Disaster Insurance

JANUARY 23, 24, 25, 26, 30, FEBRUARY 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, AND 10, 1956

72544

Printed for the use of the Committee on Banking and Currency

UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

COMMITTEE ON BANKING AND CURRENCY

BRENT SPENCE, Kentucky, Chairman

PAUL BROWN, Georgia
WRIGHT PATMAN, Texas
ALBERT RAINS, Alabama
ABRAHAM J. MULTER, New York
HUGH J. ADDONIZIO, New Jersey
WILLIAM A. BARRETT, Pennsylvania
BARRATT O'HARA, Illinois
LEONOR K. SULLIVAN, Missouri
L. H. FOUNTAIN, North Carolina
HENRY S. REUSS, Wisconsin

MARTHA W. GRIFFITHS, Michigan
THOMAS L. ASHLEY, Ohio
CHARLES A. VANIK, Ohio
JOHN J. BELL, Texas

JESSE P. WOLCOTT, Michigan
RALPH A. GAMBLE, New York
HENRY O. TALLE, Iowa
CLARENCE E. KILBURN, New York
GORDON L. MCDONOUGH, California
WILLIAM B. WIDNALL, New Jersey
JACKSON E. BETTS, Ohio

WALTER M. MUMMA, Pennsylvania
WILLIAM E. MCVEY, Illinois
EDGAR W. HIESTAND, California
DONALD W. NICHOLSON, Massachusetts
OLIVER P. BOLTON, Ohio

PERKINS BASS, New Hampshire

II

ROBERT L. CARDON, Clerk
ORMAN S. FINK, Professional Staff
JOHN E. BARRIERE, Professional Staff

CONTENTS

Statement of-

Barnes, Wendell B., Administrator, Small Business Administration.
Bass, Hon. Perkins, a Representative in Congress from the State of

Page

275

New Hampshire_-

273

Bergin, Hon. Edward D., mayor, Waterbury, Conn

315

Bonner, Hon. Herbert C., a Representative in Congress from the

State of North Carolina.

265

Bunker, Ellsworth, president, American National Red Cross-

Burnside, Hon. M. G., a Representative in Congress from the State of

West Virginia_

419

186

Canfield, Hon. Gordon, a Representative in Congress from the State

of New Jersey.

198

Cretella, Hon. Albert W., a Representative in Congress from the State
of Connecticut__

245

Deane, Hon. Charles B., a Representative in Congress from the State

of North Carolina___

211

Dodd, Hon. Thomas J., a Representative in Congress from the State of

Connecticut..

165

Edelman, John W., representing the Textile Workers Union of
America__

Farrington Hon. Elizabeth P., Delegate to Congress from Hawaii
Federal Facilities Administration: War Damage Corporation-
Sketch of the operation of the program, May 16, 1952__.
Fitspatrick, Raymond J., executive secretary to Hon. Edward D.
Bergin, Mayor, Waterbury, Conn_--

396

262

431

315

Fogarty, Hon. John E., a Representative in Congress from the State
of Rhode Island..

258

Forand, Hon. Aime J., a Representative in Congress from the State of
Rhode Island..

180

Hale, Hon. Robert, a Representative in Congress from the State of
Maine.

263

Hand, Hon. T. Millet, a Representative in Congress from the State of

New Jersey-

229

Herd, J. Victor, chairman, Committee on Floods and Flood Damage,
American Insurance Association__

329

Itschner, Maj. Gen. E. C., Assistant Chief of Engineers for Civil
Works, Department of Defense___

15

Johnson, Hon. Leroy, a Representative in Congress from the State of

California.

239

Kelley, Hon. Augustine B., a Representative in Congress from the

State of Pennsylvania..

249

Landsberg, Helmut E., Director Climatological Services, Weather
Bureau, Department of Commerce__

36

Lane, Hon. Thomas J., a Representative in Congress from the State
of Massachusetts-

227

Langbein, W. B., Hydraulic Engineer, United States Geological Sur-

vey.

115

McMillan, Hon. John L., a Representative in Congress from the State
of South Carolina_.

188

Mays, Milton, secretary, "America Fore" Insurance Group_

Meistrell, Frank J., Deputy Housing Administrator.......

Miller, Joseph L., representing the Northern Textile Association and

the Quinebaug-French River Manufacturing Association.

Moss, Hon. John E., a Representative in Congress from the State of

California. -

Patterson, Hon. James T., a Representative in Congress from the State

of Connecticut..

334

III

Statement of-

Peterson, Hon. Henry W., Mayor, Woodbury, N. J...

Peterson, Val, Administrator, Federal Civil Defense Administration__

Philbin, Hon. Philip J. a Representative in Congress from the State of

Massachusetts-

Reese, Marshall, representing American Hotel Association_

Riley, George D., legislative representative, AFL-CIO.

Rodino, Hon. Peter W., a Representative in Congress from the State

of New Jersey...

Sadlak, Hon. Antoni N., a Representative in Congress from the State of

Connecticut..

Scott, Kenneth L., Director, Agricultural Credit Service, accompanied

by Carl A. Fretts, Acting Director, Federal Crop Insurance Corpo-

ration..

Scudder, Hon. Hubert B., a Representative in Congress from the

State of California___

Shelley, Hon. John F., a Representative in Congress from the State of
California

256

Smith, Chase M., representing the Chamber of Commerce of the
United States.

387

St. George, Hon. Katharine, a Representative in Congress from the

State of New York...

199

Thompson, Hon. Frank, Jr., a Representative in Congress from the

State of New Jersey.

253

Walter, Hon. Francis E., a Representative in Congress from the State
of Pennsylvania_

208

Wharton, Hon. J. Ernest, a Representative in Congress from the State

of New York

226

Yount, H. W., representing the American Mutual Alliance..

Additional data submitted to the committee by—

Position of stock insurance companies regarding flood insurance_

Report on floods and flood damage of 1955 in the Northeastern

States...

339

358

American National Red Cross:

Bunker, Ellsworth, letter of February 17, 1956, to Hon. Brent

Spence

430

Disaster relief operations by States, floods, and other weather
caused, for the 4 fiscal years 1951-52 through 1954-55-..

Eastern States floods of August and October 1955 (data as of

Jan. 31, 1956).

423

422

Selected data on disaster relief operations following floods, number

of homes destroyed or damaged.

425

Western States floods of December 1955 (data as of January 31,

1956)__

422

Barnes, Wendell B.:

Bonner, Hon. Herbert C.:

Definitions of "cyclone," "hurricane," and "tornado”.
Disaster loans, by disasters, by States cumulative through Decem-
ber 31, 1955__

289

276

Flood Insurance Held Unfeasible Survey of 1955 Disasters Con-
firms View, Adds that Worse Ones May Occur, article by Gene
Smith, from New York Times of January 22, 1955__.

268

Dodd, Hon, Thomas J.:

Memorandum on disaster insurance bill.

H. R. 7885, a bill to provide for national disaster insurance, and
for other purposes.

175

172

Edelman, John W.:

Examples of flood damage, Westport, Conn__

398

Resolution from New England Governors' Conference__

396

Resolution on Federal Disaster Insurance adopted by Connec-