The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-13
LANE URGES us.
TODEVELOPLANDS
FOR EXSOLDIERS
Annual Report of Secretary Of
Interior Also Advocates
Better Schools for Ameri-
Canization of All Aliens.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1S.-Develop-
ment OF arid, swamp and cutover
lands TO provide farms for returning
soldiers, and improvement of the pub
lie school system to provide for Amer
icanization Of foreign-b born citizens and
the education Of illiterate mountain
white populations and negroes, are two
big reconstruction problems. Secretary
of the Interior Lam says in his annual
report made public today. Schools, he
added, should lay more emphasis on
teaching trades.
or immediate Importance is the pro-
posal that the government systemat-
ically go about the work OF providing
work for soldiers on existing irrigation
projects in the West. Later, Secretary
Lane suggested, more extensive recla.
nation of waste land should be put
under way, and small farms sold to
soldiers by the government on long
term payment plan.
Mr.. Lane outlined in detail his pro-
posed methods Of carrying out this pro
gram, which he characterized as part
OF the looking ahead work" OF the ma
ton,
Referring to the returning soldiers,
he aid;
Being Americans and being young,
they will not ask or expect pensions.
They will want work They will want,
If possible, q chance for a home of
their OWN"
BY systematic government develop
ment Of idle lands, said Mr.. Lane,
there will be provided immediate Jobs
for these men, labor markets will be
protected against possible collapse by
being swamped with a surplus OF la
Dor. re-established industries will be
supplied with an immediate demand for
their products, the movement of popu-
alton to cities will be checked, man.
best prove Americans" will be af-
fixed permanently to agricultural oc-
Qapations, and great areas of land now
neglected and valueless will be brought
INTO use.
irrigation Plans.
AS an immediate program" said the
secretary, we should first offer an
opportunity upon our present irriga-
ion projects for all who wish work
at clearing and l~eveling the land not
low cultivated, but for which water
ia available, or to which water can be
brought under the present irrigation
ystem, and that such tracts shall be
developed under an appropriate land
s5ttlement plan. This we can do at
nee and meet whatever labor problem
Gay be immediate.
"As a second step | would urge an
preparation for n or more OF the
dIgest irrigation schemes for which
HrVeys are In an advanced state, ON
urrently 1t would seem to me wise
| % uHdcTIdk6 lle uTallllHb VI INC Hlosl
rOmlsing NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
nd preferred, but, if privately owned,
ne land to be bought at an appratSe-
cnt made by the farm loan board
I'd subject to the approval Of the de-
.'tItment Of agriculture.
There is an alternative method Of
aaling with private lands which al
lady has the approval Of congress,
ing Incorporated in the reclamation
ct. Under this a private owner agrees
y sell his land to whoever gets the
alter right at an appraised price as a
Ondition precedent to our undertake
g the construction Of irrigation work.
nder such a plan there would be no
lfficulty whatever in securing control
IL any-sized bodies OF cutoYerS Or
swamp lands that might. be DESIRED
he government would not buy the land,
"ut the owner would look to the new
ttler for the price and take it on
1ch terms al the government Itself
culd exact for dts own expenditure
pom the land. supplementing this
If the cooperation OF all the states
pom limited tracts which would be
calf with under state control and
bject to the closest federal super
tsion."
After a soldier has returned to his
me? said Mr.. Lane, II. his old posi-
On is not open and he wishes TO
m to an independent life there
Ould be laid before him a. number OF
'ojects which the government had I'M
rtaken in the different sections Of
10 country. Let us assume no more
nan three, one an irrigation scheme,
nother a drainage project, a third the
eyelopment Of a body Of cutover lands.
he one would need to have great
m constructed to impound and d.
ert waters, a hydro-electrc plant,
lies Of canal and tunnel, perhaps,
thousands OF acres to be cleared and
aveled, fenced and broken. This would
lean years OF work at good wages,
ork in the open under housing con-
'tions that would seem palatial to
re soldier Of the TRENCH, and at the
d a piece Of and on which would be
tected a house and barn, a farm home
4 a group OF farm homes. For this
0 must pay. But already he las re-
Aved wages out of witch he can have
wed the necessary first installment
n his place Of 10 or Is per cent. The
lance. with interest, he can pay in
yearly installments, or earlier II he
an"
Mr.. Lane estimated that more than
te-third, probably nearer one-halt, OF
lie American troops IN Europe came
pm farms, and probably would wish
return to the agricultural work. Care
'ould be taken, however, he said, that
he government in selling farms to those
zen, limit the size and impose re-
rictlons to prevent their being aggre-
tied into great estates.
Turning to the question o. cost, Sec
tary Lane said this would be AS
luclI AS we wish to spend -" less
ran many a strike has cost this coun-
ry.' Vs.
Would It be unreasonable to ask for
= much as we will spend his year
II pensions 70 the veterans and their
tpendents Of wars that ended 20 and
q years ago." he asked Would It
J unreasonable to ask that we spent
the next two years on these veter-
MS of the great wa as much as it
>.t nc ~ rnpd,rf thuf uar for n