The Cordova daily times., 1918-01-30
PROVISION FIR SOLDIERS AFTER
 WORLD WAR
(By Associated Press)

i returning American soldier who finds
 his former occupation gone should be
 given a part of the public domain properly cleared or otherwise outfit ted for immediate use at the govern
 ments expense, said F. H. Newell, head of the University of Illinois. in an address here today before the joint conference of agricultural, livestock, engineering and irrigation societies of Idaho.
 , MT. Newell urged the immediate ap- propriation of $1OO.OOO,00O or more by ; the government to put through frrf. gation and reclamation schemes and i otherwise put the remaining public lands in such shape that the returned fighting man may go on them with hope of securing living return at once. MT. Newell said in part:
 "In older days it was recognized as matter of course that the conquerors should take from the vanquished suit able fertile soil by which the former soldiers might be enriched. With us this is not possible. We can not or would not claim additional lands; we must meet the greater problem of homes and of employment in some other way. How shall we do it? How shall we not only increase the food producing area now but be prepared to continue it's increase at an acceler- ated rate in the near future?
 "The United States still owns mill lions of acres and at first glance it appears as though these might serve as in the past. The more we study these, however, the more we become impressed with the fact that although the extent is vast the proportion is small which can be put to immediate use. The lands have been picked over and over again, and the choice spots selected, especially those which con- trol the necessary water supply. It would be cruel to induce any man without armple funds and without ex- perience to try to make a living on most of these lands or to settle upon them trusting to his own strength and ingenuity as was done by the pioneer of a former generation. Baa yet as we see the west, there are unlimited possibilities in these lands. Thou sands of prosperous homes can be made and food produced for millions of people; but to do this there must be provided adequate means for over coming the lack of moisture and for getting fields into cultiyatable form.
 We have only begun on the great work of reclamation. We have gone into it with energy, large investments have been made under enthusiastic promotion. Ten years ago everything pointed to a rapidly expanding develop ment but to the surprise of all this promise of continuing growth and ac- tivity has not been fulfilled The swelling buds of reclamation have been nipped by early frost and instead of more reservoirs, more canals and vastly expanding areas of irrigated land, we now see far fewer enterprises under way than were being vigorously pushed a few years ago. While the food producing area is extending and under the stress of 1917 was greatly increased, yet the rate of development is less than is necessary to supply our needs and far below that which we have reason to anticipate.
 "We have two great questions, or really two branches of one problem, namely, how to get money or credit first for building the reclamation works great or small, and, second, for providing the settlers under these with adequate capital The engineering questions we may we'll ignore for the present as these have been practically Solved but the financial matters are those which are open for debate. There is in one sense plenty of money to be had, but it can be obtained only by assurance of the ultimate return of the principal and interest.
 There is no probability, however, that funds can be had from any source public or private-without the adop- tion of a plan which secures the ul- innate return of the original expendi- lures by the owners of the lands or by the community benefited, nor is there any reason why this return should not
 be made. These lands are greatly in
 creased in value by reclamation: this practical unearned increment should
 in all fairness go in part toward re
 funding the original cost of the works
 which have produced the added value
 Will the governments, national ] Gtafa nTs r1nninina1