Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-18
AUSTRALIAN FARMS
FOR HER SOLDIERS
Government Commissioner Is
Here Gathering Data
for Policy.
Mr.. BEEBY TELLS OF PLAN

Australian soldiers qualified for farm
work will each be settled on block OF
pastoral land and receive an advance
of $500 to work it. The land will be
sold to the men on a thirty-year
contract with the privilege of paying
for it earlier. The government will
charge per cent for the use Of the
money. No security other than char
acter and ability to make the land pro-
duce will be required by the govern
ment from the settler.
This was announced today by G. L.
Beeby, minister of labor and industry
in the New South Wales government.
Mr.. Beeby is officially visiting the
United States for the purpose or gam
ering data which will be used In de-
termining the future policy Of his
government in dealing with industrial
and labor conditions as they affect the
returning soldiers.
Mr.. Beeby was asked what Australia
did with the I. w. w. agitators VINO
recently visited Sydney, where they
Short Shrift for I. w. w.
"oh, we hung three of them. sent
twenty more to prison for life and the
rest disappeared" was his reply. AT
any rate, we haven't been troubled by
that gang since. Nothing like quick
and sure justice to rid a community
of that particular kind of evil.
But talking Of our preparations to
care for the returning soldiers l would
like to say that we began TO make
provision for their settlement on the
signed" added Mr.. Beeby. But when
the question of where we were to get
the land from was called to our atten-
tion we were confronted by the 1act
that there was no public domain le1t.
1t had all been occupied
..Then we simply bought the land
back again and arranged for its resale
to the soldiers. We will not pau
perise' the men by giving them any
thing. But we will make them inde-
pendent and self respecting producers
by loaning them the means. or course.
we can't put everybody on the land.
because all are not fitted for such
work. But we will place great many
and in so doing we will enrich the
country and make less difficult the
final payment of the public debt"
VIII Care for Others.
Those who are not qualified for
service on the land will be taken care
of In some other way, Mr.. Beeby said.
| The private employers have all agreed
| to take the men back into their service
and the government positions, tenn
! porarily vacated by the soldiers who
went to the front, will be available Tor
them when they return.
"In all cases the government will
provide for the men for three months
after their return" said Mr.. Beeby.
1--WE will do everything possible to OBJ
tain positions for them and private
quires that in the government service,
which includes practically all the big
public utilities, preference be given
the returning soldiers"
Mr., Beeby called attention to the
fact that the war debt of Australasia,
80O, ,000, 900. One-half of this was
raised in the antipodes and the other
half in London. The annual interest
is s90,0o0,000.
Expect Huns to Pay Part.
I'VE expect Germany to pay por-
tion of this debt" said the Aus
we have only 100000 people, but
we are the richest people per capita
in the world. So in any case we will
be able to take care of the war debt.
The money necessary is raised from
an income tax and a tax on luxuries.
I'VE will have to take care of
100, 900 injured men. This will require
an annual pension fund of $25,0oOoO0,
not a small burden for SO small a
| population. But we are enlisted for
| civilization and we will not complain
| of the COST
Mr.. Beeby had conferences with
| Secretary of Labor Wilson and other
| cabinet officers today.