Evening star., 1918-05-05

with the other belligerent nations, has
before It the Ques-
Relocating tha tion Of providing for
rc,s: the returning soldier
A-ooAoAef' and for the worker
who has been dislocated In his occu-
patton by tho war. Omcials Of tho
Department Of Labor are giving care
full study to this problem and have had
it under consideration for some time.
The dislocated must be relocated. For
those who are going to be able to Use
1t land will be. as always. the funda-
mental opportunity. Tho other bellig-
erent nations. notably Great Britain
and her colonies. are making extensive
plans for public colonization. Our
neighbor Canada, is working on crown
land legislation. which is perhaps more
advanced even than that Of Australia,
and the actual location Of returning
soldiers has begun on lands in Ontario
and in Manitoba.
This same problem was before this
country fifty years ago. The question
be utilized for the benefit of the civil
war soldier? The so-cal1ed solution
was to pass a law providing for SOL
diers' additional homestead land. BY
the terms of the homestead law. pass
ed In 1852. any citizen of the United
States could obtain free of charge 100
acres Of public land after residing
thereon for five years and making GER
tain improvements. But under the SOL
diers' additional law, passed in 1872.
any civil war veteran who had already
obtained a homestead of less than 1e0
acres could get, without the need OF
residence or improvement, the addi-
tiona1 land needed to make 100 acres.
Every such veteran could get paper
which he was entitled could be Sc
cured. This certificate became known
as scrip, which was a document en-
abling tho holder to select and obtain
from the government tho immediate
and unconditional title to a given
acreage anywhere upon the public do
main. Since this form Of scrip amount
ed to a free and transferable ticket to
piece Of public land at no definite
location. it became subject to grave
abuses by land and townsite specula-
tors.
Officials Of the department do not
think it probable that the device of
soldiers scrip will be tried again. It
belongs. they say. to the old order Of
land legislation which resulted in the
disintegration Of most of the public
domain. Since the civi1 war days.
however, a new order has come about
In view, then, of present public do
main policies in land development, the
problem that now faces the country
OF relocating the soldier and worker
REQUIRES a substitute for the old
the peculiar province of the Depart
ment OF Labor to make tangible sug-
gestions as to this substitute.
The investigation carried on by ex-
nection shows that the idle lands in
the United States-cut-over lands,
swamp lands and arid lands-capable
Of reclamation through stump clear
Ing, drainage and irrigation, cover ap-
proximate1y 100 ,o00.0 900 acres. The cut
over or logged-or lands are located
for the most part in the big valleys Of
the forested sections of the Pacific
northwest and the Rocky mountain
region, in the northern lake states and
in the southern coastal region from
Virginia to Texas.
Under present methods Of handling,
the undeveloped resources Of this
country-agricultura forest or other
resources-offer to the returning SOL
der or worker no opportunity of real
value to him. Under proper methods
of management, however. these re-
surces offer vast opportunities. Leav-
ing out the possibilities under proper
management of permanent employ
opportunities on semi-wild grazing
lands. and leaving out the whole Of
Alaska. the population which can be
cared for on the hundred million acres
Is greater than that Of New England.
X
Gardeners too often waste the pro-
ducing power Of the rich. well titled
soil of cold frames after
Cold.Frame early started crops have
been removed and set in
uaruenlng. the garden, say special
lists Of the Department Of Agriculture.
It should be recognized that most of
the garden crops OF early spring. which
ordinarily cannot be grown to good
advantage in the open after dry hot
weather sets in. can be grown salts
factorily at such a time in cold frames.
Among such vegetables are lettuce.
radishes and carly beets. All these
plants thrive best under cool, fairly
moist conditions. The sides Of the cold
frames furnish a partial shade and a
good protection from drying winds and
so help to stimulate conditions found in
the spring in the open. II 1t is desired.
Stats spaced an inch or two apart, or
light cheesecloth. may be placed over
the cold frames still further to increase
the shade.
Lettuce and radish seed may be
planted together in the frames. The
radishes will mature first and will be
out of the way by the time the space Is
needed for lettuce. II planted thick.
the surplus lettuce should be removed
when the plants are few inches high.
II spaced an inch or so. the surplus
plants need not be removed until they
are large enough to be eaten. The let
tuce which Is to be allowed to head
should be left about six inches apart.
Beets may be planted between the
along, and permitted to grow after the
lettuce has been harvested.
BY planting these crops successfully
cold frames may be put to intensive
use throughout the growing season.
Through the cooperation of state
councils Of defense. chambers Of COM
merce. local war
Developing boards and motor CLUBS,
highways. Defense, through its
highways transport committee and its
state councils section, is building up a
system for more efficient utilization of
the highways of the country as a means
of affording merchants and manufac-
turers relief from railroad embargoes
and delays due to freight congestion.
This system already is in successful
operation in Connecticut and is being