connection with the more elaborate improvements that will be required in the future. To this end it proposes the creation of a Federal Land Authority empowered to buy, sell, lease, and hold land required for the various improvement projects of the Federal Government, and similarly to aid, through loans and leases, the acquisition of needed rights-of-way for important highway and street improvements of the States and cities. In an appendix it indicates the possibility, and legal status of methods of recovering the cost of highway improvements, in whole or in part, by the resale of land acquired in excess of the amount needed for the construction and protection of the highways.
Tentative location of the system of direct interregional highways proposed is indicated in the report, but the recommendation is made that final determination of the location of such highways should be made after further study in which the Bureau of Public Roads would cooperate with the War Department and the State highway departments.
In 1921 the War Department at the request of the Department of Agriculture made a comprehensive study of the highway routes important to the national defense. All of these routes were included in the Federal-aid system then established. In 1935 a restudy was made by the War Department to develop the revisions desirable and to establish priorities of route improvements. Since then the two Departments have maintained active liaison in relation to the general highway programs and the advancement of particular projects needed by the Military Establishment. Just recently a committee has been established by the War Department to work with the Bureau of Public Roads and the American Association of State Highway Officials to coordinate both the structural design and volume capacities of highway development with the requirements of the several major branches of the Military Establishment. In general terms it is the position of the War Department that a system of highways that is adequate to serve the industrial and commercial demands of the Nation will serve also the military requirements. However, the scale of the development of motorized military equipment and ordnance, and the changes in military practices taken in conjunction with the tremendous increase in the general public use of the highways, have created major problems that now require joint consideration by the two Departments.
Since it is the purpose of the report to provide a broad foundation for a sound future highway program, I recommend it be forwarded by you to the Congress with such comments as you may wish to make.
Very respectfully,
H. A. Wallace,
Secretary of Agriculture.
I concur in the recommendation of the Secretary of Agriculture that you forward the report on highways to the Congress for consideration.
Very respectfully,
Harry H. Woodring,
Secretary of War.
