BUILDING ANEW IN WAKE OF FLOOD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18187, 21 June 1927, Page 12

BUILDING ANEW IN WAKE OF FLOOD.

MIGHTY TASK BEGUN IN UNITED STATES. By Telegraph.-—Press Assn.—Copyright. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Association. WASHINGTON, June 19. With the flood waters having reached a low stage of recession, Mr Hoover is leaving to-morrow to superintend the commencement of rehabilitation work in the inundated Mississippi Valley areas. The stupendous nature of the task can be judged by the fact that 11,500,000 acres are included in the zones that, went under water in Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana, and a total of more than 600,000 persons are homeless. The refugees are under the care of the Red Cross. Mr Hoover lias at his disposal 15,000,000 dollars for the preliminary work of rehabilitation, and it is expected that the coming session of Congress will appropriate the bulk of the vast sum of money required for the colossal undertaking. Air Hoover has announced that the first thirty days will be devoted to a programme of sanitation. Medical experts from the. Public Health Service, State Health Sanitary organisa tion, Army and Navy doctors, and civil technicians, will participate. The disposal of thp carcases of thousands of dead animals, as well as the incineration of great quantities of dead vegetable matter, all of which is a menace of the first magnitude to the great army of destitute farmers, who are now returning to the stricken areas, will be the first step. Mosquitoes are another big problem, and the infestation, according to the latest reports, has assumed large proportions. Every precaution will be taken to minimise malaria, the danger of which is perhaps the most serious phase of the sanitation problem.

Roads will then be rebuilt, and arrangements have already been made to finance the reconstruction of thousands of homes on long-time credits at a low interest, and supply furnishings for farms. Industrial plants will then be rehabilitated, and food control instituted. It is contemplated to put everyone of the 120,000 families back on a productive footing.

A conference of State Governors will be held in July, the chief subject for consideration being flood control. An army of engineers is co-operating with civilian engineers, and all under the direction of General Edgar Jadwin are already formulating a plan for future flood control for submission to Congress in December. It is understood that the plan involves new levees with spillways, and probably reservoirs in the upper Mississippi reaches and tributaries.

Mr Hoover said: “There is no minimising the size of the job facing those who are giving their time without remuneration or hope of reward, except that of gratitude and the consciousness of duty well done, to this task, involving as it does the greatest peace-time calamity in the history of our country. Personally, I have no doubt that' we are going to master the situation.’*