New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-28
MUST FIND SOLUTION
FOR FLOOD PROBLEMS
President Impressed with Need
of Federal and State Co.
operation in Regulation.
DISASTER OBJECT LESSON
Conservationists Declare Con-
gress Must Devise Compre-
hensive Plan for Control
of River Overflow.

IRON Inc Iribuno Bureau
Washington. March 1.-THE solution OF
the food problem aud the permanent i'm
provement OF the waterway systems OF
the country by the federal government,
in cooperation with the states. came To
the fore to-day a. question for imme-
diate consideration by Congress. as each
report from the devastated region i'm
pressed on legislators and government
officials the magnitude Of the disaster.
The necessity for reforming the present
methods OF river Improvement and OF de-
vising a plan by which the federal gov
eminent and the states may work IN
harmony were suggested to President Will
son by the Secretary Of the Interior, who
was present to-day when Secretary Ca
rson was explaining the measures for
the relief Of the flood sufferers undertake
Ell by the War Department
The President deeply impressed by the
losses and suffering In the stricken area.
was much interested. and may. at some
later time. take the initiative In bringing
the problem up for consideration. This
could be done either 10y calling a con-
ference of the Governors TO meet with
federal officials. or by sending message
TO Congress on the subject
THE problem" said Secretary Lane,
referring to the swollen streams. rs not
especially TO make these rivers navigablc;
il is, rather one OF conserving property
and life. Each small river is part OF a
larger river. and the larger river "A part
Of the great stream that finally carries
the food 10 the ocean. There ought to
be. first. a general programme. and each
improvement should be part of the whole
scheme. TO improve rivers by Congress
sional districts or sections Will continue
TO invite disaster and loss"
Conservationists also saw in the Ohio
floods an object lesson which should re-
suit In legislation. Representative Muir
dock and Henry Graves. chief Forester.
declared that the disaster made press
Ing national issue OF he subject OF con-
servation and food control.
THE conservation of food waters must
come, the sooner the better said Mr.
Murdoch in Ohio and elsewhere TIE
elements themselves have furnished an
unanswerable argument for legislation
which Will enable man, so far as posi-
BILE, to control the streams or the coun-
try Congress must deal soon with this
great complex question and the conser-
walton cause is made stronger to-day as
the tragic story Of the flood is told.
The Chief Of the Forestry Bureau said
some system OF flood reservoirs must be
devised While denudcd forests could
not be blamed to any great extent for the
Ohio foods. in the opinion of Mr.. Graves.
the disaster focused attention on the
necessity for "A general &C reservation poi
icy that would protect not only the noun
famous sections about the head waters
Of the country's streams, but the low
lands as well.
THE Ohio foods" said Mr.. Graves,
illustrate the general necessity OF the
conservation Of forests and the storage
and damming of head waters by some
system OF reservoirs. The conservation
or control of food waters Is one OF the
biggest problems in this country to-day
and Congress alone can ceal with II. IL
is not a state problem
Mr.. Graves declared that the passage
Of the Weeks bill for the protection of
Mountains was an important step toward
the control OF possible flood waters In
that section. and had shown the growth
of conservation sentiment Throughout the
country. on the other hand, he explained
that the Ohio floods had wrought havoc
in fiat, agricultural section and were
apparently caused by undue and UMPIRE
ventable precipitation.