Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-13
DEVELOPMENT OF sWAMPs
IS! ADVOCATED IN REPORT
Secretary Lame Would Also Improve
Arid anu Cut-Over Land for
Returning Soldiers.
ASKS EDUCATION OF POOR
Advocates Trades BE Taught to
Larger Extent in Public Schools,
Thus Fitting Pupils for Some Use
full Work.
IBy Associated Press. !

b. Associated Press
| WASHINGTON. December 1o-De-
| vclopment of arid, swamp and cutovcr
lands TO provide farms for returning
! soldiers. and Improvement OF the pub
/ lie school system TO provide for Amer
, icanitation of foreign born citizens,
and the education OF illiteratc noun
| tain white populations and negroes
! are two big reconstruction problems
Secretary of the Interior Lane says in
| mis- annual report made public to-day
| schools, he added, should lay more en-
! phasis on teaching trades.
OF Immediate Importance Is the pro-
ally go about The work of providing
| work for soldiers on existing irriga-
/ ton projects in the West. Later. Sec
| rotary Lane suggested, more extensive
/ reclamation Of waste land should he
put under way; and small farms. sold
! I" soldiers by the government on long
| term payment plan.
MIR; Lane outlined in detail! his pro-
program. which lie characterized ns
! the nation.
Referring to the returning soldiers,
| he said
BEING, Americans and being young,
fn@y Viii WI, not ask or expect nGnsions'
If possible, chance for Il home OF their
mcnt OF idle lands, said Mir Lane there
will he provided immediate jobs for
these men. labor markets will be pro-
tected against possible collapse by be-
ing swampcd with a surplus OF labor,
e-rstablisEed industries will he sup
piled VITA an Immediate demand for
their products, the movement or popu-
lttion TO cities will he checked, many
best proven Americans" will be affixed
permanently TO agricultural occupa-
lions, and great areas of land now
neglected and valucless will be brought
into use.
".As an Immediate program" said the
/ Secretary, we should first nm on
portunity upon our present irrigation
projects for al who wish work at clear
tiNated but for which water is avail
ah!,, or 20 which water can he brought
under the present irrigation system,
AMI that such tracts shall be developed
under an appropriate d-settlcment
plan. This we can do at once and meet
whatever labor problem may be inn
mediate
AS second step l would urge an
appropriation for one or more OF the
surveys are in an advanced state. Con-
currently it would seem Ia me wise To
underinkc the draininE OF The most
promising projects--government owned
land preferred, hut. If privately owned
the land to he bought mt an appraise-
ment made by tn" farm loan board and
subject 70 the approval OF the Depart
ment OF Agriculture.
ALTERNATIVE METHOD
OF DEALING WITH LAND
There Is an alternative method OF
ready has the approval OF Congress.
being incorporated in the reclamation
act Under This a private owner agrees
to sell his land TO whoever gets the
water right at an appraised price as q
condition precedent to our undertaking
the, construction of irrigation work.
Under such plan there would he no
difficulty whatever in securing control
OF any sized bodies of cut-over or
s nn lands that might be desired;
lanu, nut the owner would look to the
new settler for the price, and take it
on such terms as tho government itself
would exact for It's own expendiiure
upon the lands. Supplcmenting this
thcrc should be an opportunity given
upon limited tracts which would be
dshit with under state control and
subject, to the closest Federal super
Aftcr 4 soldier has returned to his
nome, SAID Mr.. Lane, if his old posi-
ilon Is not open ard he wishes TO turn
!aiH peiorc him number OF projects
when The government had undertaken
IN the different SECTIONS OF the conn
KY: Let US assume no more than
thfce. one an irrigation scheme, another
" urainaSc project, third the devcl-
. Tpilent or body OF cut-over lands.
me one would need to have Ercat
dams constructed TO impound and di-
vert waters hydroclcctric plant, miles
." 81 camml ana tunnel; perhaps thousands
Fenced ana broken. This would mean
wears Of work at good wages, work i'm
'he 3ncn under housing conditions that
the trench, and at the end u piece OF
iahd on winch would be erected q
house ana barn . farm home in a
ETnuD at farm homes. FOR this hc
must pay. But already he has received
wages out Of which he can have saved
me necessary hrst iustalment on his
place OF 10 or 10 Per cent The Ia nee
with interest he can pay in forty Yearly
lhs,aiimcntS' or earlier II he can"
"nc- third, probably nearer onc-half, Of
the American troops in Europe came
from farms aud probably would wish
TO return TO the agricultural work, Care
should be taken. however. he said, thuI
the government is selling farms tn
ihesg men, limit the size and impose
restrictions TO prevent their being az
Sresatcd into great estates.
f;STiHATES THE COST
or gigantic SCHEME
Turning to the question OF cost, Sec
lclary Lane said This would be AS
Try" |o'">
would it be unreasonable 10 ask
Tor pensions to the veterans and their
dependents OF wars that ended twenty
and my years ago." he asked. would
II be unreasonable 10 ask that wo
spend In the next two years on these
veterans OF the great war as much as
~ cost us TO- conduct that war for y
n
gave OUT Of hand. out OF Il noble sens.
or ch2riiy to quasi public orsaniza-
tons. 5000. 100000 for the entcrtainIn-nt
and care Of these boys hesitate TO i,uy
the bonds Of this country for a libe
amount TO provide peace work HON.
work ana homes for these Same hoys?
We have spent largely for this war
ana largely we nlEst spend for many
years to come. We are to econom iZe
that we may meet our debts: this must
be the national policy. But to stop
CROWN is not economy 10 stanl
paraiyZed in the presence OF q debt is
To become it's victim. England is rlan-
mig III the hundreds Of millions OF
pounds sterling for housing and land
schemes. Canada, with less than -
oeo,oOo people. is Offering to each man
100 acres of land and $4,000 with which
10 improve II. Surely the United States.
which has escaped with so slight :
less
There can he no surer insuran oo
Tor the nation than to put it's men uncn
me SOIL, and there can be no wiser
hot