Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-03-05
SOL DIE RS To
BECOME FARMERS
AFTER THE WA
Scheme Is. Being Figured Out
to Care for Men Who Are
Now Fighting EngIand's Bat
ties on Foreign Soil.

ASSOCIATED Press Correspondence
London, Feb. II .--Thousands a
soldiers and sailors now fighting un.
der the British flag will become farm.
ers after the war If a plan adopted bJ
committee appointed by the board
of agriculture to study the problem OF
what to do with the ex-fighting men
is carried out. II is hoped to get the
scheme under way as soon as possible
in order to provide employment and
home for disabled fighting men now
returning from the front.
The essence of the plan Is that the
state should acquire considerable
area of AGRICULTURAL land and should
establish thereupon colonies of small
holders. These small holders would
be the tenants oflthe state, and they
would be subject to certain amount
of state tutelage. It is proposed that
there should be In each colony a res
ident director and an instructor, ana
hat there should be q central depot
for the sale of produce and for the
purchase of farming requisites. Social
amenities are also to he provided for
by the establishment Of women's in
stitutes for the settlers wives.
To get under way this plan of home
settlements which 1t has been sng-
gested would revolutionize rural life
in England, the committee says $t0,-
100000 should be placed at the dispo-
sal Of the board of agriculture, to-
gether with three pioneer colonies, Of
5000 acres in all. The initial cost
of establishing three colonies to ac-
commodate 500 families, the commit
tee estimates, At about $150OOOO
Besides providing employment for
the soldiers and sailors, the commit
tee points out the advantage of the
plan for the development Of the agri-
culture of the country.
Many Advantages.
"The Rehabilitation of the navy and
army at the close of the war Will af-
ford unique opportunity Of develop
ing agriculture in this country" says
Its report. at is of the utmost i'm
portance to the welfare of the nation
that this opportunity should be seized
and turned to the greatest possible
The men who have join
ed the forces include representatives
of all the best elements Of our popu-
Iation, many of them possess a high
degree Of enterprise and intelligence,
and If any substantial number can be
attracted to seek career on the land
at home, it will give stimulus to the
agriculture OF the country"
1t Is proposed to have each colony
consist of four-acre holdings with
pigsty, Toulouse, and portable fowl
house, huts for unmarried men, sales
depot and store, jam, creamery or
cheese factory, central farm, state
credit bank. recreation grounds and
hub room and village hall to provide
1 social center.
The central farm under a director !
would be equipped with implements
which could be hired by the settlers. |
settlers could have preliminary train
ng at the central farm before taking |
Up holdings.
1t is suggested that the military
luts scattered all over the country at
he present time should be converted
nto cottages and farm buildings and
hat army wagons and horses should
&c allotted to the farm colonies after
he war.
In outlining its plan the committee
avs it recognizes that of the total
lumber of discharged soldiers who
nder this scheme may be willing to
ecome tenant farmers Of the state a
ertain proportion have already lived
nd worked on the land. The others
ill naturally need some preliminary I
before they are able to take
yer their own holdings. This train ,
lg. in the opinion Of the committee,
,ill be best given by the temporary ,
Employment OF such men at fair llv-
lg wage on q central farm under the
ontrol Of a manager appointed by
ne board of agriculture.
These would be given In addition
, their wages in cash cottage with
garden, and as soon as they showed ,
romise of efficiency a portion of the
md near their cottages would be let
} them.
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