After World War I, there was debate about whether the federal government should fund interstate highways as a matter of national defense. Thomas M. McDonald, who became chief of the Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) in 1919, questioned the assumption that long-distance highways were necessary for national defense, saying that what was needed was a system of roads connecting military installations. Correspondingly, McDonald believed that the state highway departments should be strengthened. The Federal Highway Act of 1921 reflected this view, strengthening the state highway departments’ control of the highway system, particularly in maintenance. This act temporarily quieted demands for interstate highways under federal control. According to the passage, why did Thomas M. McDonald oppose building an interstate highway system?