Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-03
READY MADE HOMES FOR
RETURNING SOLDIERS
Thousands OF tho Boys Can BE Lo-
Gated on Now Idle Lands
OF tho South.
GREAT MEETING In SAVANNAH
Southern Land Congress to Consider
Secretary Lanes Plan to Make
Farmers of War Vctcrans-Vir-
ginia VIII BE Represented.

s. G. ticker. of Baltimore. vice pres
ident OF the Southern Settlement and
DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION. who is
we'll known in Richmond. has gone to
Savannah to assist in completing the
details for the Southern Land Congress
TO be held in that city on tho nth and
which will be composed OF delegates
from all the Southern States. and at
tended by business men and publicists
from all parts of the country. will
have for it's main business considcra-
tion of the plan of Secretary Lane
or INC Department OF the Interior. for
furnishing "rcady-made homes" for
the soldiers on their return from the
great war.
GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO
BE OFFERED THE SOUTH
Mr. Uckcr, in discussing the i'm
nortance and the significance OF this
Land Congress, IL it's Importance is
fully realized by the leading men of
the Southern States. which are pro-
noting it, will offer to the South the
same great chance for soldier settle
ment which went TO the great free
public domain OF the West at the
when for the first time the govern
ment homestead policy was announced.
The government, determined to deal
generously with the boys when they
return from the front realizes that
il must take into consideration the
cheap unoccupied agricultural lands Of
the South now in private ownership
for tho very good reason that scarce
~ 15,000,000 OF acres Of free public
domain still remain Immediately avail
a5le for settlement and this: at con
siderable advance over previous cost
for reclamation purposes.
4 MILLION SOLDIERS TO
BECOME BUSY FARMERS
According TO Mr. Ticker. it is esti-
mated by those appointed by Secretary
Lane TO study the question that Mt least
4
made farm homes provided the farms
can be made attractive, going con-
Germs. with working capital sufficient
to comport with the dignity of the
men who have been carrying on the
serious business OF saving the worlds
civilization: and. he believes that the
advantage over the more thickly set
tied States in the North because here
are the large compact areas suitable
for colonization and lands which can
or their actual productive value
whereas in the Northern States more
active settlement and developmnt has
forcd to practically common level
the market and productive values Of
the still unoccuped lands.
The only doubt voiced by Mr.. Ticker
accomplish through this land congress
is the question of whether the leaders
in the South will awake sufficiently to
lend that cooperation needed by Sec
from State governments and private
land owners. in order to make a ma
tional land settlement policy for SOL
diers q thing OF fact in the South.
That there is rapid awakening to
the great opportunity which this meet
ing offers the South, however. IL in
dicated by the fact that private land
owners in Georgia alone have made
offerings at reasonable prices Of up
wards of a million acres of land.
suitable for colonization, whereas re-
ports promising similar offerings are
being received from other coastal
plain States clear from Louisiana and
Mississippi; Alabama, and Florida up
through the Carolinas and Virginia.
Firginians are taking decided in
terest In the coming congress and this
state will be we'll represented in Sa-
vannah. Many Of them will so there
authorized to offer lands in not less
than twenty counties Of the State at
less cost 10 the government than
would be the clearing and irriEating
OF what Is left OF the public domain.