U.S.A. DROUGHT DISASTER

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1930, Page 9

U.S.A. DROUGHT DISASTER

WORST IN THE NATION’S HISTORY

MILK, WATER AND FOOD SHORTAGE

HEAT RAVAGES COUNTRYSIDE

By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received 6.30 p.m. New York, August . The nation is battling with the worst drought in its history. Nothing short of national aid will save the mid-western States from ruin and unless there is sufficient rain during the week to save the remnants of crops the country will be facing a national calamity. Red Cross and similar organisations have begun relief work. Economically the drought will compare with last winter’s industrial and financial deflation in the’seriousness of its after effects.

FIRES RAGING IN FORESTS’

PRESIDENT PLANNING RELIEF. FOURTH OF PASTURES DESTROYED Only a few miles from where President Hoover is in his summer camp in the Virginia mountains, volunteers are combating a large forest fire. Reports to-night from the 48 States show that nowhere is there any appreciable rainfall. „ x The twelve middle-western States, including Missouri, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Kansas, Illinois, lowa, Indiana and Arkansas, have reached the point where nothing short of national aid will carry through the large proportion of marginal producers, who otherw'se will be wiped out. It ie announced to-night that railways under the Federal mandate will reduce freight rates on supplies for afflicted farmers.

President Hoover’s week-end has been turned into an emergency relief-plan-ning campaign, he having summoned other Federal officials for advice. Immediate measures such as those used in the Mississippi floods for the relief of suffering and permanent measures for rehabilitation are planned. The Red Cross has announced the mobilisation of all its national chapters for the administration of immediate aid. Large forest fires in New England, Pennsylvania and Virginia and sporadically throughout the country, have “baked” the fruit orchards. The milk supply has been dangerously diminished, maize fields are burning up at the rate of 3,000,000 bushels a day, and the pasturage of one-fourth of the country has been virtually destroyed, Kentucky’s famous blue grass has turned white and small garden produce areas have been wiped out. That is the record of devastation produced in six weeks of so-called dry weathers.

CITIES GREATEST SUFFERERS DANGEROUS SOURCES OF WATERS ■POLICE ENFORCING ECONOMY. Rec. 6.30 p.m. New York, Aug. 9. Paradoxically the cities are probably the greatest sufferers from the drought. The water supplies of all the large cities have been seriously depleted and many communities are employing sources which arc believed to b,e contaminated. Health authorities are asking that such water be boiled before being used. In Virginian cities there are many cases where police patrols are being used to see that water be used for household, purposes only. The lack of milk has resulted in an increase of price, notably in New York, where an added cent, to the price of a 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 system in the country. Prices have mounted and inferior foods are freely dispensed. Whether the situation will reach a state of national calamity will be decided within the coming week, all depending upon the rainfall necessary to save the remnants of many crops. If it is remembered that only three States, Washington, Oregon and California, normally depend upon irrigation in the summer-iiKd tketefore are unaffected by the protracted heat and lack of rain, a fairly accurate conception of the extent of the damage can be gained. In the area from northern New York to the Mississippi delta and the northern tip of Idaho,-there is “stagnant air,” hot winds, blistering temperatures, and rivers, creeks and lakes at record low levels.