U.S.A. DROUGHT DISASTER

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1930, Page 9

U.S.A. DROUGHT DISASTER

POVERTY AND SUFFERING MANY FACING STARVATION ARRANGEMENTS FOR RELIEF By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 8.30 p.m. New York, Aug. 20. A survey of conditions in the drought areas reveals stories of poverty and acute suffering in many families amounting to actual starvation as well as numerous acts of charity by neighbours whose crops have been spared. Van Bruen County, Arkansas, has reported 150 families wholly destitute. “The main picture in Arkansas is one of dejection and helplessness the survey states. "Crops are burned up and water is exhausted. The farmers are rushing livestock to the market before they die of thirst. The fanners do little to help themselves.” Farms in Montana are yielding live bushels of wheat per acre in Mac Lam County. In Oklahoma 7o per cent, of the farmers are without stock feed. The banks are able to finance only 10 per cent, of the requirements for fall feed and pasture planting. The eastern Dakotas and Minnesota have tne best crops for the . past four years and the farmers are expecting good profits owing to the higher price due to the drought. ... . The national drought committee met President Hoover at Washington to-day and decided to call in a banking representative about a plan to utilise the Federal farm loan system to finance needy farms through the winter. Mr. Hyde refused to designate the exact amount which it may be necessary to advance, but he ventured the opinion that the total will be close to £4,000,100.

FR F.TG 11T I: ELIEF IN AMERICA. Washington. Aug. 19. Mr. llvde announced that the damage caused, by the drought has already required 563 counties, approximately one-fifth of all the counties m the United States, to be certified for special freight rates for relief. Some of the finest farm and. stock areas in the world are included in the sections requiring this aid for transporting feed and livestock. Mr. Hyde intimated that the lin>t would m-ow. He added that , there was no reason to believe that a special session of Congress would be required, as re-secdlnoperations for farmers would not require credit until after Congress meets for the short winter session in December.