Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-04
National Grange Head Tells
Hoover Government Aid
Is imperative.
SPECIAL FREIGHT RATES
TO MOVE CATTLE URGED
Extension to Utmost of Credit Fa-
cilities He'll Jtecasss,y 10
Avert Catastrophe.

AS reports of continued record
breaking high temperatures and
drought continued to pour into the
Department of Agriculture today, Louis
j. Taber, master of the National
Grange, brought word to President
Hoover that if no rains occur in the
affected areas within 80 days the
drought will become major catas-
trophe.
Taber has spent the last 10 days in
the affected regions in the Middle
West and said the situation was more
serious than the Nation understands"
Taber said the Government should
indicate the problem would have its
serious attention. He suggested that
special freight rates be granted to move
live stock out of hay and feed into the
distressed areas and credit facilities be
extended to the utmost.
In hundreds of communities pastures
were as bleak as If they had been killed
py frost and the green of the forests
was broken by Autumn-like splotches
of yellow from dead leaves. Forest fires
were a prevalent danger in sections east
of the Mississippi, where at this season
and lakes had receded leaving in their
wake the stencil of dead and dying fish.
Water shortage was acute in the hills.
Many church congregations have met
to pray for rain. But above all was
the damage already done, or threatened.
to crops.
With Washington again immersed in
a general heat wave that continues to
shatter all records for intensity and
n he fod
discouragingly today there was no re-
lief in sight.
Although thundershowers may occur
in other sections tonight or tomor-
row, it was said the chance for rain
here was very, very slight" Even If
1t does rain, the bureau does not expect
1t to bring relief.
Hot weather in the Mississippi Valley
added to the anxiety. 1t caused esti-
mates of damage to corn, already placed
at hundreds of millions of bushels, to
mount and sharply higher prices on the
grain exchanges resulted.
Midwest Relief Predicted.
Some comfort was seen in the predic-
ton by the Weather Bureau of slightly
cooler weather in the Midwest and 1t
was already more comfortable in sec
lions of the Atlantic seaboard. The
South generally, however, and most OF
the Washington forecast district con-
tinued to swelter, with no balm in the
way of promised relief.
It was pleasant Summer weather in
the Rocky Mountain region. That sec
ton and the Pacific Coast have had
normal rainfall There has been ade-
quate rain in parts of the Middle,
Northwest and Southwest. Showers
have helped elsewhere, but in most of
the area east of the Mississippi 1t has
been so dry that the Oldest inhabitants
and the Weather Bureau cannot recall
its equal.
Cotton has begun to suffer badly over
most of it's area. In parts of Arkansas,
Tennessee and, Mississippi light
shower or two has been the only mois-
ture that has fallen in more than 80
days.
New Low Rainfall Records.
New low rainfall records for the
months from March through July were
reported today for several States.
Ohio has had only 81 per cent of
normal rainfall in that period the
smallest total since 1895. Kentucky
has had only So per cent, new low
record Indiana has had 81 per cent,
Illinois 81 per cent, while Missouri has
had SIS per cent, all low records for
the five months. In these States rain
fall was below normal for every other
month of the year as we'll.
Arkansas has had only 20 per cent
of normal rainfall, Notwithstanding
that in May it had an average OF 10
inches of rain. The total for the five
months is the lowest since 1901.
For the eighth time this Summer
the mercury at the Weather Bureau
station here is expected to soar to 100
degrees, or a shade higher, perhaps,
during the afternoon. Previous to this
year, the record heat was four days
of 100-degree temperature in one
Summer, set in 1874. Already this
Summer the temperature has reached
100 or more six times in July and once
in August. With the humidity 3 points
higher this morning than yesterday, 1t
considerably warmer. At 8 o'clock the
humidity was "a per cent, which Is
pretty high.
1913 Degrees Predicted Downtown.
Observance showed that the tempera-
ture is rising several degrees an hour.
At o'clock the official thermometer
registered II degrees. 1t mounted to
SO at 8 o'clock and 88 at 10 o'clock For
downtown Washington 1t Is altogether
likely that the kiosk thermometer would
repeat its record of 103 degrees at $3.50
O'Clock yesterday.
Considering the little likelihood of
rain serving to break the Intensity of
the heat, the weather forecast for the
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