Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-13

Sympathy and awe are reflected II
the comment on New Zealand's recent
great catastrophe, the earthquakes
which not only leveled the town o.
Napier but changed TO remarKaple
degree the topography OF the seacoas'
of the island.
"An appreciation Of the disaster
through recurring eartnquakeS, lrOiL
which New Zealand is now suffering, u
possible in America, where memories o
calamities of q like nature In some o.
the States remain alive" says the
pittsburgh POST Gazette, which notes
that, although 1.-The extent OF loss may
NOT compare with some of the others IN
modern history, nevertheless the picture
of a breakdown Of ordinary LIE which
is presented in the news dispatches Is
one which will command world aCten-
ton" The Milwaukee Journal eplt-
omizes the thought of America, saying
"If there are words to express our SYM
nathv to this people in the far-on
South Pacific, who speak our Language
and live as we live, we want TO SPEAK
them. If there is help they need, we
can afford to give help.
COMMUNICATING the occurrence as
Zone of the major disasters in the his
tory of seismic disturbances" the Buf-
falo Evening News suggests that tine
weight Of the ocean which the unoer-
wing rocks of the earth have to sustain
doubtless has much to do with eartn-
m,akes in the entire Pacific region
though in the case Of New Zealand vol
canic openings are q more direct cause. -
AS the Birmingham News describes IT:
s'The ocean mountain-peak that is
called New Zealand has been convulsed
bv tremors issuing from far under
meath the AuStralaSian continent
natural upheavals that reck not OF the
teeming life that has taken millions OF
years to produce. These COOLING
processes, these geological settlements
and establishments invariably demand
toll of life and property" this paper
AYERS. as 1t expresses its assurance that
"the wounds of those that suffer viii be
salyed and bound. Human distress will
be met by mans unfailing bounty In
crises like these" The Oakland Tribune
remarks Americans will read the news
hoping the official reports will diminish
rather than increase the losses, grateful
that relief agencies are in the field and
with readiness to do what they can to
assist"
Describing the disaster, the st. Louis
Democrat states: 1.-THE survivors
of few other visitations of the kind
have had a more fearful experience.
Tidal waves, furious winds, ignited gas
from broken mains and extensive flreS
were added to the alright OF crashing
buildings" The Hartford Courant
states that Napier, with its 10000 in
habitants, may be abandoned, the de-
cision depending upon the condition OF
its harbor. A seaport from
which the sea has been removed is not
krNxx Unit fgRf1 4
If 1t Is found necessary to abandon the
site, the loss of its surviving inhabitants
viii be greater than they thought when
the earthquake had passed" declares
the Courant.
Regarding the origin of the archi-
pelago, the Richmond News Leader
points out that it is itself "a strange
relic of an ancient, globe-shaking up
heaval, in comparison with which the
worst catastrophes Of historic times
seem light aniiction. A continent once
stretched from New Zealand to South
America, biologists say, and at some
distant date was destroyed by explosion,
earthquake and sea-" relates the News
Leader.
Strange, 1t seems, in q world so
large and with population so sparse In
parts of 1t, that great cities are built
and enormous wealth is invested and
hundreds Of thousands of human lives
are constantly imperiled at the brink Of
thermal activity so apparent and so
tremendous that o mountain is moved
seward and deep harbor becomes vir-
tually dry 1andl" excIaims the Toledo
Blade, as it notes that "the worlds
three great geyser basins are in Vel
lowstone Park, in Iceland. and in New
Zealand. the north island OF which was
devastated by recent earthquake. The
geyserg rumbling and roaring and
nearby hot pools and bubbIinR mud
puddles emitting vapor and strnngly
sulphurouS odofs. are the unerTtng sur