The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-07-26
SLOPE EVACUATION
PLAN PESS|NnS7lC,
WILSON DECLARES
Present Drouth Won't Mecessar.
lily Be Repeated, Relief
Director States
M'KENzjE IS HARDEST HIT
Dean Walster Believes Re-
clamation Head Overstat.
Cd Situation
M'KENzlE Is HARDEST HIT

1ISQACClOOS tu&t WSSUSEu NOTtN
Dakota may be evacuated Of human
life because Of drouth conditions are
'pessimistic," E. A. Wilson, state adj
ministrator Of federal relief, said here
Thursday.
II wouldn't say we'd have to evac-
uate halt OF North Dakota anymore
than I'd say the world Is coming to
IN end" Wilson said. Wilson re-
ferred to statements made in WASH
ington by Or. Elwood Mead.
Surveys Of stricken areas In the
state have been and are being made
g FEE1A work projects, he explained,
and thus far show one western county
to be In extreme need.
He pointed to Mckenzie county in
the western portion Of the state,
where 1t may be necessary to move out
approximately one-half the families
now living on farms. Nearly 500 per-
sons would be affected by the move.
I'VE don't expect present weather
conditions to continue indefinitely, :"
Wilson explained. IF the weather
continues during the next two years
the way It has been, 1t may be neces-
sary to evacuate, but we don't expect
that kind OF weather. Mead's figures
are way too high"
Plan REQUIRES Two Years
At least two years would be required
to establish necessary machinery to
handle any widespread evacuation, he
said.
The problem Is where are we going
to put them?" Wilson said, some
requests have come In to be moved,
but not many"
Sherman johnson. In charge Of the
AAA land utilization program, will be
here Saturday to confer with Wilson
regarding the evacuation program.
. DR.. H. L. Walster, dean Of agricul-
ture ct the North Dakota Agricultural
college and director Of the state ex-
tension division and experiment sta
ton. In commenting on the statement
made by DR.. Mead in regard to west
ern North Dakota, said:
'Dr. Mead Is q reclamation engi-
neer. He thinks in terms Of water.
perhaps he has somewhat over
stated the situation, but I do not
believe he meant to say that the
whole population Of farmers Is to be
moved out Of western North Dakota.
II think we are Ill getting too ex.
cited about this drouth.
THE evidence Of history Is that It
Is not permanent. Other evidence Is
that 1t has been dry before.
II think people who live out there
will. have something to say about
wholesale evacuation.
Cannot Draw Line
mo one can draw . line north and
south through the United States and
say that on one side Of that line there
should be no attempt at farming.
I'VE must consider the drouth In
terms Of frequency, come to under
stand what Is frequency. II in some
sections they come too often then It
will Be safe to say these must be
abandoned, turned back to range.
THE converse Of that Is planning,
the adoption Of . system Of land
utilization to meet the inevitableness
OF these dry periods.
North and South Dakota and
Montana are not the only drouth
areas. Some Of the old settled SEC
tious Of the nation, land considered
safe for farming for generations has
been subjected to such severe drouth
q to cause complete and devastat-
ing failure In this extreme condition
through which We have been passing
In recent years.
Apparently the problem Of moving
farmers from one section to another
must b tackled. but 1t Is one which
calls for thorough investigation and
sound judgment"
Cooney Makes Rscommendation
Or. Walster's opinion was echoed
by Governor Frank H. Cooney Of
Montana who asserted that the solu-
ton to the manifold drouth problems
ii eastern Montana and other parts
o. the country would come only
through water conservation.
Commanding on the statement q
Or. Mead, that tens q Thousands Of
parsons must BE moved OFT the strick-
en- land. the Montana chief executive
said:
Hes right about = lot Of land
that which never could get water-
but vast areas can b reclaimed b. the
propor use q water. Let them build
water conservation projects. Save the
water that + running away each yeax.
and n ! few years we'll make : gard
"a d mast d eastern Montana