The Red Cloud chief., 1918-10-24

"a
u E1k3IS the requirements for returning
. HBS\ soldiers after the
xN NQSN 1t is Secretary Lanes belief
-65Gfe that the time has come when
thought should he given TO the
preparation OF plans for providing opportunity
for these men. And because his department has
handled similar problems in the past, he mas
made it his duty to bring the matter to the at
tention Of the president and congress. He points
out that every country has found Itself race 10
face with this problem ut the close or great
war From Rome under Caesar to France unuer
Napoleon down even 10 our own Civil war, the
problem arose to what could be done with the
soldiers mustered out Of military service
At the close Of the Civil war America faced
somewhat similar situation. But fortunately at
that time the public domain offered opportunity
- the home-returning soldiers, Inc great par'
the veterans of that war played In developing
the West is one Of our epcs The homestead
law had been signed by President Lincoln In the
second year Of the war, so that out or our wealth.
in lands we had farms to Offer the military vet
Grams. 1t was also the era OF transcontinenthl
railway construction. 1t was likewise the period
OF rapid, yet broad and full, development of towns
and communities and states.
To the great number of returning soldiers In
che present war land Will undoubtedly offer the
great and fundamental opportunity. The ex-
perience Of wars points out the lesson that our
service men, because OF army life, with Its open
ness and activity. will largely seek out Of doors
vocations and occupations.
This fact Is accepted by the allied European
nations. That is why their programs and poll
/ cies Of relocating and readjusment emphasize
Nthe opportunities the land for the returning
Nplder The question then Is "What land can
Sc made available for farm homes for our SOL
ders?"
We have not the bountiful public domains OF
the sixties and seventies. In n literal sense for
the use of It on generous scale for soldier farm
MONIES as in the sixties, the public domain IL
none. The official figures at the end OF the hsca
snr, June 30. 1917, show that we have unnppro
Dated land in the continental United States
toehe amount Of 23O657.755 acres. 1t Is safe to
say that not one-half of this land will ever
prev to be cultvabe In any sense. SO we have
no hd In any way comparable to that In the
pubiitdoman when Appomattox came-and men
turneoWestward with army rifle and roll blnn-
ket-tobegn life anew.
Whllewe do not have that matchlcss public
domain c, '65 we do have millions Of acres Of I'M
developed lands In the Northwest lake states
and South, and also swamp lands In the middle
West and iouth, which can be made available
through thu proper development. Much of this
-~~llsnl can. s~Amade suitable for farm homes II
properly haidled.
But it will require that each type of land be
dealt with In IT'S own particular fashion. The
n arid lands VIII require water, the cut-over land
VIII require clearing and the swamp land must
Al be drained. without any of these aids they re-
4 main largely No Nuns Land. The solution OF
these problems Is no new thing In the admirable
achievement Of the reclamation service in recla-
nation and drainage we have abundant proof
or what can be done.
Looking toward the construction Of additional
projects Secretary Lane announces that plans
N and Investigations have been under way for some
. time. A survey and study has been In the course
M OF contamination by the reclamation service on
Mlthe great Colorado basin. That project undoubt-
Hiedly. will appeal to the new spirit Of America. It
Eiwould mean the conquest Of an empire In the
NSouthwest 1t is believed that more than 1000
MOO acres Of arid land could be reclaimed by the
completion of the upper and lower Colorado basin
brojects.
~ II has been officially estimated that more than
N1bOOO,OOO acres Of irrigable land now remain in
Nfhe governments hands. This is the great re-
nation Under what policy and program millions
M 'hese acres could be reclaimed for future farms
ahd homes remains for legislation to determine
III amount Of swamp and cut-over lands In
w. Nited States available for farming is extern
W nVe Nst how much there Is has never been de-
5 .ermine with any degree Of accuracy. Practical
~ an II has passed into private ownership
ror tnat -eason in considering It's use, It would
De Necessity to work out a policy between the
private overs and the government unless the
nd was Purchased. II has been estimated that
w tothi arei Of swamp and o~erfowed lands In
vie United Sites Is between 100000 and 80
V'oo" acres OF this amount, about 10000 600