Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-08-14
GOVERNMENT
LOOKING OUT
FOR FUTURE
Plan to Have New Land
Ready for Soldiers to Set
tie Being Considered.

Washington, Aug. 14.-When the
soldier Of 1865 laid down his arms
to take up a civil occupation, he turn
ed westward to a matchless public do
main which he helped to develop into
the worlds richest farms and cities.
The government was able to point the
way to a method by which the return
ed soldier was able to turn his talents
for a livelihood, and the government
now is laying the ground work to
have similar land available when the
great war. ends and the millions of
American soldiers return to civil life.
While the vast domain that awaited
the civil war veteran a not be dup
Heated for those who return from the
European battle fields, there are mil
lions Of acres which can be made
available with proper legislation and
subsequent development, and which,
according to the present plans. will
be offered to the returning soldier
with ample time to pay for the work
of development If he desires to accept
II.
Congress will be asked for, legisla-
ton to make this land available, ac-
cording to the present plans of Sec
rotary Lane and congressional leaders.
Secretary Lane has announced that
it will be the policy of the department
of the interior to s for legislation
by which arid lands Of the west, cut
over lands of the northwest, and
swamp lands in the middle e and
the south, can be reclaimed and the
soldier given a preferred status in its
allotment. Bills are now before cor
gress on that subject, Inc the plan
now Is to weld into an administration
bill a embracing Secretary
| r % 14s, S1@n~ <L~ Y4~,~l~k i~~ 81 ~ s~k
termed after a bill now before the
house public lands committee by Rep
resentative Smith of Idaho.
The amount of swamp and cut-over
land is extensive, reports from the de-
partment of the interior indicate but
just how extensive is not known. It is
estimated that approximately 60,O0O,-
600 acres of swamp and overflow land
can be made available for farming.
Some of it has passed into \private
ownership. It lies chiefly in Florida,
IN the states along the Atlantic and
Gulf coasts. in the Mississippi delta
and in Missouri, Indiana, Michigan,
Minnesota, Wisconsin and California
1t is estimated that of the cut-over
and logged-off land there is approx
mately zoe, zoo. 900 acres suitable for
agricultural development. A larger
percentage of this land is now in pri-
vate ownership, and it is shown that
failure to develop it is due largely to
Inadequate methods of approach. says
Secretary Lane. Unless a lew policy
Of development is worked out in CO.
operation between the United States,
the states and the individual owners,
a greater part Of it will remain un-
settled and uncultivated. The land lies
chiefly in Washington and Oregon.
Virginia, North Carolina and South
Carolina, Georgia, Florida. Alabama
Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.
Other than the planning, the devel-
opment should be by the returned
soldiers according to Secretary Lanes
views.
The dam or the irrigation project
should be built by him." Mr.. Lane
says. THE canals, the bitches. the
breaking Of the land and the buiidine
OF the houses, should, under proper
direction. be his occupation. He
should be allowed to make his wi
home. cared for while he is doing it
n given an interest in the land for
which he can pay through a long e
iod OF years. perhaps thirty or forty
years. |
so that the soldier on his return
home fo- himself, to build 4 home
with money which we would adyam
and which he would repay, and 70,
the payment we would have an
abundant security"