The Indianapolis times., 1930-09-04
STATE IN
DROUGHT AID,
U. 5. WORRIED
Failure of Indiana to Act on
Relief Program StirS
Comment.
BY LAWRENCE SULLIVAN
Times staff Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Sept 4.-Failre
of Indiana's branch of the ener-
gency drought relief organization,
set up under President Hoover's per-
sonal direction last month, to pro-
vide the necessary credit facilities
for immediate operation of the ma
tional relief program, is giving fed
eral officials much concern.
Illinois, Ohio, Iowa and Kentucky,
the only other niddlewestern states
which have suffered as heavy losses
as Indiana, already have provided
statewide credit machinery through
which emergency loans for
seed may be negotiated with the
federal intermediate credit banks.
No report, however, OF such organi-
zation has reached Secretary of Ag-
riculture Arthur M. Hyde from In
diana.
Agriculture department officials
decline to comment on the failure
of Indiana state officers to help with
the program. They feel, apparently,
that the state organization will
come through. However, some crop
experts handling the emergency pro-
gram have called attention of the
officials in charge to the situation
in an informal way.
Crop Losses Heavy
With only one-third of the nor
NAL August rainfall, Indiana suf-
fered losses of additional millions
of dollars in crop deterioration. For
the state at large, according to Of
fetal reports prepared for Secretary
Hyde by the United States weather
bureau, the August rainfall was the
smallest for any single month since
1881.
In August that year, the total
precipitation also was one-third OF
the normal. But in 1884, when the
state experienced the most damag-
ing drought of the last half CEN
tury, the August rainfall was SIS per
cent of the normal.
Whereas the state experienced 63
per cent of a normal rainfall in
March, April and May this year,
and 68 per cent in June, the July
precipitation was only SO per cent
of normal. Then the August
drought killed off all hope of a
comeback for the crops, with 33
per cent of the normal monthly
rainfall
Corn Crop Decreases
Exact production estimates for
the state will be available from the
bureau of agricultural economics on
Sept. 10. Meanwhile, experts esti-
mate unofficially that the corn crop
for the entire country will be Is per
cent smaller than last year.
To a lesser degree, the same Situ-
alton prevails as regards all other
basic crops. Indiana farmers have
not been compelled as yet to sell
their livestock for want of feed.
Instead, many counties report that
farmers are using their reserve
stocks, hoping to realize a pasture
crop of some sort between now and
winter, to tide them over to next
year.
That is why every days delay in
setting up the emergency machinery
for seed loans is regarded as vital
by the government experts. In
another month all hope Of realizing
this tide-over pasture crop will
have to be abandoned.
Government Asks Information
Further detailed reports on In
diana drought suffering are ex-
pected to be published by the de-
partment of agriculture in few
days. Ten days ago the department
sent out 10000 special question
naires to its regular crop cor
respondents throughout the country,
asking exact information on every
aspect of the drought.
Indiana got several thousand Of
the questionnaires A number re-
port that although elaborate paper
organizations have been set up, little
actual relief work is under way. 1t
is this condition which is giving
federal officials grave concern.
With the southern half of the
state reporting serious drought dam
age in every county, Indiana is
one of the principal victims of the
entire area. Thirty-flve Indiana
counties are on today's revised list
of areas on which emergency con-
ditions are seen by reporters for
the Presidents relief commission.