Evening star., 1928-03-05
Flood Relief Urged.
Responsibility for Devastated
Area Placed on Government.

area fIaceu OIL OOVcTuHiCht'
To the Editor OF The Star:
Flood prevention In the MISSISSIPPI
Valley Is matter OF replacement OF
damages and insuring against future
damage, not an improvement Tor Whlch
benefits are to be assessed. The writer
recently took an auto trip through
eastern Arkansas with LOUISIANA. tne
state hardest hit by the floods OF
1927. and IL was even then suffering
from flood along White River. the
sixth flood for Arkansas In 1871. Pass
ing Devalls Bluff, we encountered
foot or more Of water sweeping across
the hard-surfaced main highway from
Arkansas to Memphis, Tenn, in places
a hundred wards or more being under
water. We we're told the Jackson bayou
levee had broken a few hours before
and had swept to death by drowning
Capt. M. McGown, United States engi-
neer officer in charge OF the work OF
strengthening the leveeS at that point.
More than 1000 acres went under water
again when this levee broke, and this
situation and similar ones in eastern
Arkansas are making 1t doubtful II
very much farm land in this garden
spot of the Mississippi Valley Will be
dVdlldOIc IOT CulttVdtiOIl III 1870.
Can such lands be expected to stand
even 20 per cent of the expense neces-
sary for flood prevention? The writer
says no.
We hear the word reclamation" very
generally used by men in high places.
What is reclamation" anyway? This
is q term which has been erroneously
applied to irrigation projects. in which
water Is carried to arid regions to make
them produce crops. Since such regions
have never in the history of man pro-
duced crops prior to these irrigation
projects such project is certainly not
reclamation! 1t is nothing more nor
less than an improvement district.
The problem in the South today, that
OF the Mississippi Valley damage, does
provement district, however. In fact,
here, If ever, is real reclamation prof.
ect worthy of the name. Here 1t is
section of the richest farming lands in
the United States. from CroWleys Ridge
in eastern Arkansas, 40 miles eastward
to the Mississippi River and beyond,
thence down South through the Missls-
sippi Delta, on down through Louisiana
to New Orleans. This territory has
been highly developed for years, and
already has more land in a high state
OF cultivation than the farmers OF this
area can hope to cultivate for several
years under the burdens they now face
This area contains good towns. cities
and a populous countryside. with farms
In as high q condition of cultivation as
are to be found anywhere in the world.
In this territory four and a half million
acres of lands were flooded in 1927.
This 1927 flood. our greatest known
national disaster. certainly and clearly
brings up the necessity for reclamation
of the Mississippi Valley in the form OF
ADEQUATE flood prevention, and makes
1t indisputably a national problem. Inc
people Of the valley have long since
gone far beyond their means IN paying
for and pledging 10 pay for the leVee
work of many years. to protect them-
selves against the menace OF the waters
and any further taxation upon tneSe
lands. whose future Is already mort
gagged for levee work which IN many
places has been swept away, would DC
confiScatorv.
The main reason. however. for ma
tional responsibility III this reclamation
project Is that even according 10 COM
mon law the owners are responsible lor
damages their property c-insS about.
and does not the United States Govern
ment own all navigablc streams IN tne
United States? Also. does no. the
Mississippi Valley furnish catch-baSin
for the drainage of two-thirds or more
OF the whole United States? Since
this be true, the Nation rs whole Is
bound TO be responsible. THIS does no1
imply. either, that the South. as par.
OF the Nation. would not be oraring us
lust and proportlonate part cf TN" en-
pense when the national government
assumes ii all.
Some authorities say. Hold on. What
about States rights? We cannot fix
The Mississippi Valley without stepping
on the toes Of individual States"
Oh. yes, but we can. Since the United
States owns and controls all navigaole
streams III its confines. there can be no
legitimate question raised as 10 possible
infringement of States rights in the
matter OF building adequate lcyces,
reservoirs. or spillways where necessary.
on any and all navigable rivers and
streams. and III taking anv necessary
condemnation steps to acquire rights OF
way for flood prevention works.
In irrigation projects il Is clearly
proper that the lands benefited should
pay for the benefit received. Certainly
because such lands were worthless be-
fore the water came. The Mississippi
Vallcy-millionS Of acres Of its
worthless after the waters came, Or,
to say ii little differently, the valley
vas worth considerably more before
the waters came, Such lands could be
and should be~put back as they We're
before the food. and adequate protec-
tion should be given against all future
floods which would pass hlgh-watSs
mark. II l damage your property and
II Is not your fault you ought not to
be assessed 10 help me pay the bill.
So the cost of food prevention should,
In the name of justice and fairness be
borne by the United States, The United
States In this case is the responsible
party. and the problem is national
one OF damage and replacement or
reclamation and not sectional one
Of Improvement for added benedt' II
is the opinion OF this writer that Con-
ercSs will SD hold
HARRY Il, TABER.