The Pulaskian., 1918-12-06

dCtlOus II mas DeSu the pOIlcy OIL the
executive, therefore, since the armis-
tice was assured (which is In effect a
complete submission of the enemy to
put the knowledge of these bodies at
the disposal of the business men of
the country and to offer their intelli-
gent mediation at every point and in
every matter where it was desired. It
Is surprising how fast the process of
return to a peace footing has moved
in the three weeks since the fighting
stopped. 1t promises to outrun any
Inquiry that may be instituted and any
aid that may be offered. It will not
be easy to direct it any better than
it will direct itself. The American
business man is of quick initiative.
'The ordinary and normal pre-
cesses of private initiative will not,
however, provide immediate employ
ment for all of lie men of our return
ing armies. Those who are of train
cd capacity, those who are skilled
workmen, those who have acquired
familiarity with established bust
nesses, those who are ready and will
ing to go to the farms, all those whose
aptitudes are known or will be sought
out by employers will find no diff
Guilty, it is safe to say, in finding place
and employment. But there will be
others who will be at a loss where to
gain a livelihood unless pains are TAX
en- to guide them and put them in the
way Of work. There will be a large
floating residium Of labor which
should not be left wholly to shift for
itself. 1t seems to me important,
therefore, that the development of
public works of every sort should be
promptly resumed, in order that ep-
portunities should be created for UNI
skilled labor in particular and that
plans should be made for such de-
velopments of our unused lands and
our natural resources as we have
hitherto lacked stimulation to under
take.
Reclamation of Land.
II particularly direct your attention
to the very practical plans which the
secretary of the interior has discuss
ed in his annual report and before your
committees for the reclamation of
arid, swamp and cut-over lands which
might, if the States were willing and
able TO cooperate, redeem some three
hundred million acres of land for cul-
| tivation. There are said to be fifteen
or twenty million acres of land in
the West, at present arid, for whose
reclamation water is available, if
230,000,000 acres from which the for
ests have been cut, but which have
never yet been cleared for the plow
and which lie waste and desolate
These lie scattered all over the Union.
And there are nearly 100000 acres
of land that lie under swamps or sub
! ject to periodical overflow, or too wet
for anything but grazing, which it is
perfectly feasible to drain and protect
and redeem. The Congress can at
once direct thousands of the return
ing soldiers to the reclamation of the
arid lands which it has already under
taken if it will but enlarge the plans
and the appropriations which it has
entrusted to the department of the in
terror. 1t is possible in dealing with
our unused land to effect a great ru-
raj and agricultural development
which will afford the best sort of op-
portunity to men who want to help
themselves; and the secretary of the
s,,4o hoc 10
methods out in a way which is worthy
of your most friendly attention.
81 have spoken of the control which
must yet, for while, perhaps for a
long while, be exercised over shipping
because of the priority service to
which our forces overseas are entitled
and which should also be accorded the
shipments which are 90 save the re-
Gently liberated peoples from starva-
ton and many devastated regions from
permanent ruin. May l not say a
special word about the needs of Bel
gium and Northern France? No sums
of money paid by way of indemnity
will serve of themselves to save them
from hopeless disadvantages for years
to come. Something more must be
done than merely fpd the money. If
they had money and raw materials in
abundance tomorrow they could not
resume their place in the Industrial
world tomorrow-the very important
place they had before the flame of war
swept across them.
Devastation of France.
MANY of their factories are RACED
to the ground. Much of their machin-
cry is destroyed or has been taken
away. Their people are scattered and
many of their best workmen are dead.
Their markets will be taken by others
il they are not in some special way
assisted to rebuild their factories and
replace their lost instruments of man
ufacture. They should not be left to
the yicisSitudeS of the sharp compe-