Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-15

warning vessels and communities IN
its path, a service which oftentimes
saves many lives and much property.
Even from the advantage of knowing
where it is and where it has been, pre-
dieting the future course of a hurri-
cane is not always easy. The
wissst meteorologist can do no more
than state the proba abilities"
Recognizing successful efforts "to pre-
vent ships from sailing or steaming into
the storm zone" the Fort Wayne News
Sentinel recalls that lin comparatively
recent times, without the advantages of
fered by the sciences, the people on
other islands, the sailors at sea, and
even the inhabitants of our own Eastern
coast would have had little warning of
the approach of the hurricane, and
would not have heard of Santo Do
mingos fate for weeks"
80 completely reliable is the service
OF the Weather Bureau" states the Lex
ington Leader, that shipping is enabled
TO find safe harbor as a rule or runs
around the storm center The first sign
OF hurricane is noted its force and
direction are known, its probable course
is marked, and warnings are broadcast.
Since the advent of radio communica.
tions the shipping of the world has q
position of much greater advantage than
before. Yet it is possible that storms
may occur in the future such as the
memorable one of 1870, which DESTROYED
two fleets with all on board while In
what seemed safe anchorage. Men can
do nothing to prevent these disturb-
anceS, but science has done much to
mitigate the evils attendant upon them.
Florida is not only building against
them, but Is now so fully informed
about their movements that in the flu
ture there will not be the same dam
aging results should hurricanes strike
the coast"
y
The recent storm is ranked by the
Beloit Daily News as lone of the major
catastrophes of its kind in this hemi-
sphere in the present generation" as a
calamity which will mean impoverish-
ment for thousands of people" The
Ogden Standard Examiner declares that
not until disaster such as this destruc-
ton presents itself do we realize how
kindly Nature deals with this part of the
world" and the Toronto Daily Star
comments, Every now and then we are
reminded by far-away disasters that
one of the many advantages of life here
is the freedom from cyclonic and seis-
mic disturbances"
The danger of f1imsy construction in
places subject to such visitations is
pointed out by the Charlotte Observer.
While the Providence Bulletin, observing
that the stricken city lis a tangle of ruins
and wreckage," believes that the dam
age in the back country must be propor-
tionately great and the Sufferings of the
poor natives terrible" That paper con-
ttnues, Fortunately modern science, il
IL cannot prevent the mighty disturb
ance OF the elements, can at least miti-
gate the severity of its aftermath by
the use OF the airplane to rush supplies
and relief"
Their misfortunes stir into action
those humanitarian impulses which
prove, IN time of disaster. the kinship Of
peoples" says the Oakland Tribune.
The San Antonio Express makes the
suggestion as to remedies: "Meteoro-
logical records show that severe hurri-
canes occur in the West Indies every
two or three years. 1t therefore would
De well to arrange for maintaining a few
large transport planes equipped for re-
llef work in Caribbean and Gulf re-
glons. Such ships could be employed
by the Red Gross and other organiza-
tons for various tasks, and this service
would help promote a better under
among the New Worlds
peoples"
1t would SEEM" advises the Fort
Worth Record Telegram, that the nat
ural reaction OF a race OF superpro-
duccrs, such as Americans individually
are, would need but one disaster OF the
magnitude Of the present one TO cause
IN immediate equipment of the Red
Cross with a reserve fund that would
assure succor to the victims of what
eVer the future might produce"