Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-10
DROUGHT DANGERS
OVEREMPHAS|zED
Distress Declared Probably
to Be Comparatively
Limited in Area.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Although President Hoover felt COM
PEELED to call IL Governors into confer
ence to organize relief measures In the
agricultural areas affected by lack of
water and rain, there are indications
that the situation has been somewhat
overemphasized.
From national point Of view the Ill
effects will be spotty, with relatively
little influence on agriculture as
whole or the food supply because OF
the great abundance Of the various
crops. Distress is likely to be confned,
Government reports reveal, to local
areas where cattle may have 10 De
all their grass and hay crops ruined.
Relief Measures TwOfold.
Relief measures now being planned
are twofold: Transportation is the most
vital, because it will be necessary 10
transport eXpeditiously wheat ana other
grain for feed purposes, ana some
financial aid will have to be rendered
to those engaged in the cattle industry
in certain sections of the country, In
Guiding individual farmers whose 1eeo
crops have been destroyed
The railroads have already appheo
for permission to put into erect emer-
gency low freight rates and mucn OF
the work of local organizations VIII De
to handle the problem OF transporta-
ton of feed.
The Federal Farm Board has plenty
of money which it can advance TO
local citizens organizations ana SUN
conform to the law which prevents
loans to individuals.
with the interchangeability Of crops,
many Government officials here 1eel
that within a short time most OF the
feed necessities will have been Satlsreo.
This will take care OF the cattle 10
large extent, though losses here ana
there of live stock will still be consider
able.
The distress to the individual farmer
in certain, areas no doubt Is ALREADY
acute and will grow more intense IN the
drought areas, but reckoned on ma
tionai basis, the total amount of farmers
involved is a small percentage, and
also the total amount of crop 1aliures
is not vet sufficient to interfere with
domestic food supplies. Most OF the
wheat has already been harvested, ano
it is estimated that in the Northern
Agricultural States, where wheat mas
not vet been gathered, the shortage Que
to drought conditions may not exceed
II 900 600 or 18000,000 bushels. which,
OF course, is d HSSiSlDlC nAhoNAAU "AAN.
the total production Is considered,
Major Disaster Not Involved.
From the Government point of view,
however interest is naturally just as
deep, no matter how small Is the rela-
tive number of individuals affected.
Relief plans are under way with the
full authority and power of the Federal
as we'll as State governments. But any
thing like a major disaster OF national
proportions is not by any means in
volved in the damage done thus far.
In fact, some crops are likely to be
aided in the prices they obtain, which
may mean that some sections OF the
country will benefit by the drought in
other sections.
There is, on the other hand, no tend
ency in Washington to minimize the
effects of the drought upon those who
are directly concerned in certain States.
but a fear is expressed that because OF
the unusual character of the relief
measure an exaggerated impression OF
the whole drought situation may be
produced in the minds of those who are
unfamiliar with the compensat1ons. as
we'll as the interchangeability of agricul-
tural crops.
(Copyright, 1900