Arizona republican., 1917-04-27
OPENING URGED FUR B|G TRACT
 IF INDIAN LAND
Acres to Number of Over
 120,000 May Be Used to Add to Food Production;
 Labor Matter Taken Up

One of the biggest projects. in the way of increasing food produc ton in Arizona this year so far brought to the attention of the Ari- zona Council ot Defense was pre- sented by Frederick Nj Hall of Par kcr yesterday, when he urged that an attempt be made to immediately open for entry about 12G,000 acres of tillable land held now in the Colo raao Indian reservation
 It is the opinion Of Parker resi- dents th2t this land should be imne- diately utilized for agricultural pur-
 poses it being one of the largest tillahle tracts in Arizona. The Parker Chamber of Commerce has unani- mously adopted resolution urging the department of the interior to i'm
 mediately open this land.
 The matter was yesterday referred to Dr. F. E. won KleinSmid, chairman of the committee on conservation and production of foodstpffs. who will make an immediate appeal to Wash i ington.
 Reports were received from Parker and Yuma to the effect that home guard organizations had beer per- fected in each of those cities. At i Parker the organization had a charter membership Of 120.
 According to he report of E. l.. Manning to the council, the agricul- tural labor situation in the Salt River valley is Q leading question at the present time. Laborers are needed to harvest crops beginning about May 1. It is estimated that between 2,000 ard 3.00G men will be l necessary. It is thought, however, that through tne medium of the labor of hn ation will be well cared for
 Mr. Warnings communication to the council. iE part, was as follows: "The peak load for season lble labor is usually between the first Of
 May up to the first of July, Last ! year. 1916. we were unable to fill
 over one-half our orders for men during this time We were approXi- mately 1000 men short. In 1915 we were short fully 800 This year we vii be short from , coo to 5000 men Owing 10 the late spring, about one month late. the first crcp of al i falfa is just starting to be cut and 1 viii run well into the grain and grain 1 hay crop. Also the general work of i cleaning ditches by reclamation ser 1 vice and farmers has been held up by ! tho late spring. Owing to the high i prize Of la! and grain, all the thresh- | CTS and baiers will bo in strong de- mand, especially as there is no old i hay in the valley. On toG of this 1 strong demand. about 10000 acres oi l cotton will have to be chopped
 shortly. This aore will require in l connection with cultivating not less 1 thSn 1000 extra laborers. Also, ac- l cording 70 he ruling of the reclama- 1 tion service. allowing water for abOur 1 9 000 acres of vacant land not under the regular service, which we under stand is allowed for three years, will require a few hundred extra farm i laborers, provided it is followed out ] The committed on puolic defense and security, with Captain John C i Greenwav as chairman. will hold q
 meeting at the senate chamber state
 capitol, May 3, at 10 o'clock in tho
 morning. Important matters are com | ing up before the committee for dis ] cussinn. CaDtain Greenway has naraed T secretary in the person oi
 Arthur Nottman of Bisbee, for this committee.
 | Hon. AndreV, Kimoall. a member oi 1 the council, is to represent Arizona
 at the Railway Development associa-
 ton convention to he held at Louis 1 lille, Ky, May and 10. He wa.
 named by Governor Campbell.