Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-19


to perpetuate itself q second
Summer? viii be deluged with floods to
make up for the dearth Of water during 1880?
In other words, can science tell during the
Spring months what the weather will be during
the Summer? And if it could, can science do
anything about it to change or mitigate
weather conditions?
These are some of the questions asked several
Government weather officials in Washington.
Since Nature played such a whimsical and dis
astrous trick on helpless humanity throughout
the Central Southern and Southeastern parts
of the United States during 1880 by denying
the earth normal water supply, most of US
have become frightfully weather-conscious.
All the officials agree on several points.
In the first place, nobody knows that there
win be a drought during 1881 Nobody knows
what the weather will be. Long-ran weather
forecaSting is an infant science which so far
has given little indication Of what kind OF adult
tendencies 1t may manifest or along what lines
It's life may be nodded
Furthermore, even If science knew exactly
what the weather would be-the temperature
range, the humidity the rainfall and all the
ether factors Of climate and weather-t would
be able to do nothing to change those condi-
lions. Mark Twains sage remark that Every
body Is always talking about the weather, but
nobody ever does anything about It," holds just
o. true today as it did when 1t was uttered
TIE individual who says that he can make
u rain or In any way materially change the
conditions OF the atmosphere belongs In the
class with the ignorant superstitious medicine
man Of the Dark Ages. according to DR.. w. ].
Humphreys, meteorological physicist OF the
United States Weather Bureau.
Science so far has found no method either
Of foretelling Of averting . drought" DR..
Humphreys said.
I'VE are as powerless to predict q second
drought as we were TO give warning Of the
hrst. The fact that there has been drought
does not necessarily indicate continued
shortage Of moisture any more than 1t indicates
or threatens US, by contrast, with hood, rs
some laymen seem to fear.
Mature often seems to US Just 10 try her
helf' with contrariness, giving Us intense heat
Tor one period and then intense cold. But in
q climate such IS that Of the United States
these violent changes are more coincidence than
the result Of any established rule Of Nature.
ION the contrary, unless we have normal
rainfall throughout the Spring season, which We
are hoping for, although we are unable to
predict It, the drought a. the last year VIII
tend to perpetuate itself. do not wish 20 be
interpreted Is predicting either drought Or .
rainy season. I merely say that the lack Of
moisture in the suhson IN the early part Of
March might produce an unfortunate and Serf-
Gus condition for the crops next Summer II
we do not have normal Spring rains. There Is
no way under the sun OF Cet1n8 now Wne6ner OF
not these rains win be forthcoming, however"
Can science do anything to produce these
rains-to give them o helping hand-thus
averting another drought II the Spring rains
fail to materialize?" DR.. Humphreys was asked.
NO not In my honest opinion" DR.. Hum
phreys answered.
1.-The only way to avert drought, obviously
is to make rain. The only conceivable ways Of
making rain are by magic and by scientific
methods.
I'VE win all agree that magic doesn't work
Getting out and sprinkling water around and
telling the skies to do likewise Is laughable in
its abslmdity. Rain comes only from the action
OF natural forces, and it cannot be produced
artif1caiy by any known method. Savages
have for centuries had their magic methods of
making rain.
"One of the earliest rainmaking practices
was TO pick out the tallest three trees in
given locality where rain was required. Then
the most agile three members of the tribe were
chosen. One given burning torch. q
second q sprinkling and third . kettle
and club. From the treetops the man with
the torch brandished it rapidly to simulate
the lightning the second beat Justify on the