Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-10-25
! TN MACEDONIA |
10000 Soldier-Farmers
Work 1000 Square Miles
Greek Government Plans to Make
Greece Self. Supportine-Men TO Be
Modified Same as SoIdiers-Get 30
Cents a Day

Athens. Sept. 17.-(Correspondence)-
Deputy Choremsi of the Greek Cham
Der of Deputies is the representative of
the governmnt in the gigantic farming
project for developing Macedonia, in
which 1000 square miles will be farmed
by 10000 soldier farmers, modified like
an army and living in tents on the
farmland. He is also the head Of that
other unique farm which embraces one
of the worlds greatest battlef1elds, the
battlefield of Marathon. Mr. Chorem-
ST described these. two projects to
representative Of the Associated Press
today.
The development of Macedonia is
an outcome of the European war" said
he. 1T is in reality a war-farm, for
the war demonstrated for the first
time that Greece needed to produce
more wheat and cereals at home.
While it had plenty of land, yet it was
buying two-thirds of it's wheat from
foreign countries Out Of the three
million bushels it consumed every year,
it grew only one million here and
bought the other two millions from
foreign countries. Greece found her
self unable to get the foreign wheat
she had always depended on. 1t meant
short supplies, and bread rations, and
a pretty hard trial for the people.
The government is now going to as
sist in making Greece self-Supporting
in. foodstuffs, and this is going to be
one of the most useful economic les
sons Of the war. We have plenty of
rich land in Macedonia. acquired from
Turkey as a result of the Balkan wars,
and the government now gives 100000
acres of this land rent free for a pc
riod Of five years. A company has
been formed with a capital of $1,000
600 to carry out the project.
Under the arrangement made, the
government has the first right to the
entire stock Of wheat and foodstuffs
produced. But If the government does
not want the whole or part of the
product, then the wheat and other
products are to be sold at prices fixed
by the government. This gives the
government a food stock to rely upon,
and also permits 1t to fix the price at
|
vate consumers.
1.-THE government supplies the farm
labor, modelling it the same as SOL
diers are modified for the front, but
the company pays the wages al about
so cents day The first real start will
he made next spring, as 1t was too late
this year to complete plans and get
the farming machinery from America.
The orders already place there call for
81 100000 worth of steam tractors.
rakes. reapers. etc.
| Wheat, oats and all the cereals, po-
tatoes and perhaps cotton will be
raised. The production of cereals is ex-
! pected to reach the full amount requir-
ed for Greece, making her self-support-
ing, within a year or SO from the
start. Cotton has already been grown
in this section, but it is not like the
| long Egyptian cotton shipped to
America, but is a short -fibre product
good only for home use.
Mr.. Choremsi says there is much
| more Of this land in Macedonia which
offers rich field for American invest
ment The best Of this lies between
the Vardar and Galicos rivers. which
streams furnish natural irrigation for
vast tracts.
Mr. Choremsi's other farm covers
| 1000 acres Of the battlefield of Mara
| thon. Although this was fought in the
year 400 2. c., there are relics Of it
! still visable. principally in the Soros
where great mound 40 feet high and
| zoe feet around is what remains of a
huge funeral mound erected over the
Athen mans who fell in the battle. Mr..
Choremsi has vigorously forbidden any
| excavating around this sacred mound.
| Near by is the point where the Mara
thon runners start in their run Tor the
| Stadium in Athens, after the manner
! of the ancient Marathon runners.