DROUGHT IN U.S.A.

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 August 1930, Page 5

DROUGHT IN U.S.A.

WORST IN HISTORY

ENORMOUS DESTRUCTION

[BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

NEW YORK, August 9.

With Mr Hoover in his summer camp in the Virginia Mountains, only a few miles from where volunteers are combating a large forest fire, and with reports to-night from forty-eight States showing that nowhere is there any appreciable rainfall, the' nation is battling with the worst drought in its history, and one which, economi cally, will compare with last winter’s industrial and financial deflation in the seriousness of its after effects. Twelve middle western States, namely, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Kansas, Illinois, lowa, Indiana, Ohio, and Arkansas, have all reached the point where nothing short of national aid will carry through a large proportion of the marginal producers, who, otherwise, will be wiped out. It is announced to-night that the railways, under a Federal mandate, will reduce the freight rates'on supplies for the afflicted farmers.

President Hoover’s week-end has been turned into one of emergency relief planning, he having summoned other Federal officials for advice. An immediate measure, such as those for the Mississippi floods for the relief of suffering and permanent, measures for rehabilitation are planned. Red Cross has announced the mobilisation of all its national-chapters for the administration of immediate aid.

The Department of Agriculture issues a. warning against any queer wheat price jubilation. It is to be remembered that only three States, namely, Washington, Oregon, and California, which normally depend upon irrigation in the summer, are not affected by protracted heat and the lack of rain.

Fairly accurate conception of the extent of the damage can be gained from the fact that it extends from Northern , New York to the Mississippi delta, and to the northern tip of the State’of Idaho. Within this area there are stagnant air, hot winds, blistering temperatures, while the rivers, creeks and lakes are at record low levels. There are also large forest fires in New' England/ Pennsylvania, Virginia and others sporadb cally throughout the nation. There are “baked” fruit orchards and milk supply is dangerously diminished. The maize fields are burning up at the rate of three, million bushels a day and the pasturage of one fourth of the country has virtually been destroyed. Kentucky’s famous blue grass has turned white, and small garden produce areas have been wiped out. The foregoing 'is a record of the devastation produced in six weeks of socalled dry weather.

The weather bureaus. moreover, announced to-night that the weather will continue “fair and warm,” with no relief in sight throughout the greater' part of the country. Paradoxically, the cities are probably the greatest sufferers. The water supply of all of the large cities is seriously depleted, and many communities are employing sources which are believed to be contaminated. The health authorities are asking that such water be boiled before > being used. In the Virginia, cities, there are many cases where police patrols are being used to see that water shall be used for household purposes only. The lack of milk has resulted in an increase of the price, and notably in New York, where an added cent to the price of the quart will mean a burden of millions of dollars. Fruits and vegetables are no longer freely available, even in New York, which has the best distributing sysstem in the country, and the prices have mounted where floods are being freely dispensed. Whether the situation will reach a state of national calamity will be decided within the coming ■ week, depending upon whether there is the rainfall necessary to save the remnants of many crops.

NO SIGN OF RAIN.

WASHINGTON, August 9.

President Hoover has ordered a conference of the Governors of twelve States to decide upon methods for drought relief.

The weather reports still continue poor, and there are no indications for rain at present. One twelfth of the livestock of a million families has been found badly affected by typhoid. Epidemics are feared in several quarters. The temperatures continue high. Washington has suffered its tenth day of over one hundred degrees with the high point at 108 degrees.

EARTH’S HOTTEST PLACE.

(Received August 11, 10 a.m.) t BASRA, August 10.

Mesopotamia, is far outdoing the American heat wave. At present, it is the hottest place on earth, the shade temperature at Basra reaching one hundred and thirty daily. Two members of the Royal Air Force, and a. number of other Europeans ( died at Bagdad. Elsewhere, there are numerous cases of heat stroke. Evon Arab coolies and Bedouins are dropping dead.