Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-19
BY REX COLLIER.

the WOrIO.
It's purpose is to prepare the devas-
tated valley for new start in life
to launch the stricken South once
more on the road to self-suppOrt.
The beneficiaries of this interstate
institution are not individuals, but
counties and parishes affected by the
great flood. They enter the "univer
sity" helpless as children, bereft of
every facility for taking care of them
selves, and they leave it renewed in
body and spirit and fit to make their
own way in the world.
There have been just two grad
yates" so far.
Secretary Hoover and Vice Chair.
man F'ieser of the Red Cross gave
them their diplomas" just before
leaving the flood area for Washington
West Bolivar Counties. in old MisSIS-
sippi.
The diplomas" were papers certi-
flying that these two counties. having
recovered sufficiently from the effects
of the late catastrophe to start on
the pathway to self-maintenance,
were, and of right ought to be, free
and independent of Charity-if aid eX-
tended by the Red Cross in such
calamity can be thus characterized
AS a matter of fact, Hoover repeated.
ly has stressed that flood relief is not
charity. in the generally accepted
sense. Proud Dixie did not want
charity. Flood relief, he points out.
is America s fulfillment of a national
obligation, incurred by circumstances
out of control of all concerned-and
ALI in this case means the whole
United States.
University Faces Long Task.
Hoover's university" (he calls it
that HIMSELF has a long, difficult task
ahead of it before the last county is
graduated. 1t will be months before
some of the sections hardest hit will
be able to forego the Nations helping
hand and struggle bravely forward,
alone Never before in history have
these regions been visited with such
complete desolation.
Excepting two or three of our
great wars, this is the worst disaster
in American history" Hoover de.
clared to an assembly of Mississippi
business men after concludi lg an in
spection tour through Missouri, Ar
kansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
This observation was not hastily
drawn by one who is given to mag
NATIVE outbursts without knowledge
of the facts, but was the deliberate
conclusion of an engineer experienced
in world disasters, conclusion form
ed after careful personal survey of
actual conditions in the Mississippi
Valley.
The university" idea in dealing
with the rehabilitation program was
natural development in the slow.
but determined, race of the various
counties and parishes to throw off the
shackles Of mud and water and step
forward once again into the sunlight
of prosperity. The South does not
want to accept succor from the
American people any longer than is
absolutely necessary to put her on
her. feet. The Red Cross, moreover.
does not want to make any further
appeals for funds, and to make the
existing donations carry through the
present emergency means conserva.
ton of money whenever and wherever
possible. The June rise in the Missis-
sippi has added new complications 20
the relief work. and has dug deeply
into the treasury of the relief organi-
cations. Therefore, the quicker the
county units are marked off the re-
lief lists, the longer the funds will
hold out for sections still submerged.
Water Still High i'm Louisiana.
Some of the Parishes in Louisiana
are undoubtedly going to be among
the last group of graduates" The
water had not fallen appreciably from
the high mark of the April and May
floods before the June rise came along
and continued the agricultural and in
dustrial paralysis indefinitely. Long
after other sections have emerged
from the water and busted themselves
with the arduous work of reconstruc-
ton. these southern Louisiana par.
ishes will be floundering around in
the stagnant, mosquito-infested tide
from the overlooking Atchafalaya and
Mississippi Rivers.
To graduate from the flood univer-
sity county relief unit must be able
to answer acceptably a majority of
the questions propounded in a special
examination" paper prepared under
the personal supervision of Hoover
and Fieser. There are about so queries
to be answered. and to properly fit
themselves to reply intelligently to the
questions the counties are directed to
make careful surveys of their respec-
tive needs.
Examinations are held about every
two weeks. They are given by "Presi-
dent" Hoover and Dean" Fieser, and
the papers submitted are perused, one
by one. by both of these relief officials.
a round Of such examinations was
held during the inspection trip which
ended last week, but it was a sorry
looking bunch of paper which greeted
them in most of the States visited. In.
dicative OF the widespread failure of
counties to meet the exacting test was
the fact that but two out of the whole
group were able to pass and re-
ceive a rating of well enough off to
begin helping themselves"
Freshmen" Still Submerged.
The freshman" class in the flood
embraces counties and
parishes yet in the initial stages of
relief. with water still taking posses.
sion of farms and houses. These coun-
ties and parishes must be supplied
with emergency food and shelter for
man and beast, until such time as
they are able to return to their farms
and plantations. Then begins the sec
ond or sophomore" stage-that of
temporary rehabilitation in water
logged homes or, where necessary. in
tents on the sites originally occupied
by houses Of the refugees. The coun-
ties enter the Junior" class upon thus
being re-eStablished back home"
The university supplies to this class
rations of food and feed and allot.
ments Of seed, mule or two for plow-
ing a milk cow for families ,xy;tb chill