AMERICA SWELTERS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 157, 4 June 1934, Page 8

AMERICA SWELTERS

HEAT JUJINS CROPS. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph —Copyright.) CHICAGO, June 2. Although a weather forecast suggesting general showers over the drought area on both sides of the international lino extending south into Kansas started a selling movement at the Board of Trade to-day that carried wheat down over 'four cents, maize three and barley five, scorching temperatures have yet continued over the sun-blistered farming areas, searing crops on millions ot acres. A heat wave beyond anything the United States has ever experienced blazed unabated over two-thirds of the nation, and was spreading eastward. Forty deaths directly attributable to the heat have been reported. Cattle died on the barren and waterless ranges, crop losses mounted, water supplies in great cities were threatened, and human suffering grew as temperatures mounted for the sixth successive day. Although the Farm Relief Director (Mr Coffey) predicted that a continuation of the drought for another fortnight will bring a national food' shortage, the Acting-Secretary for Agriculture (Mr Tugwell) expressed surprise at the prediction, and declared that the surpluses of grain were sufficient to prevent scarcity even if the destruc-. tion of the crops continued unabated. Drought relief measures contemplated in 'Washington included the appropriation of 100,000,000 dollars for distribution to needy farmers and a year’s moratorium on all farm indebtedness held by the Federal Government. While temperatures as high as 123 were reported in the Middle West, one of the freak features of the weather was heavy summer snowstorms in, Washington, Montana and Idaho. ""