The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1918-12-12

tN anu pl no value 10 lnt Nullus
All of these objects, as the Secretary says. are
worthy aud of great concern TO the nation. The
questions that arise in the mind will not involve
the value of doing these things, but the practicable
iy of such a program.
II is of little use 10 poin, out now that the
time for considering Secretary Lanes plan of land
development was when this nation went TO war and
began to prepare to send millions of its young men
into military service. That time was let pass, as
were later times when a start might have been
made. The problems are still with us and 50, now,
are our returned soldiers. II is not So much a mat
ter Of concern with us as To what should have been
done as 10 what must be done in the immediate
future. Although responsibility for the fact that
nothing has been done, will undoubtedly be fixed
where il belongs.
There are perplexing problems of detail in
working out the Lane plan TO a point of practical
application. The great portion of the land which
will lend itself TO Immediate use ina his scheme of
development is land like that adjacent TO the Salt
River prnjcct in Arizona, and land like that in the
area to be drained in our own Central Rio Grande
valley. which is very largely in private ownership.
The more distant projects those for which costly
irrigation works must be built and expensive trans
portation provided, must and will wait. And for
the projects susceptible of immediate use there Will
be- .equired the closest cooperation not only Of
;hc state governments. hut of the individual land
owners.
As for the financing of these undertakings,
that is the smallest of the problems, once the nation
al government determines to undertake them. AS
Mr.. Lane states, we can well afford to have our gov
crnmens spend upon a reclamation project, whether
for drainage or irrigation, the cost of a single strike.
We can well afford to lay out In permanent de
vclopment a sum equivalent 10 the cost of a week
of war. The great people who spent five milton
dollars cheerfully for recreation for soldiers in
training camps, will not hesitate TO buy bonds of
this government to that or amy other total, in carry
ing ont a development which will make permanent
homes for those soldiers and permanent prosperity
for the country.
The chief criticism of the Lane plan, to date
is that il contains too much of idealism and too
little OF practical detail. The answer OF its cham
pions is that the plan is too big for detail in it,
advocacy. II is certain that Mr.. Lane has come
forward with the only plan of general reclamation
that has been proposed. And it is likely to be made
the starting point for whatever plan of broader rec
lamatiun may be worked out. That some general
reclamation plan will be evolved and put into exccl
ton within the next twelve TO twenty four months
is n matter of course. The welfare of this natiol
demands it, Just as the welfare and growth aIt
prosperity of New Mexico demand il.
There ~ this further point to consider: What
ever plan is worked out in national legislation vii
require close, Intelligent, working cooperation
from the states wherein development is undertaken
The sooner New Mexico provides the working ma
chincry for that cooperation the better will we ant
our development and growth and prosperity be
served. The next legislative session is the time
for working out our cooperative mechanism.