The sun., 1918-11-27
Land for Returning Soldiers.

Land for Returning Soldiers.
The great undertaking Of sending a
large number Of returning soldiers
back to the land" has been consid-
cred by Congress In a vague and
inconclusive way, but enough to dis
close In general outline the plans OF
those who have given most thought to
the task. Long ago a bill was intro
duced In the Senate for the classifica.
tion OF all unentered land. swamp.
arid. and unused cut-over lands
Even that bill. merely preliminary to
any workable plan, has never moved
beyond occasional discussion. But We
recognize that much else Of great and
pressing Importance has occupied at.
fention In Washington. and believe
the whole matter will soon be acted
upon In some form by Congress-
In the meantime It is Of interest to
consider what acreage there Is cana.
bic OF being turned into profitable
farm land. This country, except in
Alaska. no longer has a frontier" {:
none whatever such as welcomed the
veterans returning from the civil war
who turned unnumbered acres OF pral-
rie into farms. making this a great
agricultural nation even as the strong
tide toward industriallsm was draw.
Ing men from the farms to the towns.
There Is no more Of such land to he
given practically free to the returning
millions whose choice would lead
them to farms were farms to be found
for them. Not alone for their good
must farms be found, but for the gen.
eral good OF the nation.
Where, then, is the land? In great
quantities and obtalnable at a cost
which will be an attraction to those
not only who wish to live upon II.
but also to those who can be induced
to go to the land that the nation nav
have more food. the sources Of supply
are arid land which can be irrigated,
swamp land which can be drained,
and cut-over land which can be
cleared and then farmed.
We know that great irrigation prof.
ects may be made successful. This
the Reclamation Service has demon.
strated, though not in all the pleasant
lights first thrown upon the costly un.
dertaking. Still. given easier term,
Of payment and some other conces
sions at first not thought desirable
settlers are taking irrigated lands and
by degrees relieving the Governmen;
of all charges and repaylng to IL all
investments. Interior Department
estimates are that there remain in the
Government hands 100000 acres OF
irrIGable lands which can be placed
under water" as the application OF
the service Is called. Much of this is
In the Southwest, as much as 5000.
900 In the Great Colorado Basin
where already land irrigated as one
Of the Governments projects produces
semi-troplc fruits sold In New York
shops in winter.
There are between 7O,OOO,OOO and
SO,0OO.O00 acres of swamp and over.
flowed lands, and 1t has been esti.
mated that 60000,000 acres can be
drained and made profitable for
agriculture. These lie In Florida,
along the Atlantic and Gulf States, In
California and In upper Mississippi
River States. Some OF this land,
drained, has produced prodigiously
as the Suisun marshes In California.
A trough estimate" by the Depart
ment of the Interiors; experts is that
Of all the cut-over land there are oO0,-
OOO,0 acres suitable for agriculture
after they have been cleared.
Then there Is still land enough for
our soldiers and to spare. But how
is It to be put into condition to prom.
ise profit for those who may go upon
It? The interesting suggestion has
been made that the labor OF return.
ing soldiers be used for this vast
work; that they he employed. those
willing, of course, and at fair wages
in making llvable the land upon
which the Government will ask them
to settle, giving them easy terms Of
payment. There is a mans size ioh
to be sure, but In view Of what our
armies have done in ports of France
and In regions outside OF the fighting