Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-25
SOLDIERS OF TO-DAY
. FARMERS OF TOMORROW
Every American Soldier Returning
From War Should Have Opportun-
1ty to Become TillcrS OF Soil.
Observation-Disclosures on

Government Will Act as Go-Bctwcci
TO Help Veterans Become Land
OWNS - Virginia Needs Soldic-
Farmers.
That the war and its results will
.,rcvolutionizc commerce and business
I generally all over the world is already
accepted as settled fact, and wise
men are preparing best they can
to take ADVANTAGE of the revolution.
: or course. no absolutely definite plans
can be completed until peace comes or
is nearer in sight, hut tentative plan
ming seems TO he very much in order.
The war. and the consequent heavy
demand on this country for the sup
plies that como from tho farm has
brought TO me surface the weak spots
in the American system OF farming,
especially tho systems in vogue in the
South, and ii i. probable that when
peace comes and the world again gets
strictly down TO business. the most de-
scidcd changes in business will he n
tho realm OF agriculture.
UNITED STATES SENATOR
/. FLAMING FOX TIE: FUTURE
!, Warren G. Harding, United States
Senator from Ohio. is Getting in shape
ia bill TO be introduced at the next ses
sion of Congress that VIII, or should.
greatly interest Virginia. The Scu;-
'stor was reared on 4 farm in Ohio, has
been a newspaper publisher for thirty
odd years, and has had abundant op-
portunity to study the defects OF the
agricultural systems and customs OF
all parts or this country. lie i. OF the
opinion that there are not enough
farmers in America. and what this
country most needs is the small farm
cultivated by the real
owner.
The Senator starts out with the idea
that every American soldier. When he
'returns from the war. should have an
opportunity 10 become The owner OF a
farm, AMI that the government, shall
in some way 10 il that he shall
have such opportunity. His plan, 80
tar as he has mapped ii out, involves
1.-The government acting as {. Kind OF
real estate agent to Get farm develop
men; companies and the soldiers to-
Sethcr, guaranteeing certain maximum
profits. BY such method. NJ thinks
millions of acres OF idle and i. this
country can be made pro .ucI.ve
SMALL FARMS To BE
WORKED BY REAL OWNERS
Speaking OF his plan ana his pro-
posed bin 10 be introduced n the
Knitted states Senate. Mr. Harding
says:
Every thoughtful r,,an realizes ina,
the 2roper distributes, %: land i the
very basis ot ra,i7na! wel!-beirE. Tho
land should, = :ar IS % siu!e, IL IN
-'he possession AID ownership OF tbs
man who works u. :. nation Of
owners OF snan farms which supper,
sturdy families j. me IDEAL The mag
niacenc- OF France y hen II. supreme
Iesi came has been due largely TO the
sturdy fol. on her farms. Tho weak
mess Of England Is the inability 0: mat
nation to feed herself.
In the United States the drift q.
the people TO the cities, Tn, d-:, d.
farms into operation BY ,cnaa, farm
erz. into ownership in large acrozEe ty
absent landlords, has been recognized
as dangerous tendency Of times.
Out OF this war nj! grow many now
demands from The people Tne man on
the street VIII appreciate us rights
moro clearly, AND will be more ready
. &C demand them. Among ms probable
demands Will be mis- r.ght u tin land.
I'm the United States th.re are vas,
quantities OF farming land near tn.
best markets which are not cultivated.
In New England th--" are 90 900 900
acres Of unused land ina, might be
growing crorI% QGca Industrial plant
after aEoth'-r is-l-aViuS Sew England
for TIE West 10 e7t mar tho regions
where food and ra". materials ar" pro.
duced, and tAai section realizes she
must get people on her farms 10 mold
her factories. There a.r 1900
acres in the Middle States tina; might
DE farried but which are lying idle"
PLAN Is GOOD ron
VIRGINIA AND TIRE SOUTH
There are q, least $4,000 oo0 acres
in the Southern states mat are ill,.
aid thousands upon tnyusancs of
those acres are here in Virginia where
they are close % the best markets in
the country. what Virginia needs to.
day more than anything else IS mat
these idle acrcs shall be cut IN in,n
small farms and these In some way
gotten into the possession OF INTENSITY.
uilers wto KNOW how to do, ana have
: the inclination TO do. their ow~ work
Their" IS At present no proper agency
10 hling these men and The virginia
land together. There - only the land
t.agent ana too often lie is 10 bo feared
!. ana here Senator Harding's idea is
asthat the goVeruun. Int snoLlG see 10 u
,thai the land IS available to the re-
turned soldiers and Others a, fair
prices, There win he plenty OF avail
liable capital gcady for investments, in
hot y.