Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-12-28

(F'rom an address by Elwood Mead
consulting engineer of the u. S.
reclamation service, before south
ern land cOngress).
Before the end of the first year
Of the war some of the nations en-
gagged were studying how they
could best provide farms for re-
turning soldiers who had a liking
for rural life and were fitted for it
Before the end Russia had left the
war at the front to fight for land
at the rear.
The letter Of Secretary Lane call
ing attention 10 the need for early
action in this country reflected the
hopes and desires OF thousands of
young American soldiers | say
this because Of experience gained
as chairman OF the state land
settlement board of California and
letters from soldiers asking if its
opportunities would be open to
them when the war ended.
The legislature of that state had
two years ago created a land settle
ment board and gave it money and
authority to buy, subdivide. and
sell the land in small improved
farms to settlers on longtime pay
menLs with a low rate of interest.
1t was not a war measure On the
contrary, il was simply an endeayOr
to create broader opportunities for
poor men to become owners Of the
land they cultivated and to make
farm life more attractive and pros
porous.
The demonstration has been a
complete success as a peace meas
ure, but l only speak of it because
of the light it throws on one of the
nations war needs.
The lands were allotted to settlers
last June. Four fathers of boys
in our army applied for farms, not
fox themselves, but TO pc turned
over to their sons when they re
turn. Another tract of land viii be
settled the last of this month. One
father writes: 81 have three sons
lighting in France. They all want
to be farmers. Isn't there some
way by which l can apply for one
farm for myself and another for
my eldest boy2 The four of US will
work the two farms together" A
student Of the state college Of agTi-
culture, now overseas, writes to re
serve him a farm When I left
California in October q large per
centage of the farms in this new
settlement had been applied for by
the fathers of soldiers on the fight
ing front, and the attorney general
had been asked how far the settle
ment board could go III giving sol
diers a preference. There are tens
of thousands of just such young
men in the American army. They
are ideal material to help build up
a new and better rural life, to
create farms that will. first of all,
be homes Of good citizens. and com
munities that viii be reservoirs Of
What are We going to
do 10 help them? Are We to turn
them adrift2 The example Of other
countries makes this unthinkable
The American soldier who en-
listed IN Canada. if he elects TO re-
main in that country and is quail
fed to succeed as a farmer. can Sc
cure a free homestead of 100 acres
Ia Alberta and Saskatchewan
lTGt uUIICSLEcl2 VI 4tV GtENSr ~
acres of it ready for planting. in
Ontario; a homestead of privately
2wned land. bought by the govern
nent for honest eads, at $500 less
han the government paid for it, /
u British Columbia. The dOIntn-
on government will lend this I
American soldier $500 to improve /
ais farm. at per cent interest on
20 years time The province Of I
ontario will lend a soldier settler /
n that province $500 in addition. /
md some provinces will lend him .
lp to 81 500. In Canada. therefore, /
lie can get $50 acres of land for 4
fothing and have a loan Of from
z. 500 to $4,000 at per cent in
crest. with which to improve It.
4 addition, Canada has farm
choOIs where men can get the
rracticaI training necessary to en-
BILE them to farm properly
If one Of our boys enlisted with
be Australian forces and elects to
o TO Australia when the war ends
? can, IN any Of the six AustraI- /