Disaster Assistance

A modern community is a complex combination of skills, specialized buildings, machines, communications and homes.  Most importantly, it involves human lives.  Disaster in many forms—­by flood, frost, high winds, for instance—­can destroy on a massive scale in a few hours the labor of many years.

Through the past three years the Administration has repeatedly moved into action wherever disaster struck.  The extent of State participation in relief activities, however, has been far from uniform and, in many cases, has been either inadequate or nonexistent.  Disaster assistance legislation requires overhauling and an experimental program of flood-damage indemnities should be undertaken.  The Administration will make detailed recommendations on these subjects.

Area Redevelopment

We must help deal with the pockets of chronic unemployment that here and there mar the nation’s general industrial prosperity.  Economic changes in recent years have been often so rapid and far-reaching that areas committed to a single local resource or industrial activity have found themselves temporarily deprived of their markets and their livelihood.

Such conditions mean severe hardship for thousands of people as the slow process of adaptation to new circumstances goes on.  This process can be speeded up.  Last year I authorized a major study of the problem to find additional steps to supplement existing programs for the redevelopment of areas of chronic unemployment.  Recommendations will be submitted, designed to supplement, with Federal technical and loan assistance local efforts to get on with this vital job.  Improving such communities must, of course, remain the primary responsibility of the people living there and of their States.  But a soundly conceived Federal partnership program can be of real assistance to them in their efforts.

Highway Legislation.

Legislation to provide a modern, interstate highway system is even more urgent this year than last, for 12 months have now passed in which we have fallen further behind in road construction needed for the personal safety, the general prosperity, the national security of the American people.  During the year, the number of motor vehicles has increased from 58 to 61 million.  During the past year over 38,000 persons lost their lives in highway accidents, while the fearful toll of injuries and property damage has gone on unabated.

In my message of February 22, 1955, I urged that measures be taken to complete the vital 40,000 mile interstate system over a period of 10 years at an estimated Federal cost of approximately 25 billion dollars.  No program was adopted.