Happy New Year

The year 1973 probably cost Americans more in terms of their self-image than any year in recent memory. The effect was dismaying as Watergate, pro longed economic malaise, sudden energy shortages and a general crisis of authority and trust lodged deeply with in the national psyche. In an odd and un welcome tattoo of accompaniment, na ture also wreaked a special havoc on the country for the second year running. Total damage for natural disasters in 1973 exceeded $1.2 billion. Federal funds ex pended to assist local governments and citizens in the 3 1 states plagued with nat ural disasters came to an estimated $750 million, and 75,000 families received direct relief. It was scant consolation that the year before, 48 major disasters cost $3.5 billion in damages, making disaster relief expenditures for the past two years more than the amount expended for the preceding decade.

Flooding created most of the need for disaster relief last year, and the ominous finding is that the Mississippi River system is in worse condition now than it was a year ago. Rainfall through the entire drainage area of the river is now 15% to 75% above normal. Unless the rain and snow ease off in the Mid west, 1974 could bring on disasters even worse than those of 1973 and 1972.

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