Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-07

Differences of opinion as to whethe,
Congress should be called at once to
act on measures of relief for flood suf
ferers appear in the countrywide
discussion of the Mississippi Valley
catastrophe. Those who favor con
gressional action emphasize the UNI
precedented magnitude of the dis
aster and insist that attempting to
meet the demands by reliance upon
private contributions is futile. OPP.
posing views are based upon the be.
lief that the present situation can be
met without legislative action and
that future safeguards should be pro-
vided at the regular session of Con
gress.
with 100000 homeless people now,
with probability of increase, the
country has responded generously to
appeals for temporary help which is
being administered through the Red
Cross" says the Raleigh News and
Observer Democratic). This charity
is essential. 1t has saved life and de-
creased suffering. But it is made.
quate in the face of the dire need
and the destruction of lands and prop
erty." The Oklahoma City Okla
homan Democratic) suggests that be-
cause "the floods have lacked much
Of the dynamic force that rendered
other calamities so impressive and be-
cause of the long continuance of the
peril, the people have failed fully to
grasp the fact that this is the great
est peace-time disaster in American
history"
The Springfield Ohio Daily News
independent Democratic) emphasizes
the view that "the few millions which
the Red Cross can gather are but a
drop in the bucket" and asks, Must
these people suffer and some Of them
die because a President is afraid of
his Congress?" The Birmingham
News independent Democratic) also
wants to know "when President
Coolidge Is going to call the Congress
in extra session to provide adequate
relief for these fellow countrymen of
his"
* X X X
eve agree with the Springfield Re
publican" independently, observes the
Great Falls Tribune (Democratic)
that there is probably some politics
back of the demand for an extra SEES
sion, as there is concededly party poll
tics back of his refusal to call such a
session, but there are occasions where
party politics might well go hang In
the face of human needs, and this
flood disaster in the lower mississippi
Is one of them"
Referring to the flood control confer.
ence at Chicago, called jointly by the
MAYORS of Chicago, st. Louis and New
Orleans. the Shreveport Journal Dem
ocratic) says that 1.-The conference will
have been of untold Importance If 1t
arouses interest enough to cause the
President to reconsider his refusal to
convene Congress" The Admission
Star Democratic), also calling for an
extra session, declares that the flood
is a national calamity" and points
out that "the stricken people now need
money with which to buy seeds. nipple
ments and stock, to return to their
lands and labor and feed themselves
The New York World independent
Democratic) gives it's opinion of urgent
needs: more money than the Red
Cross can hope to receive is needed
for rehabilitation. More money than
is available is needed for immediate
levee work. A Congress that meets
in December cannot provide Tor re
construction now: it cannot finance
levee work that begins in July and
ends in December"
The national character Oh Hoou us
asters is pointed out by many papers
including the Wheeling Intelligencer
Republican). Cincinnati Times-Star
Republican), the Santa Barbara News
independent Eemocratic), the Des
Moines Tribune-Capital independent
Republican, and Lincoln Star Qnde-
pendent). On this point the New
Orleans Item independent Demo
cratic insists that 1.-The Congress
should accept for the Nation, at the
Nations cost, the control of floods in
the Mississippi Valley, as a national
responsibility, which exhausted and
impoverished flood districts can no
longer carry, even if they would"
X X X
The Louisville Courier-Journal Dem
ocratic) also discussed "the Nation's
stasl,. with >the statements: There