The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-02-27
DUST STORMS
COME BACK TO
MIDDLE WEST
Experts Are PeSsimiStic
About Future; Condition
in Panhandle Critical.
BY THOMAS L. STOKES
Times Special Writer

Times Special Writer
NORMAN, Okla, Feb. 27.-A
pihkish gray haze is sometimes visi-
bile over Oklahoma these days,
blown up from the Oklahoma and
Texas Panhandle, to portend re-
currence of the dust-storm tragedy
which dramatized to the nation
few months ago lost heritage and
major problem.
Already in recent weeks two
serious dust storms have occurred
in the Panhandle as the wind
whipped up the top-soil of that now
barren area and spread it over
Oklahoma.
The situation in the Panhandle Is
extremely critical" said Herb
Cavett. director of the Agriculture
Departments soil erosion control
program in Texas County. Harry F.
Wahlgren, chief Of the Weather Bu-
reau at Oklahoma City, said:
Panhandle Soil Dry
Unless heavy rains fail, it an
pears we will have another series Of
dust storms when the March winds
set IN. The Panhandle soil is dry"
Recurrence of storms in this area
so early in the year directs atten-
ton to the problem with which
President Roosevelt and Secretary
Wallace are trying to cope in the
new program that will provide for
withdrawing bare lands from cult
Walton and planting grasses or le-
gumes to hold the top-soil in place
and restore fertility.
Back and forth 1 have crossed the
dust bowl area in Kansas, Nebraska.
eastern Colorado and Kansas. The
frst time 1T was covered by snow.
Three heavy snowfalls in some
parts OF the dust bowl have helped
tremendously, but it will take more
IMAM rainfall in one season to meet
this national problem.
Snow Gone on Return
When l returned across the Colo
RADIO and Kansas dust bowl area the
snow was gone. Miles and miles of
brown land lay exposed, with dry
sort of grass growth in some places.
others scooped bare, and, very rare
ly, a struggling carpet of green
grass. l passed through towns
which were nearly inundated with
sand a few months ago.
1t was a desolate spectacle.
Tho nklohnY,nn
handle is probably in worse shape
than most other areas. Sand dunes
as high as the barns dot the land
about Guymon, Kas.
DR.. Paul Sears of Oklahoma Uni
versity here, author of Deserts on
the March" book which portrays
the problem graphically, said he
found on recent visit to the Guy
mon area that Russian thistle is
the type of carpet which is sprout-
ing in that area. This is very I'M
fortunate, he explained, since the
thistle breaks off at the ground I'M
der a wind and therefore is of no
value in holding the top-soil.
Suggests Solution for Problem
The only solution of the dust bowl
problem in that area and some
others, he said, is to grow grass
there for from 10 to SO years.
suggested that this, perhaps, could
not be political solution, and he
smiled and agreed. He thinks it
will take long time and careful
planning.
Emergency prevention measures
have been handicapped in the Pan
handle region, first, by lack of
necessary funds to terrace the land
and, second, by freezing of the
heavier sub-soil under the top-soil.
One editor in the area, Giles E.
Miller of the the Panhandle Daily
Herald, Of Guymon, has opened a
campaign to force contouring and
terracing and has planned country
wide meetings. Farmers say they
can't help themselves if their neigh
borS don't stop erosion, as the drift
ing soil chokeS out all vegetation.
Doomed TO Disappointment
People IN the dust bowl have
walked up to the problem, though
some still believe it can be rectified
fairly quickly and without extreme
measures. In this they are doomed
to disappointment, according to
DR.. Sears, whose book explains how
wasteful measures over long peri
cd have finally produced the trag-
edy.
He shows how the land was over
cultivated in the desire of farmers,
when the price of wheat was high,
for quick profits. They opened up
wide areas, grew wheat year after
year, provided no grass or other
cover to restock the soil and to tie
down the top-Soil.
The process of restoration natur-
ally will be slow.