Evening star., 1937-01-29
Co.Ordinated Flood Relief.

NOsOrUl0dtcU ElOOu Ilclltls
Organization of relief work for the aid
Of the sufferers from the floods in the
Ohio and Mississippi Valleys proceeds
with speed and efficiency. Experience
In these matters aids in the procedure.
Resources are invoked through the Gov
ernment and the Red Cross to meet the
need. Funds pour in from all quarters.
No time Is lost in the assembling Of
supplies or in their distribution. The
rivers rise with such speed and the waters
pour down through the drainage area
with such force that thousands are
marooned before aid can reach them,
but the rescue work follows closely and,
thanks to the systematic coordination
of all forms Of succor, the emergency is
met with minimum Of loss.
Each time the rivers rise and the situa-
ton becomes dangerous the experiences
of the past are utilized to lead the way
to the swiftest response to the call for
help. In past years these catastrophes
were not always measured adequately
and much loss was suffered in conse-
quence. Today there is not only imme-
diate action but perfect coordination of
resources.
The flood-control problem has not yet
been solved. Perhaps it never will be.
effectively and definitely. The vast forces
Of nature may prove to be unbeatable.
Yet each Of these visitations finds the
country better prepared for giving succor
to the sufferers. Millions of dollars be-
come quickly available for the purchase
Of supplies, for the engagement Of means
Of rescue. for the administration of relief
work.
These visitations, which In their prog
ress seem so distressingly long, are fortu-
nately brief In fact. The rivers rise
suddenly, but so far flung is the system
Of news gathering and spreading that
the dangers are more quickly discerned
than In the earlier days, when there
were meager means Of gathering in
formation and Of giving warning. Ac-
curate knowledge of the volume of
rainfall and the prospective swelling of
the rivers is promptly available, to permit
close calculations as to the height to
which the waters will rise, and precaution
may be taken to remove numbers of the
people In the menaced areas to safer
ground. The most serious factor Of dan
ger lies In the reluctance Of the dwellers
in these regions to leave their homes.
They hope that the floods will not reach
them, that the barriers against tnunda-
ton will stand firm.
Now the waters are subsiding In the
upper ranges of the flood area. The Ohio
Valley Is emerging from the tide. Farther
down, in the Mississippi basin, the condi-
tions are the worst In the whole region,
and there the final battle will be fought
to save lives. both from the inundation
itself and from the diseases that accom-
pany 1t as food and potable water are
lacking and as exposure to the Winters
chill brings disease. Not often does it
happen that these great floods occur at
this season. Usually they come in the
Spring. when the SHOWS melt in the upper
areas and swell the streams to overflow
point. This year the problem is twofold,
to save the people from the waters them
selves and from the rigors Of the climate
st the most treacherous time of the year.
But, thanks to the Governments own
agencies, to the Red Cross and to the
millions Of generous people who give
quickly and abundantly Of their means,
this work is proceeding, with assurance
that there will be no losses that human
aid can prevent.