The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-08-21
HOMES FOR SOLDIERS.
Government Planning to Make Land
Available rs Farms fer Returning
Soldiers.

COY 90 -1tt4N> -'.''''-
Available rs Farms fer returning
Soldiers.
Washington, Aug. 15.-When the
soldier Of 1865 laid down his arms to
take up a civil occupation, he turned
westward to a ma;cllless public do
main which he helped TO develop into j
Che worlds richest farnis ard cities
.ffa government was able TO point the
WY 20 a method by which the return
eG soldier WAS able TO turn his talents
.or a livelihood, and the government
now is laying the ground work to
nave similar land available when th2
great war ends and the millions o.
American soldiers return TO civil life
While the vast domain that awaited
,l.e civil war veteran can not be du-
niicated for those who return ron
the European battle i.elds, tl?ore er"
millions of acres which ca:! be mad-
available with proper legislation anG
subsequent development, and which
according to the present plans, VIII
DC offered to the returning soldier
with ample time to pay for the cost
of development if he desires to accepi
it.
Congress will be asked for legisla-
ton to make this land available, &C
cording to the present plans OF Secre-
tary Lane and Congressional leaders.
Secretary Lane has announced thai
it will be the policy OF the depart
:aent of the interior to ask for legls-
:a,ion by which arid lands of the
west, cut over lands OF the Northwest.
and swamp lands IN the middle west
and the South, can be reclaimed ana
the soldier given a preferred status in
It's allotment. Bills are now before
congress on that subject, and the plan
now is to weld into an administrations
bill a measure embracing Secretary
Lanes ideas. the legislation 10 be
patterned after a bill now before the
house public lands committee by Rep
I resentative Smith OF Idaho.
The amount of swamp and cut
! over lands is extensive, reports from.
i the department Of the interior indi-
cate, but just how extensive is not
/ known. It is estimated that approx
n4ateiy 60,000,0o0 acres OF swamp ana
overflow land can be made available
/ for farming. Some of il has passed
! into private ownership. 1t lies chiefly
in Florida. in the states along the
Atlantic ard Gulf coasts, in the Mis-
sissippi delta and in Missouri, lndl-
ana. Michigan, Minnesota, Wiscon-
sin and California.
=, Of
and logged-off land there IS approx
n.alely 200 100000 acres suitable for
/ AGRICULTURAL development. y larger
percentage ,of this land is now in pri
vate ownership and it is shown that
failure to develop it is due largely to
inadequate methods OF approach, says
Secretary Lane. Unless Il new Dcslcy
of development is worked out IN co
operation between the United States
the states ard the individual owners
a sreater part OF it VIII remain un-
settled and uncultivated. The lane
lies chiefly in Washington and Ore
go1,. VirgDfia, North Carolina ane
South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Aia-
!,ama, Mississippi, Louisiana anc
Texas.
Other than the planning, the de
veloprlent should be by the returned
soldier, according to Secretary Lane
views.
.,rbe dam or the irrigation projec'
should be built by him. Nj. LaaE
SAYS. The canals, the bitches, tht
breaking OF the land and the build.
i:lz Of the houses. should. under prop
er direction. be his occupation. H,
should be allowed to make his OWL
home. cared for while he is doing 1t
and given an interest in the land re!
which he can pay through long pc
riod Of years, perhaps thirty or fort'
s-ears.
so that the soldier on his return
you'd have an opportunity to make {;
home for himself. to build homo
with money which we would ad-
vance ard which ne would repay, ant
Cor the payment We would have az
abundant security"