Evening star., 1936-07-05
HOPKINS PROPOSES.
MOV|NGFARMERS.
FROM ARID AREAS.
Sees Hope for Successful
Year Gone-Urges Long.
Range Plan for Land Use.
INCREASE IN RELIEF
is HELD NECESSARY
Report Asks Aid in Rebuilding
Herds and Purchase of
Feeds.

BACKGROUND
DroughtS haze spread destruction
and death through MidUestern
farm regions on several occasions
in recent years. Most sepere in
stance Das in 1884 Dhen parioHs
Nei1 Deal agencies of relief offered
aid through seed loans, lop freight
rates, resettlement OF families and
direct cash grants.
being co-ordinated by special board,
including Tug,ueu, Wallace, Hop
kinS and Bell. Steps similar to
those listed aboue already hare
been taken.
Hope abandoned for any measure
of successful farming this year. Harr!
L. Hopkins, Works Progress admin.
istrator, yesterday suggested thai
farmers in five drought States bt
given aid in moving elsewhere anc
that a long-range plan for future
use of lands in the drought areas bt
promulgated.
The present drought, survey made
public by Hopkins said, is made ex'
tremely severe by the accumulation
Of six years of adverse crop condi'
tions, grasshopper plaques, duststorms
soil erosion and low crop prices.
Farmers in 10 States, as a result
are without resources, and the DIR,
weather has cast them on the public
for relief, If they are to survive.
Relief Increase Necessary.
The tragic condition revealed b!
Hopkins means an increase, rather
than a slackening off, Of relief from
the Federal Government, the survey
stated. The administrator quotec
figures from several of the arid Sec
tions to show that families on relief
are increasing rather than falling off
In outlining remedial measures ht
regards as imperative, Hopkins sug.
gested "three major elements in q
revised land use program"
These included, first, conversion OF
cultivated crop land into permanent
pasture range; second, increase ir
size of farm units now too small fol
grazing that have been made unfi!
for crop production because Of the
drought; third, the migration OF
families from the hardest hit areas tc
better lands.
Must Move Families.
"The third step in the revised land
use program for the drought area,
Hopkins stated, twill consist of help
ing families who are unable to make
the necessary change to larger and
less intensive types Of operation to
move out of the area to other regions
where better opportunities for farming
may be found.
This type Of resettlement appears
to be particularly desirable in certain
parts of North and South Dakota, in
Northwestern Texas and in parts OF
Colorado and Kansas, where damage
by wind erosion has been most severe.
The burden of caring for such
farmers, Hopkins continued. has been
lessened by the fact large numbers
of farm families have voluntarily
abandoned hope of satisfactory farm
operations and have moved to other
States.
During the six-month period end
ing December IS, 1885, more than
$4,000 persons esnigrated from Is
drought States to California alone,
the administrator said. Over 81 per
cent of the total drought emigrants
came from the Dust Bowl area. SINH
lar movements into Oregon and Wash
ington have also taken place"
Hopkins defined the Dust Bowl area
(See DROUGHT. Page A-l0.J