The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-02-24
CONTROL
LEGISLATION
: Is NECESSITY
Failure Would Be Calamity to
Country as a Whole,
Hoover States

Washington, Feb. 24.-(AP) =
Failure Of congress to provide for
Mississippi flood control at this ses-
sion "would be . calamity not only
to the people in the flood territory,
but to the country ~ . whole" Sec
retary Hoover declared today before
the senate commerce committee.
Called before the committee at the
insistence Of Senators Hawes, Demo-
crat, Missouri, and Willis, of Ohio,
another Republican presidential can
didate, the secretary found himself
in . small committee room crowded
to the doors by those who expected
important political skirmishing to
accompany the hearing, especially
in connection with Hoover's views on
the controverted phases Of the flood
control situation.
Entering with Chairman Jones,
who had resisted the move to call
him on the ground that flood con-
troll was q matter in the hands OF
another cabinet officer, the secretary
Of war, Mr.. Hoover took q seat at
the end of the long committee table.
"Cive your name to the stenogra-
pher," directed Senator Jones.
Herbert Hoover, secretary OF
commerce" was the reply.
"You have had some engineering
experience?"
my engineering experience has
been on the mining and industrial
side. have had no great expert
ence in flood control and hydraulics
and I cannot set up as an expert on
flood control"
"You went down on the Missis-
sippi during the flood last spring
"Yes. sir. the president sent me
down there - his personal represen-
tative."
"You have . statement you wish
to read to the committee I"
sYsS, sif, - ho0vsrf replied, and
then began to read.
Welcomes 0pportunity
II am glad to have the opportun-
ity to present to the committee my
views as to the urgency Of legisla.
tion for the control Of Mississippi
floods" the secretary said. i
II believe the failure Of action at
this session Of congress would be ,
calamity. not only to the people in
the flood territory but to the coun-
try Is . whole; and it il indeed
urgent that legislation should be
completed 1T the earliest moment
that il can be accomplished with
proper deliberation.
"Engineering and the methods OF
course lie wholly within the war de.
partment and outside functions Of
the department Of commerce. can,
however. speak upon the necessity Of
leeislation from both the human and
economic point Of view.
II had the honor to be chosen by
President Coolidge to organize and
direct the relief activities during the
recent flood. No man could occupy
that responsibility and have WIT
messed its scenes without being deep
" moved by the urgent human needs
Of preventive mc .sures:
Damage Totals Millions
II need not recount to you the un-
precedented character Of tie flood.
Some $4,000 of our people were COM
pelled 20 flee from their homes in
Jeopardy Of their lives. The damage
20 their crops, farms and villages
amounted to hundreds Of millions Of
dollars.
ut was only by the extraC rdinary
cooperation and initiative Of the peo-
Die Of the south with the helm OF the
Red Cross and our federal agencies
that An enormous loss Of life was
prevented. We witnessed the un-
precedented necessity Of removing
soyeral hundred thousand people to
concentration camps"