AFTERMATH OF FLOODS.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17133, 21 June 1927, Page 7

AFTERMATH OF FLOODS.

AN AMERICAN PROBLEM.

WORK OF REHABILITATION.

PRECAUTIONS AGAINST DISEASE

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) WASHINGTON, Juno 19.

The flood waters in llio Mississippi Valley have now receded to a low level. This being so, the Secretary of Commerce, Mr 11. C. Hoover, will leave Washington to-morrow to superintend Lho commencement of the work of rehabilitation in Hie inundated areas.

An idea of ihc stupendous nature of this task can be gained from the fact that 11,500,000 acres of land arc included in the zones which were flooded in Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana, and a total of more than 600,000 persons arc homeless refugees under the care of the Red Cross Society.

Mr Hoover has at liis disposal £3,000,000 for the preliminary work of rehabilitation. It is expeclcd that in t,he coming s-ssion Congress will vole most of the vast sum of money required in the colossal undertaking. The first 30 days will he devoted to a programme of sanitation. Medical experts from the Public Health Service. (he State health and sanitary organisations, and army and navy doctors and civ'l technicians will participate in the operations. The disposal of the carcasses of thousands of dead animals, as well as the burning of great quantities of dead vegetable matter, all of which is a menace of the first magnitude to ihe great army of destitute people who are now returning to the stricken area, will he tiie first step taken. Moisquitoes are causing another great problem. These dangerous pests have assumed large proportions. Every' precaution will he iaken to minimise tiie danger of malaria. This is perhaps the most serious piiase of the sanitation problem.

New' roads will then he constructed. Arrangements have already been made to finance this work and the construction of thousands of new homes on long-time credits and at low rates of interest, also to supply furnishings for farms.

Industrial plants will then be rehabilitated and food control will be instituted. It is intended to replace every one of the 120,000 families concerned hack on the land on a productive fooling.

A conference of Slate Governors will be held in July. Tiie chief subject to be considered will be flood control. Army engineers, co-operating w'ith civilian engineers, all under the direction of General Jadwin, arc already formulating a plan' for future flood control for submission to Congress in December.

It is understood this plan involves tiie construction of new levees with spillways, and probably reservoirs, on lho upper readies of the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Mr Hoover says there is no minimising lho'size of tiie task which faces those who are giving their lime lo it without remuneration or hope ii reward except that of and the consciousness of duly well done. He says the floods comprised (he greatest peace-time calamity in the, history of the United States. However, he has no doubt they are going to master tiie situation.