Renewing New England

Like a physician who cheers up his patient by showing professional enthusiasm over unique features of the case, Secretary of Commerce Hoover, national disaster-doctor, last week told Governor John E. Weeks of Vermont that he "would be delighted to be associated with the people of Vermont" in rehabilitating the state;* that the New England flood was unparalleled because of the rapidity with which so much damage had been done.

From an automobile, Secretary Hoover viewed the water-wrecked Winooski Valley. In Montpelier, Vermont's capital, he sat down and studied reports. Then he went to Springfield, Mass., where the New England Council was holding its third annual conference. There he outlined what had happened, what might be done, methodically classifying both.

Family Loss. The homes, tools, livestock, furniture, etc., destroyed in Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut, appeared to total somewhere between $7,000,000 and $10,000,000. (Figures for Massachusetts were not yet complete.) Secretary Hoover recommended that, as in the past, this phase of rehabilitation be left to the Red Cross.

Railroads. Railroads estimated their damages between $5,500,000 and $6,000,000. "Obviously the railroads must undertake their own reconstruction."

Highways. Vermont had lost $7,500,000 worth of highways; Connecticut, $2,500,000 worth; Massachusetts some more. Each state would have to apportion reconstruction costs as best it could between county, state and Federal governments.

Industry. Vermont's industrial losses were some seven millions, bringing the total loss to thirty millions in a state with only 400,000 population. To rehabilitate industry, credit was the important thing, said Secretary Hoover. Let New England extend credit to Vermont, letting character supplement collateral. What Mississippi Valley bankers had done, surely the New England bankers could do.

The New England Council appointed a committee of bankers to arrange credit for Vermont without delay.

* New Hampshire, with $2,590,000 flood damage, asked no outside aid. Last week Governor Huntley M. Spaulding called a special session of the New Hampshire Legislature.