PEOPLE

The Southeast Missourian asked people how they felt about a new directive put out by the White House that indicates President Clinton's reluctance to rebuild levees along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.

David Cowell of Jackson: "I feel it's wrong. If it hadn't been for the fact of all those levees holding for all this time, the lower Mississippi Valley would have been under water. It would be a mistake to allow that area to become marshland."

Bill Emerson of Cape Girardeau: "I think the Mississippi River and its tributaries are a national problem which should have a national solution. We need to look at the situation in toto, for the floodwaters could cause a serious threat once again. To really learn about the river read the first paragraph of Mark Twain's Life On The Mississippi."

Mike Engleman of Cape Girardeau: "I don't agree with the president. The levees held for years. We need protection for the people in their communities anything can be protected. We need the farmland."

Curtis Kaufmann of Altenburg: "The president is wrong. It's our prime land; it would be a loss. It would effect the whole U.S. They should be repaired leave the levees where they are."

Edward Fiehler of Frohna: "Put the levees in further. It would be easier to protect the land. Put them back a mile further in order to allow the river more space. No one can control old man river. It was an extreme situation that will probably never happen again."

Bryan Bess of Cape Girardeau: "I would want the levees to be put back up. Let's vote for a new president. If you didn't repair the levees, there wouldn't be much left. This was marshland before, it would be again. They'd start a war down here if they didn't repair those levees. This is farmland that feeds the U.S. and supports communities."