In my message last year I expressed the view that we should lend our
encouragement for more good roads to all the principal points on this
hemisphere South of the Rio Grande. My view has not changed.
The Pan American Union has recently indorsed it. In some of the countries
to the south a great deal of progress is being made in road building. In,
Others engineering features are often exacting and financing difficult. As
those countries enter upon programs for road building we should be ready to
contribute from our abundant experience to make their task easier of
accomplishment. I prefer not to go into civil life to accomplish this end.
We already furnish military and naval advisors, and following this
precedent we could draw competent men from these same sources and from the
Department of Agriculture.
We should provide our southern neighbors, if they request it, with such
engineer advisors for the construction of roads and bridges. Private
interests should look with favor upon all reasonable loans sought by
these countries to open main lines of travel. Such assistance should be
given especially to any project for a highway designed to connect all the
countries on this hemisphere and thus facilitate, intercourse and closer
relations among, them.