Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-16
Will the Soldiers Respond?

TT is going to be interesting to watch the
i reaction of our returning soldiers to the
plans of Secretary of the Interior Franklin X.
Lane to interest them in farm life. The
secretary's project is a big one, and it's sue
cess would be of far-roaching consequence to
the nation. He proposes to reclaim the 200,
100000 acres of waste land in the United
States. and parcel them out to the soldiers
in such lots as will be profitable to work
without creating an extra demand for labor.
He proposes to start his project by using
returned soldiers in clearing. draining and
irrigating the reclaimable land Offering in
this way immediate employment and contrib
uting to that extent to a solution of the
after-the-war labor problem.
This reclamable waste land is located
in all parts of the country. In the rush of
settlers to the West, after the War Be-
tween the States, thousands Of acres in the
East that might have been worked profitably
were overlooked Within fifty miles OF
Washington. in Maryland and Virginia, says
Secretary Lane. are tracts OF land. once parts
of great plantations that can be bought
cheaper than land near many of the large
cities in the West. The Department of Az
ricnlture by careful suggestions has taught
many farmers in Southern States to earn
good living on small farms thirty acres
and less in size. In face OF this. observes
unused land lie in the between Wash,
ington and New Orleans
Skeptics, commenting on Secretary Lanes
plans, express the conviction that the trend
OF interest in the United States has been
steadily away from the farm and towards
the large cities, with their more varied OPP
portunities and attractions. Whether this is
n fact or not so far recent years are con-
cerned is not clearly established. 1t is fact
In n J,0k 1,@f1 Jr-:Iz
tered the war, farm life had been attracting
more and more people away from the cities,
due in large part to the extension to the
rural sections Of many Of the conveniences
OF city life, including telephones, electric
nShts, good roads, moving picture theaters
etc. FARMERS more and more had been talk
ing to automobiles, and closer bonds of in
terest had been established generally with
city folks
The war has done much to strengthen
these ties. More than ever have the cities
reahzed their dependence on the farmers
The farmers, for their part forced by the
lack OF labor, have adopted as never before
the use of modern farm machinery and with
the use Of this machinery the opportuni-
ties OF profit for farmers have been increased
before the United States entered the war
the year before--less than 10000 automo-
ME tractors were in use on farms in the
United States During the last year 10000
were sold to farmers, and the automobile
industry is figuring having more than
1000, 900 helping to harvest the crops NV
1929
In other words, the opportunities OF farm
life, presented to the returning soldier, are
larger than ever before. With the world
wide food scarcity likely to continue for
some time after peace is declared the farmer
is certain to continue getting good prices for
ms products Therefore, he can proceed to
acquire equipment that will make his work
easier and still more profitable. The talk
ing points would seem to be all with Mr.
Lane.