Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1913-04-23
Washington Letter.

"S'Oh, ~. S., apr. w.
what method is to be pursued to
prevent foods in the mIGdle west,
such as have devastated that ter
ritory and are now threatenir q
vast areas IN the lower Mississip-
pi' Is ole of the serious questions
that faces President Wilson. He
considers 1t one of the greatest
problems confronting the admins
trptlon and 1T would not be sur.
prislng If he should order his Sec
rotary of war to direct the en-
.glneers of the department to pre-
pare a deta led report on ths ques.
ton for the egular sessi ION of con
gress which meets in Decemter
next.
The biggest problem outside Of
some comprehensive plan of food
prevention, VIII be to finance the
undertaking. President Wilson
has been told by the congressional
leaders that the necessity for strict
economy in government was never
so great as now.
Mr.. Fitzgerald, the chairman cf
the appropriations committee, told
the president early in the week
that If only a few OF the bills al
ready introduced N the house af-
fectiug the food situation were ell
acted into law they would exhaust
not only every dollar in the
national treasury but also all reven-
ues that are in sight.
One plan which has been
brought 20 the attention of the
president and which Will receiv.
serious consideration is to have q
general scheme Of Improvement
planned which would absolutely
take care OF all future floods in
The Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio
and their tributaries and then t.
finance it with a general issue of
what would be known as "hood
bonds"
Part of the financing of the I'M
pfovement under this plan would
ne met by the state benz flied, and
the remainder by tn governmel t
In connection with this plan is tc b,
considered the ACCESSIBILITY OF
bringing to this work Col. George
Il. Geothals and his entire Pana-
ma Canal construction force. This
organization, the greatest of ite
kind that the world ever saw, is to
be idle very soon. 1t has been
suggested that it be sent to Alaska
to develop the resourc of that
country, where mighty obstacles
are to be encountered.
But the flood situation NAV
change that plan. The Lower
Mississippi Improvement Associa-
ton has been working to have the
canal workers sent to care for the
Mississippi, and it is possible that
the force will be utilized to place
the rivers of the Middle West in
such condition that further dis
astrous floods will be impossible.
Preparations are bling rapidly
conc uded for what gives promise
OF being the greatest reunion Of
Civil War Veterans ever held in
this country, and which is 10 be
held on the historic field of Gettvs.
burg, June 20 to July inclusive.
Accommodations will be provided
for 10000 persons. It is az
nounced that a tent capable OF
holding from 10000 to $4,000 per
sons will be erected on the battle
field and that therein will take
place the exercises to be held cul
minoting in great peace jubilee
on July 4, when the chief orator
of the occasion Will be President
Woodrow Wilson, Chief Justice
White TO preside over the exer.
cises.
The camp Will cover go acres
and will be maintained only for
veterans of the civil war. TIE
co Of the anniversary celebration.
the dftleth since one Of the great.
est battles In the wor De bisto,r