it would take over $10,000,000 per year to equal the full effectiveness of the $8,500,000 of 1936. On the basis of a population of 325,000, which ranks forty-second, Idaho has but a small part in the total plan. On the basis of size, Idaho is the twelfth State in the Union. Of the interregional system it has 680 miles. The declaration of war found the highways in a transitory state. Motor vehicles were outstripping highway capacity in both loads and speed, municipal 'areas were deteriorating due to parking congestion which reduced the traveled way. In the rural areas similar situations were arising. In the midst of growing highway problems came the war and a sharper appreciation of the faults of our existing highway system. Then came the greatest transition, with the entry of heavy industry upon the Pacific coast. As the war progressed came the possibilities of permanent west coast establishments and the Pacific markets. To Idaho came the vision of markets close by. The controlling factor has been rates for the long haul east, but now there is the prospect of a short haul west. The West is no longer looking east. The West is looking west to the coast, South America, Canada, Alaska, and the Orient. The Columbia Basin and the Snake River are the natural routes to the Northwest region. Thus, the intermountain area will become a source of agricultural supply with loaded backhaul of manufactured articles through the mountains along the Columbia and the Snake. Multitudes of war workers from the East engaged in coast plants have now seen the West and many thousands will remain when peace comes. These workers will permeate the coast and Idaho which lies astride the course of commerce to the Northwest. Idaho has vast areas open to occupancy with the application of water in the south and in clearing cut-over lands in the north. Population has increased 17.9 percent between 1930 and 1940. The systematic preparation for this situation is indicated in the Northwest Regional Development Association made up of the Governors of Idaho, Montana, Washington, Oregon, and Wyoming. This organization was created for the purpose of coordinating and correlating the plans of the member States insofar as they are of regional or interstate character. The magnitude of transition taking place in the West is providing a better balance for the Nation in its economic development, and is providing the competition necessary to stimulate national production and employment. This western development will continue to contribute material wealth to the eastern States and calls for primary highways capable of higher tempo with the byproduct of development and settlement. The accessibility of the North Pacific region to the East is dependent upon the dispatch with which Idaho can be crossed. The East, therefore, is interested in western highways because they are economically essential to them. If the East is to compete, highways of the highest type and most economical to operate over will be required. Idaho will at best require the interregional routes and great improvement of both primary and secondary roads. Idaho is a Federal lands State. About 70 percent of its area lies within forest reserves, parks, power sites, grazing lands, Indian lands, and so forth. State lands cover about 5 percent of the area, leaving about 25 percent accessible to State taxation. Farms occupy 17.5 percent, and of this latter, a considerable portion is pasture. On this basis there isn't much left against which to levy road taxes. The ownership of some 70 percent of the area of the State places upon the Government a heavy responsibility for highway development. The only State highway income is from motor license fees, gasoline taxes, and Federal aid. Intermountain States, Utah excepted, have few war industries, but are well supplied with air fields which provide little in highway motor-fuels tax to the State. Since the cessation of Federal-aid funds and the ending of construction by War Production Board directive, more and more responsibility has fallen on State maintenance. At the same time, a decline in motorvehicle income has further limited available funds. Ordinary maintenance is increasing in character to heavy maintenance and accumulating as deferred maintenance with no prospect for relief. The interim between deferred maintenance and the availability of post-war funds that will permit construction is going to be most difficult to cross, because post-war may be a considerable time in the future. Further cuts in gasoline allowances will correspondingly reduce motorfuels tax. The question now is how long our highways will adequately serve their purpose under deterioration due to lack of labor, equipment, and funds. Wartime construction is improbable even if funds were available because of various shortages. The accumulated rehabilitation cost, depending on the time it is deferred, will amplify as time passes. Idaho will be in no position to undertake post-war rehabilitation and so employ labor unless Federal aid is made available. The Interregional highway system is the long deferred acknowledgement that highways are an essential industry and a vital part of government itself. Far more billions will be lost through not modernizing highways than will be expended in their construction. Current cost will be measured by the rapidity of improvement and need of employment. Highways being the very framework of the Nation's existence and the means of military service as well, become a National responsibility of the first order. The Government has been collecting more from automotive sources than it has returned to the States in Federal aid. Highways are a vital part of government to be financed on a national basis. Use is national. Close all river and coast navigation, for example, and transport will still function, but close highways and the nation ceases to function. Surface facilities will always be required in spite of progress in the air. The cost of modern highways will be microscopic in comparison with the values dependent upon them. Our highway policy of the past has been one of compromise, and temporizing and of dependence on local motorvehicle income, with rates dependent on strength in State legislatures. The result has been lower income and lower type construction requiring earlier reconstruction at a net loss. This implies a need for a rationalized National, State, and local policy with reference to planning and financing of our interregional, State, and local highway systems. This statement is not intended to imply that the policy behind the present Federal-aid system is highly unsatisfactory, but rather to call attention to the need for revamping and adjusting a Federal-aid policy to bring it in line with the economic and development changes now taking place within the United States. Thus, H. R. 2426 and the interregional highway plan will be a beginning. To accomplish this regeneration of highways, Federal participation is required, not only to building the highways, but to afford effectively distributed employment. The allocation of funds for Idaho under H. R. 2426, dependent upon the formula, would be around $10,000,000 or $12,000,000 with matching funds per year for 3 successive years. The equivalent of this sum Idaho has already administered and can do so again. Inasmuch as Federal taxation has continued on all motor-vehicle and motor-fuels sources, since the cessation of Federal aid, a large part of the fund covered by H. R. 2426 would be equivalent to a distribution of deferred Federal-aid payments. Funds are a necessity for both highways and employment, and are beyond the means particularly of the Intermountain States. Therefore, Idaho feels that the provision of funds, as in H. R. 2426, is a necessity. The CHAIRMAN. The next witness is Mr. Wesley Polk, chief highway engineer for Illinois. I notice a good many members of the Illinois delegation are here. I wish the Illinois members would stand and give their names. (There were present Representatives Day, Busbey, Church, Simpson, and Bishop.) Thank you, gentlemen. If there is anything special you wish to say at this time we will, of course, let you say it, but later we will give you all an opportunity to appear. We are well acquainted with your engineer, Mr. Polk, and are glad to have him here. We regard him very highly. STATEMENT OF WESLEY W. POLK, CHIEF HIGHWAY ENGINEER, STATE OF ILLINOIS Mr. POLK. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, Illinois appreciates the privilege of appearing before this committee today to present a brief summary of our post-war highway improvements. Illinois has just completed an inventory which shows an urgent need for post-war highway improvements in the State, estimated to cost $256,250,000, divided as follows: Rural primary roads_. $123, 770, 000 114, 980, 000 17, 500, 000 Illinois' highway problem is predominately one of improving and modernizing the primary highway system, which consists of approximately 11,500 miles of pavement, rural and urban, mostly of concrete. Many miles on this system are more than 20 years old and some more than 25 years old. The older roads have deteriorated under this long period of service until they have reached the stage where they must be replaced, and a considerable mileage is obsolete. The principal need, therefore, is not the extension of the system by the construction of new pavements, but the replacement of the pavements which have reached the end of their economic and useful service life. For several years prior to the start of the World War II, Illinois was working on a program of reconstruction and modernization of the primary system, and it was intended that this program would be expanded progressively to meet the annual need for the replacement of pavements approaching failure. The declaration of war brought this program to an abrupt halt. Since that time the conditions which |