Remarks on Drought and Other Natural Disasters. McConnell Air Force Base, Wichita, Kansas.

Mr. Chairman and My Friends:

No one need go on a three-day trip through the Great Plains to know that our country is faced in this region with a very great problem. Of all the things that have happened to me on this trip, none is so inspiring and encouraging as to meet with this group of representatives from fifteen States, here for a serious three-day meeting--people contributing their time, their talents and their efforts to develop plans to help meet this problem-people that are practical farmers and ranchers--representatives of our great land grant colleges--representatives of the Governors--of business--and so on.

Now to you maybe I can bring one good message you may not have heard. This morning I was notified, from Mr. Faricy, President of the American Association of Railways, that the Western Association has agreed to continue its reduced prices on feed hauling until March 31st.

Incidentally, it might be a nice gesture on the part of your organization to send the railways a vote of thanks.

We have had a first-hand look at this area--Secretary Benson, Secretary Seaton and myself. What has been most encouraging is the absence of defeatism in everybody's attitude toward the problem.

Everybody emphasizes that there are two problems: the short-range and the long-range. And the presence here today of the executive council of the Great Plains Agricultural Council is more than heartening, to know that we are attacking the long-range problem in the certainty that nothing that we do about alleviating present distress can of itself prevent the recurrence of the same situation if again we have a drought.

Now I practically wanted to get up and start a cheering section of my own when I heard the remarks about the local initiative, responsibility and direction in these programs.

I am one who fears control that is located too far from the scene of action, whether it be a commanding general operating in the field or whether it is Washington trying to produce and operate all of the programs that can affect you the farmers in Kansas, in Montana, Arizona, and the other States.

I would feel very disappointed, so long as I were part of the Federal government, if you did not believe that always you have there a cheerful, willing partner, ready to do its best. But government--Federal government--should be kept always--when it is humanly possible--as a partner, to participate in a helpful way, but to keep the maximum of responsibility and direction of action of operations in the local scene. Only in that way I believe can we get the efficiency and the economy that come from someone who is spending his own time--sometimes his own money--in the project and is therefore looking for the greatest possible returns.

Now, two or three of the programs that are included in the Budget--specific programs--I want to give just a short idea to you about them.

One, we have asked in the Budget for authority to use 25 million dollars of the Disaster Loan Revolving Fund, to provide additional emergency feed assistance to farmers and ranchers in the drought areas.

We have asked for the extension until June 30, 1958, of 25 million dollars of the unobligated funds appropriated for Agricultural Conservation, to enable Secretary Benson to make payments to farmers to carry out wind-erosion and other emergency conservation measures.

And then we have asked for an additional appropriation of 26 million dollars, under Title One of the Bankhead-Jones Tenant Act, primarily for refinancing farm indebtedness by direct loans.

Now, I think it would be odd if I should come to a meeting such as this and not make some note of the satisfaction I feel in returning once again to the State where I was privileged to spend my boyhood and to grow to manhood.

I think also that the satisfaction I feel in such a return is heightened by the knowledge that so many people have gathered to help in this great problem that faces our nation and this particular area.

And again, the fact that each person we have heard speak has emphasized the determination of his group that he represented to do their part, of each State to do its part, so that working all together we can, in the true American tradition, get something done without surrendering any of those great values for which this nation was rounded--our private privileges and rights under the Constitution of America.

There has been some mention made of one or two of the programs to which I attach tremendous importance: increased research, to get the knowledge on which we are going to base all of these integrated programs--business working with farmers, so as to produce a proper economy for the whole region. I was talking in several spots on this trip with people who seemed to know a little bit about the underground water tables, but as quickly as I was about to ask a question in detail, they said, "Only research will give us the real knowledge we need on underground water." And they always added, "long, patient, exhaustive research." No get-rich-quick program will solve this one. And we need to know.

This is merely one example of the kind of thing that we must do. I agree with what everybody has said about credit, the need for cheap credit--good credit--extended in such a way as to help the recipient and not ruin him. I believe in all of those other programs that have been stated here, and I am certain that when all of the reports that this body will produce are integrated with the encyclopedia of papers that I have collected on this trip, and studied in the Departments of Agriculture and Interior and in the Small Business Administration, and all the others that are interested in this great problem, we are going to come up with additional programs that the Federal government can commend to you, to work with you in solving this problem, which I assure you we will solve.

Thank you very much. Goodbye.