Evening journal., 1916-02-04
MR.. miller FAVORS
CONTROL OF FLOODS
Congressman Cites Reho-
both WaShout as Necessity
for Federal Action
ADVOCATES SPEAKER
CLARK'S RESOLUTION

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL
WASHINGTON. ID. c.. Feb. 4.-Re-
preventative Thomas W. Miller OF
Delaware, addressed the House yester.
day in support of Speaker Cannon's re.
solution to amend the rules Of the House
80 as to create committee on flood
control. An increasing number Of floods
in the Mississippi valley and of resort;
along the Atlantic ocean has been the
means of bringing this matter TO the
active attention of Congress. Mr.
Miller laid particular stress on the
disastrous storm which wrecked Reho-
both Beach in Delaware during Novem-
Der, 1914 Mr.. Clark's resolution is TO
consider disasters of that kind, and de-
wise means to prevent them. Mr.. Miller
said in part;
"I would not take the time to ad-
dress the House on this matter we're
It not for the fact that we have a
flood situation in Delaware which is
OF a peculiar sort. A few minutes
ago the gentleman from Pennsyl-
vania (Mr MOore) asked about Sea-
bright, n. j., which was devastated by
a flood tide from the ocean accompan-
led by a northeast storm. We had a
similar case at Rehoboth in Delaware
where the entire ocean front for five
miles or more was washed out last
year, together with several blocks OF
atty property and the houses thereon
We also have a flood situation in con.
nection with the Rehoboth and In
dian River Bays in Delaware anC
, should the House create this commit
tee on flood control and the fedora
government be given additional au
thority through the creation OF this
new committee. believe the situa
tions mentioned above worthy OF no
| tice and consideration.
I'm my opinion the question Of fiooC
control should be taken in charge by
the national government, and the cir
cumstances that have been related
here today by the Arkansas delegation
in particular should impress thos'
I who are not familiar with the sub
/ iect. and who are not touched by tha
particular matter. I realize that ther'
will be differences Of opinion bctweel
the committee on rivers and harbor
and this proposed committee on th'
matter OF jurisdiction over certaiI
bills, but, i'm my opinion. We shoulI
look beyond the mere interference o
/ jurisdiction i'm the House here, be
tween committees, and consider thi
question as It relates to the countr
in its national Importance.
"The National Government is tn
only governmental agency that !
capable to deal with the food stu
alton and 1t certainly is patent to al
that the time has come for the crea
tion of a committee in this Hous
whose duty it will be to deal with thi
J. great problem.
"I. for one. would be willing 10 en-
large the scope of this committee 70
the rule as amended by this resolu
ton does not give the proposed com
mittee the power to make appropri
ations.
"In the first part OF my remarks
e referred to the disastrous eXperienc
s which befell Rehoboth Beach in m
Q State. This is a large and populou
G summer resort located along tn
e shores Of the Atlantic Ocean. 1
the fall of 1914 a terrific flood tide
whipped into fury by northeas
storm OF several days duration CON
pletely wrecked a large part of thi
/ town located along the ocean from
Besides destroying the boardwalk an
, bulkheads, a number OF blocks {
. / houses fronting along the ocean wer
swept bodily into the sea and thei
contents spread broadcast over th
waters The experience of this con
. munity in my State was only a repet
. tion of what happened at Seabrigh
New Jersey, 10 which the gentlema
4 from Pennsylvania (Mr. Moore) hi
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