Evening star., 1928-04-08
by REX COLLIER.

It's high water season again down
In the Mississippi Valley.
As residents of the flood country
look upon the muddy. swollen river
bringing its consignment OF melted
snow and Spring rain from 80 States
In the North, they are thinking OF
conditions exactly year ago along
that same river.
Twelve months have passed since
the Father OF Waters began its wild
rampage from Cairo to the Gulf.
It was just a year ago this month
that President Coolidge, appalled, by
the increasing magnitude OF what
proved to be Americas worst peace
take personal charge Of relief work
In the stricken valley. and called on
the Nation TO come to the financial
support of the Red Cross.
Those were hectic days down In the
delta
Reconstruction Work Begun.
In the intervening time, 100000 refu-
gees have returned 10 their homes-or
what was left of them. fields have
been planted again with cotton. the
crevasses have been closed with tenn
porary works-and grass is growing
over the graves of 246 men, women
and children who lost their lives IN
1.-THE big water Of 1927"
The valley Is thinking Of what hap
pened a year ago, and as the people
look again at the heightened current
now passing downstream under the
influence of new food season. they
are casting anxious glances TO WASH
ington.
These are a patient people, down ir
the ailuvial valley. but they are begin
ming TO show signs OF considerable
worry. They have been assured and
reagsured that Uncle Sam Is going tC
see that ut never happens again" They
know that Uncle Sam keeps his word
But this is the first anniversary oi
the worst food in the nations history
OF a catastrophe less serious only thar
war ITSELF" 10 use the phraseology oi
Maj. Gen. Edgar Jadwin, chief oi
Engineers.
Some Objections Voiced.
II Is this major general, by the way
whose name is attached TO the admins.
tration's plan for rendering the valley
immune 10 future floods. The people IN
the food country has heard q lot about
this Jadwin plan and some of them are
frank 10 say they don't like some fea
lures Of IT, Such as the provision thai
folks along the river must contribute
one-fifth OF the cost of food control.
That was one OF the first things thai
popped up 10 worry the food country
residents. They wondered how the,
were going 10 get such tidy sum from
empty pocketbooks. Dual responsibility
In the financing and building o. leveei
| In the past has been directly 10 blame
for the breakdown of the levee system
last year. they recalled They thought
| II would be mistake 10 go In for that
sort Of thing again.
| The aspect frightened markedly. how.
ever, when II was learned there was 4
strong sentiment In Congress againg
| the local contribution theory, and hopes
were high when later bills were intro.
dnced In the House and Senate leaving
out the Joint financing scheme.
Coolidge Message Recalled.
The message Of President Coolidge
which accompanied the JadWin plan on
tFansmittal 10 Congress had been 4
shock 10 the whole valley Th'
Presidents suggestion that food eontro
involved reclamation features which
called for partial assumption OF thu
cost by those affected was O staggering
blow There was, In fact some indig
nation. They didn't exactly agree with
Mr.. Coolidge that reclamation benefits
would accrue 10 residents Of the delta
There was no reclaiming Of new lanf
from the river. but only need fol
protecting lands century or so ole
from water poured down on II by mos
Of the other States In the Union, II wa
pointed out
The tension lesgened recently, how
ever, when IL WAS indicated that prest
dent Coolidge might agree 10 put thl
whole question 0f financing up 10 |
special economic commission: such
commission, Il Was felt, would soon NM
out that the valley WaA In no finaneia