Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-07-26
FIood-ControI Farley
Demands Completion
|0f Missouri Dams
BY the Associated Press

Missouri River States COMMITTEE
are demanding immediate appro
priations from Congress for tn
Pick-Sloan plan to control Mis-
souri, Valley floods.
The committee acted quickl,
yesterday after a full day of re
viewing the disastrous flood o
1951-costliest in the Nations his
tory.
1t adopted a resolution calling
for immediate funds to build al
authorized Pick-Sloan projects
Then it added a demand for ad
ditional authorization of all tn
projects which have been recon
mended for the hard hit Missouri
Kansas area.
1t also urged a program of foo,
protective insurance to be spon
sored by the Federal Government
1t would give farmers, homeowner
and businesses in the flood plain
OF rivers insurance at REASONABLE
rates.
Wants 1t Retroactive.
And the committee urged it b
made retroactive to cover tn
losses in the 1851 flood.
The Congress of industrial
Organizations sought to replac
the insurance plan with a pro
posal for outright Federal grant
to flood sufferers. But that wa
rejected by voice vote.
The resolution pinpointed Ger
tain projects as most necessary
They were Tuttle Greek Reservoir
on the Blue River in Kansas
GavinS Point Dam in South Da.
kota, Oahe Dam in South Dakota
flood protection works at Wichita
and Hutchinson, Kans., and tn,
Toronto Dam in Kansas.
At the same time it urged i'm.
mediate funds to complete al
other Army Engineer dams nov
being built and all Bureau O
Reclamation dams which include
food control features.
Credit Is Assured.
Some of the Federal agencies a
yesterdays mass meeting had EN-
phasized they were ready to sup
ply credit to food sufferers.
But the resolution said credi
isn't the answer for those who los
their homes and possessions. I
recommended instead that tn
proposed Federal insurance pro
gram be put into effect on a retro
active basis.
Other resolutions called for:
An increase in the present 81
million disaster loan fund of tn
Reconstruction Finance Corp
described as vastly inadequate.
Federal funds and equipment t,
help farmers level their silted Ian,
and clear away the debris.
Immediate rebuilding of broker
levees.
Funds for Repairs.
Federal funds to repair farm
buildings and buy feed grain t,
maintain livestock herds.
An increase in Federal agricul
tural conservation payments II
cover emergency work.
Among the 1900 in attendance
were farmers from the forks O
the creeks. heads of giant indus
tries crippled by the food, Federal
State and community leaders from
the entire 10-State basin area.
They heard Federal Official
point up the immediate and futur
plans of action.
Stresses Human Needs.
Raymond M. Foley, coordinate
of activities for food relief with
I$25 million fund at his disposal
stressed the urgency of human
Ineeds-the prevention of humal
suffering and privation and tn
restoration of the people to home
and employment. :"
He warned, however:
Upon your self-reliance an
IresourcefulnesS, which helped car
Iry you through the flood disaster
still rests the primary instrumen
of your recovery"
And typical of the responses t
this challenge was a report fror
Fred G. Gurley, president Of tn
Santa Fe Railway.
Going Ahead With Plans.
Mr.. Gurley said that despite tn
flood, the Santa Fe was goin
ahead with its plans for a 5
million diesel maintenance plan
in the Argentine yards of Kansa
City, Kans.-a site that was unde
% feet of water at the height O
the flood.
Before they spoke, Maj. Ger
Lewis A. Pick, chief of the Arm
Engineers, gave his views Of wha
lis needed for effective flood contrc
for the future.
The answer. he said, is reser
voirs, "if the battle cry of 'neve
again is to be more than a catcl
phrase in flood control"
Cites $3.50 Million Loss.
He cited the loss, which h
placed at 1890 million for Kansa
and Missouri, and declared tina
three proposed reservoirs in tn
Pick Sloan River control program
would have averted the disaste
at Manhattan, Topeka, Lawrenc
and Missouri. and declared tina
and the two Kansas Citys.
The Pick-Sloan plan, the gen
eral described as one includin
flood control, soil conservation
irrigation, power and recreation
Gov. Val Peterson of Nebraska
chairman of the meeting, de
scribed the Pick-Sloan plan a
only Is per cent complete.
But we had no right to expec
that program Is per cent complet
would have held off the floods. "
He was one of five governor
in attendance. They were Gov!
Peterson, Edward Arm of Kansa,
Forrest Smith of Missouri, Sigur
| Anderson Of South nokntn m