The Washington times., 1913-04-02

| a constant gamble. Death Is the stake
Another result of this trip, in addi-
| tion to the river control problem, will
probably be the enlargement Of the sig.
nal service. Major Russell finds that
| there are far too few for emergency
| work. The Government special was
manned with wireless and telegraph
men, who assisted greatly in the work
of communicating with Washington.
George McEntee, the War Department
telegrapher. today received the nearly
commendation of Secretary Garrison
for his valiant service. TO both the Gov
ernment and the newspaper corps
The Government special left Cincin-
natl early Tuesday morning-the first
train out for several days. The waters
of the swollen Ohio even then We're
only few inches beneath the tram
platform. The big Chesapeake and
Ohio trestle was the only means of
egress. Secretary Garrison took the
chance
The trip was fraught with dangers,
Its passengers saw country, devas-
tated, swept away by floods. twisted,
saddened. Yet above the ruins, there
rises a spirit of bravery, heroism cour-
age. that is marvellous.
The story of that country is story
to sadden the heart. 1t is tragedy If
lives lost, of property swept away, of
homes broken, of people crushed. Yet
through the tragedy. there runs a strain
of heroism, of fortitude, of real Amer
canism.
Secretary of War Garrison and State
officials. however. now have the relief
work so well organized that the awful
catastrophe of Dayton. Hamilton. Col
umbus. and the smaller cities will not
be repeated-or at least in not so great
a degree-in the cities farther to the
south, where even now, the Ohio river
is dumping its swollen currents into
the raging Mississippi.
kilograms have been sent to the gov
ernors OF Ohio. Illinois, West Virginia,
Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Ken
lucky, Mississippi. Louisiana, and In
diana, suggesting that they appoint one
responsible man TO pass upon appli-
cations for food aid and to transmit
the requests for aid to the Federal Gov
ernment
This action was requested, the secre-
tary said, because of the many and ir-
responsible requests made for aid from
the Government at Washington. The
appointments will result supposedly lin
cooperation which will prevent waste
and insure more efficient service
Senator Burton of Ohio, former chair
man of the Rivers and Harbors Com
mittee in the House, and a member of
that committee in the Senate. is now en-
route to Ohio to survey conditions in
that State. He will go to GAINESVILLE
first and later will visit Dayton. Col
umbus. Hamilton, Middleton, Piaua.
and Cincinnati
Il believe this great overflow of the
cities and towns of Ohio should result
in the creation of State body, with
full authority to control the construc-
ton Of bridges, the dumping Of refuse
Into streams, encroachments On the
channels. the building of dams. etc."
said Senator Burton.
The freedom from restraint and the
ca! elessness with which these streams
have been treated has created an
abuse that no doubt has led to much
of the damage caused by the overflow.
Streams have been choked, and the
natural power of the streams to clear
themselves of water has been impeded
through the carelessness and negligence
of those who live along IL, and who
have used it merely as a great sewer
into which to dump all sorts of refuse.
Strengthening the channels would do
much toward giving the rivers an op-
portunity to carry off their surplus
waters. but something more than merely
Strengthening channels must be done
The care of these streams must be the
duty OF the State and nation. and they
must take over that duty in the fu-