Evening star., 1936-04-07

great Mississippi River, would favor
such legislation. The Northwest sec
ton, with its problem of floods from
the Columbia River would at least be
receptive to such legislation. And,
why not? The people of the lower
Mississippi have themselves spent mil
lions of dollars building up a system
of levees. Unhappily for them, they
cannot tax themselves enough to build
an adequate system. True, the Gov
ernment has aided in the last few
years. Appropriations have only come
directly following a disastrous food;
and all the money thus obtained has
had to be used to repair breaks in
the levees, with none left with which
to raise the levees to real protection
heights.
The recent flood disasters In the
northeast section of this country have
certainly brought home to a great
many Of our people that We have a
national f1ood-control problem. This
will, I hope. make it possible to start
something really constructive that will
be Of permanent nature. 1t Is not un-
usual in our section to have the farm
lands overflowed three times In one
Spring, and then have a severe
drought during the Summer. This is
especially true Of the St. Francis,
Arkansas and White River Basins.
Even though a food like the one at
JohnStown, Pa, only occurs once in
so years, We cannot afford, with our
engineering facilities, to sit idly by,
either in spirit of economy or mere
"do-nothingness" and let such whole
sale destruction of life and property
continue, without using these facilities
in prevention work. If the manufac-
turers and industrialists had to pro-
duce their wares under the same
handicaps as the farmers who buy
from them. wonder how long they
would exist.
Many Facets to Problems.
This administration is the first to
really consider agriculture as a major
problem. OF course, in the thickly
populated centers this does not have
much appeal. Anything that boosts
the prices Of foodstuffs steps on their
toes, or more painfully, their pocket
books. The more they have to pay for
pork and beans, to say nothing Of
asparagus, alligator pears and porter
house steaks, the less they have to
spend for automobiles and amuse-
ments, so a howl goes up that the
farmers are shiftleSs lot and their
tax money is being squandered for
them.
1t would be enlightening to know
just how many of these who so deeply
deplore the farm legislation are tax
payers. and how many are the prop
ertyless wage-earners. Do not mis-
understand mel am just asking here
some of the questions often ask my
self, that you may know that every
problems has as many facets as the
most beautifully cut diamond. That
in a final analysis the rights of all
must be considered and weighed, then
your best judgment invoked to meet
the complexities of the legislation for
all the people Of this so great country.
The diverse and often extremely
divergent interests Of one section to
the interests Of another sometimes
acts as a brake. but too often makes
for class legislation in favor of pow
erful interests and Is responsible for
the accusation of log-rolling. In say
ing this I am not meaning to imply
a criticism of any one in either branch
of the Congress. That body in which
I serve is composed of serious minded.
hard-working, conscientious members.
They bring their best judgment to
bear on all these problems, for which
they deserve the respect Of the coun-
try. But naturally they have differ
ent opinions.
Right here let me say that am
not differentiating between the wom-
en- and men who are serving in legis-
lative capacities. 1t is no longer a
nine days wonder that women are in
this field. 1t is an accepted fact and,