The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-11-20
Senator Harding Wants
Them to Have Land When
They Return from War
MILLIONS OF ACRES
WILL BE AVAILABLE
Ohioan Says It Is the Duty of the Gov
eminent to Prepare the Way for the
Men to Get Homes-Nation Should
Prepare the Way

WASHINGTON, Nov 2o.-That every
United States soldier, when he returns
from the war, should have an opportun-
ity TO become the owner of a farm, Is a
principle enumerated here today by
Senator Warren G. Harding, OF Ohio.
That providing land for these men who
have served the nation be only a part
OF well-laid plan for converting the
greatest possible number OF citizens into
productive farm owners is further urged.
senator Harding believes that the govern
mcnt can no longer avoid action on the
vital and fundamental problem of proper
land distribution, and that action Will be
forced by the frame OF mind that VIII
grow out Of the war.
Every thoughtful man realizes" said
senator Harding, that the proper dlstrlb-
ution Of the land Is the very basis Of
national we'll being The land should as
fan rs possible, be in the possession and
ownership OF the men who work 1t. y
nation oJ owners of small farms which
support sturdy families Is the ideal The
magniticence OF France when the supreme
| test came has been largely due to the
sturdy folk Of her farms These We're
the people who paid the price 81 tic loss
Ill the Franco Pussian war. They have
| been the saviors OF France in many emer-
! goncies But for the solution Of the land
! question and its division into small tracts
in the ownership OF the people, France
would probably have ceased to exist before
| this
In the United States the drift Of the
people 10 the cities. the DRIFT OF farms
| into operation by tenant farmers, into
| Ownership in large acreage by absent land
lords. has been recognized a. a dangerous
/ tendency OF the times, The stress has
| not been such IN the past that action has
! been forced. But out OF the war Viii grow
many new demands from The people. The
man on the street viii appreciate his
tights more clearly and will be more ready
To demand them Among his most prob
4 aoie demands viii be his right 10 the land
i The quicker and stronger he makes that
demand the better fol the nation.
Wise j. tile nation which secs the
coming Of such a demand and meets Il
before If becomes menace. Wiser Is
the nation which inaugurates those reform.
that ale in the interest OF its we'll benz
even before they are demanded.
The situation in the United State,
today is about this Vast quantities OF
good tanning land near tile best markets
It'll tho world alc not cultivated. In New
England There are @0,G00000 acres Of IN
used land that might be growing corps
New England is discovering that one grea
indust plant after another is MOVING
west establishing itself IN Ohio or Mis-
sour OF Illinois New England has beer
asking why, and has found that manuiae
turers believe they can produce more
cheaply if they are nearer the region.
whore food and raw materials are pro
duced New England, to hold heI factor
les must get people on her farms.
There are $4,000. 600 acres in the Middl,
States that might be larmed but which
are lying idle Much OF this land is in tn,
very outskirts OF cites where food price
are high and the demand limited. In thu
Pacific coast states there are lS0,o00.0o
acres Of unused but disable land. In al
5o000h00Q acres or thereabouts Is lynn:
idle, 10 say nothing OF that which i
inadequately tarmed This would max,
tiye-acre falmS for a million families, anC
tins little farm HE Is the greatest need o
the nation
In the meantime the cities are full o
people whose greatest ambition Is TO owl
piece of this waste land and to CONVEX
1t into productive homes The mass 0
the foreigners in this country came iron
agricultural communities in Europe an,
would like 10 be on farms over here. The,
are allowed to become submerged il
foreign sections Of great cities, to b
swallowed UP in less wholesome activitie
and to be lost to this sort OF beneficial
ploductlvcness.
t There is no proper agency to brn
these men and the land together. Their
+ is only the land agent whose name ha