The Washington times., 1915-12-16
ROTARY FUND" TO
PUT IOBLESS men
ON FARMS IS URGED
Secretary Of Labor Wilson Out
lines Plans For Homesteads
On Public Domain.

A proposal to convert tho public do
main into homestsNds for the unefh-
ployed, and to have the Government
finance the farmers, is the solution Of
the unemployment problem recommend
ed In the annual report OF Secretary Of
Labor Wilson made public today.
The Secretary would not only convert
the present farming lands held by the
Government to this use, but he would
have the Government recover lands 1t
formerly owned that they might be util-
lied for this purpose.
In financing the ''jobless men," in
farming operations. the Secretary would
go a step farther than rural credits. He
makes the novel suggestion that the
Government create by appropriation a
Rotary fund" for lending purposes.
Money from this fund would be lent to
the new farmers to purchase farm ma
chinery and equipment and an educa-
ton in agriculture. 1t is called q ''ro-
tary fund" because 1t IL contemplated
to use 1t over and over again and main
tain II by repayment Of loans. That is,
as fast as one man became established
and paid his debt, the money could be
lent to another.
These loans," the Secretary declares,
could be safeguafded, without COM
mercial collateral, by resting them upon
credit-abilityI opportunity, and char
acter-and by establishing in connection
with them a system Of community cred
its adapted to the circumstances"
Secretary Wilson goes deeply into the
| unemployment problem, and covers IL
at great length in his report. After re-
viewing the accomplishments OF his de-
partment in the past. In finding employ
In
for a total OF 26y33S men. the Secretary
| makes another novel suggestion.
He proposed personally conducted va
cations for unemployed men, to and
! from the harvest fields. He points Cut
| that when the harvest help demand IL
/ met from outside by unemployed men
| these men have nothing to do when the
| harvest is over.
1t will not be enough to hunt man
less Jobs for 'jobless men, Any ef-
! hcient public employment service of a
national character must go beyond that
Unless does, "manless jobs" giving
causes of involuntary unemployment
VIII continue to express themselves To
the great prejudice of the wageworkers
OF the United States. and consequently
to the harm Of all Industrial interests.
There is still another essintjal con.
dition. Equipment for farming and ed.
| Jcation In farming, as well as a place
for farming, are needed. All three
however, could be met by an appropri
ate unification Of some Of the actlvi
ties of the Departments Of the Interior
of Agriculture and of Labor.
Pursuant to such untfcation, Con
gress might provide rotary fund :
the report says.
by their educational processes thu
Departments of Interior and Of Agri
culture could make efficient farmers OF
inexperienced but otherwise competen
workers seeking that vocation" con
tinues the report
The difficulties OF maintain the depart
ment's quarters in the Mills buiidinI
are pointed out in the report. Owners O
the building ask a rental Of $4,000 !
year. and only $4,000 a year for nv,
years Is allowed by Congress Othe
quarters could not be found, and. a
the department has moved twice, I
compromise was reached whereby tn,
Mills building Is to be occupied 70
the year. the department making Ger
tain repoirs. The furniture and work
ing equipment Of the department, II 4
declared, are old and insufficient, caus
ing frequent embarrassment