Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-11-16
Conservation Meeting
Warned Of Reckless
Flood Control Expense
BY james Birehfield
Gar S,aff carrasnnndent

Sfor Sieff @otfSsF0HoeW
sTAUNTON, Va, Nov. 15.-A
warning that the Government may
spend millions of dollars "recklessly"
for flood control without lasting
results was voiced here today by the
chairman Of the agriculture COM
mittee of the American Bankers
Association.
C. T. O'Neill, vice president of the
National Bank and Trust Co. OF
Charlottesville said few people realize
the amount of water that can be
stored In the soil through proper
conservation practices.
Addressing q conservation forum
sponsored by the Stanton Augusta
County Chamber Of Commerce, MI
O'Neill said experiments in proper
soil practices on slopes indicate the
surface water run-of can be re-
duced to less than one tenth OF
that on bare land.
IT would like to see this tried on
an entire river basin," Mr.. ONeill
said, "for I believe II this is done be-
fore dams are built we might md
that We don't need the dams for
Hood control. At the same time we
would increase the productivity for
our soils and the income OF farms
far beyond anything we can mag
Inc"
Must Separate Flood Control.
nsxnita n cold rain, more than
800 farmers and business leaders
from the valley attended the forum.
held at the Woodrow Wilson High
School.
Mr.. o'Neill said the time has
come to separate food control from
power development. :.
Many Of our political leaders,"
he continued. ARE more concerned
With power development than Hood
control, and some Of the dams that
are now being built under the gu1se
Of food control are largely Tor the
purpose Of getting the Government
into the power business.
Discussing flood. control In the
Potomac River watershed, George
Phillips Of the Agriculture Depart
mont told the forum that 24-year
program Is now underway.
Charges An With Responsibility.
Mr.. Phillips said every owner OF
land in the Potomac Basin has a
responsibility to himself, his chill
dren and his neighbors to manage
his land 30 that the greatest con-
trfbution Is made toward this con-
troll program.
Local, State and the Federal Gov
eminent, he said, also have respor,-
sibilities. Where improvement meas
ures are more than an individual
can attempt, 1t Is the responsibility
Of the Government to step in and
assist.
1T is up to man." Mr.. Phillips
said, "since he must use the land,
to devise and apply measures that
will keep the soil intact and retard
water run-oh. A considerable pop
ulation is dependent on the soil in
this area for livelihood. This soil
forms an important part Of the
Nations farm and forest production
plant"
DR.. r. 8. Buie, regional conserva-
tor Of the Soil Conservation Service,
spartanburg, 8. c., warned that the
welfare and stability" Of this Ma
ton is at stake. He said $4,000, 900
acres of land will be lost unless
conservation measures are taken
within the next few years, and that
another 10000, 1000 acres will need
soil conservation practices within
the next 10 to Is years.
Proper Management Urged.
George w. Dean, chief Of the Viz
ginia Forest Service, said that
through proper management. the
States forest resources could be IN
creased 80 per cent.
Mr.. Dean said industry now Is
passing by Virginia because OF the
dwindling forest resources. He
said Improvement of State forests
will mean increased tax revenues IN
addition to the restoration Of vast
acreages Of submarginal land.
Dr.. Ira N. Gabrielson, director o,
the American Wldlife Institute
Washington, described the mountain
ranges south from the Maryland
line as the greatest potential wild
turkey range in the United States
DR.. Gabrielson said the only ele'
ment In the way of developing this
range Is the human clement II
can be accomplished as soon as the
people decide the way they want
to do the job, he said
Other speakers included L. B
Dietrich, Virginia extension service
director; pr. ]. w. Wayland. former
professor of history at Madison
College, Harrisonburg; r. M. Evans