Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1917-11-29
FARMS FOR SOLDIERS
Every Man Returning From
France May Become Land
Owner

when he returns from the war, should
be given an opportunity to become
the owner of a farm, is a principle |
enunciated here 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 great
est possible number Of citizens into
productive farm owners Is further
urged. Senator Harding believes that
the government can no longer avoid
action on the problem Of land distri-
button, and that action will be forced
by the frame of mind that will grow
lout Of the war.
1.-THE situation in the United
States today" said Senator Harding,
"is about this.
"Vast quantities of good farming
land near the best markets in the
world are not cultivated. In New
England there are 100000 acres
Of unused land which might be grow
ing crops. New England is discover
ing that one great industrial plant
after another is moving west, estab-
fishing itself in Missouri or Ohio or
Illinois. New England has been ask
ing why, and has found that manu-
facturers believe they can produce
more cheaply if they are nearer the
regions where food and raw material
ais are produced. New England, to
hold her factories, must get people
on her farms.
Five Acres Each for 1O0,000,00O
There are $4,000 acres in the
middle states that might be farmed,
but which are lying idle. Much of
this land is in the very outskirts Of
cities where food prices are high and
the demand unlimited. In the Pa
cific coast states there are 100000
900 acres Of unused and disable land.
In all 500,00O,000 acres, of there
abouts, is lying idle, to say nothing
of that which is inadequately farm
ed. This would make five-acre farms
for a hundred million families, and
this little farm life is the greatest
; need Of the nation.
!. an the meantime the cities are
full of people whose greatest ambi-
ton is to own a piece Of this waste
|. land and to convert it into produc-
tive homes. The mass of the for
eigners in this country came from
agricultural communities in Europe
and would like to be on farms over
J here. They are allowed to become
submerged in foreign sections Of
great cities, to be swallowed up in
less wholesome activities and to be
lost to this form of beneficial pro-
ductiveness.
"When the 100000 men to be
trained for the war come out Of the
ranks, there will be an unparalleled
opportunity to work out a back-to-
the-farm scheme on wholesome
basis.
, 100000 Farm Homes
: "Not every one, possibly not 26
per cent, would want to 60 on farm
but % per cent would be 100000
farmers, 100000 farm homes for the
, future, where there were none before
If but 10 per cent wanted to 60 on
farms, there would be 100000 farm
homes established. This would be no
mean asset to the nation.
Gas a war measure, a beginning
should be made upon this great task
of the nation. Here might the exper-
iment be tried, if it be regarded as
an experiment, which it is not since
it has been done in scores Of nations,
in scores Of countries. But the ulti-
mate Importance Of the proposal goes
far beyond a plan to reward the de-
tenders of democracy. The great
mass Of the people should be offered
the possibility. The plan should be
, put to work and kept to work like an
endless chain, which, season after
season, converts hundreds Of thOus-
ands Of stifled tenement jewellers in
to people Of the open, which changes
tenant farmers whose very assOcia-
tons with the land they cultivate
makes them shiftless, into self-re-
specting farm owners.
"Various measures have been In
trOduced into congress in recent SEES
sions that have looked toward &C
cOmplishing this end. The situation
undoubtedly calls for action that
should 60 further than any of these
and the coming session will doubtless
witness the thrusting of the question
to the fore and its solution may be
one Of the by-prOducts Of the war
which will continue to benefit the ma