El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-08-30
IRRIGATION OF 2O,OOO,OOO ACRES
TO CARE FOR MILLION FAMILIES

THE greatest opportunity the southwest will have for
full development Of its land resources VIII come when
the government takes up the problem Of placing farms
of their the unknown millions Of men who VIII want
farms.
least 100000 men under arms Possibly 100000 civilians
will engaged in the manufacture Of munitions, snip
building and other industries nearly all Of whom must
have other employment About soOoOOO people,
be engaged in the business Of viii have to nd otheI
occupations They must be reabsorbed into the normal
industrial life OF the nation most OF tnen having Deen
drawn from mining agriculture, manufacture Transports
teu and trade their places VII have been ted BY older
men BY women girls and BY boys who have entered the
ainfi ocpations earlier than If had furnished
The ouporuntv and the incentive Most Of them perhaps
m = uwiliinq 10 relindush their work the indie
endence II nsuTes Therefore It viii be necessary to find
other places for millions Of and this cannot be done
without extensive preparation IN advance Of the time OF
At the close Of the civil the United States faced
similar problem but it easy then TO absorb the dls
charged soldiers in the vast public domain OF the oo
west and west This time the number OF men 70 De pro
vided for VIII be several times greater and the arabic pub
lie domain has passed into private ownership
Some other beigerent nations have taken up the prob
len Of finding occupation for their soldiers after the
and the United States should not delay too long.
Arthur Davis director of the United States Ieclaa
on service recognizing the need Of governmental action
as pointed BY secretary Of the interior Franklin
Lane Los Angeles speech has compiled an elaborate
set Of figures the possibilities Of land development loi
men and their families after the war.
Australia has already appropriated s1ooOooooo to be
used al end Of the in the purchase and improve
Of land for its returning soldiers MI DAVIS says
that proportion to population this corresponds to OOO
100000 for the United States Canada England, France
Germany and Italy undertaking similar measures
In no case this action take the form Of charity OF
perauent gifts the recipient Il is recognized that the
discharged soldier VIII be able and should be required 10
earn his living and out his own destiny except
IN case Of permanent disability. In case Of disability nos
ifa1s and homes VIII be provided as matter Of
It was stated above that the arabic public domain has
passed into private ownership but there IS much land re-
naming which is not arabic Some Of It IS ard and some
IS cut over timber swamp land The problem Of the
government should be to undertake such reclamation Wo
as VIII provide water where there IS too little and take
a water where there is too much thus making the land
available for cultivation.
The area Of and lands in II western states which can be
gated By storage Of flood waters is estimated by director
Davis at from 100000 to 20 oOoo0o acres THIS IS SUI
FARMERS AND AN EQUAL NUMBER OF LAB0RERS,
MECHANICS AND OTHER RESIDENTS NECESSARY
TO COMPLETE THE COMMUNITIES WHICH WOULD
BE FORMED.
The reclamation work already done in Arizona and New
Mexico sufficient TO prove that the government can 40
H. Arid land can be made produce great crops and
those who receive its benefits can return the cost 70 me
government
The United States reclamation service heretofore has
taken up only great projects which seemed most feasible
PROBLEM OF THE FUTURE IS TO DEVELOP As MANY
OTHER PROJECTS AS POSSIBLE so As 10 MAAE
PFADY FOR IRRIGATION EVERY POSSIBLE ACRE OF
LAND IN The SOUTHWEST. WHEN THIS WAR Is
OVER THERE WILL BE NO LACK OF PEOPLE ~
SETTLE on LAND WHEN THEY CAN SEE WAY ~
TFAKF IT PRODUCE THEM GOOD LIVING
TIE sundry civil act recently approved, contained pro
vision for an appropriation Of 100000 for an investigation
TO be made BY the director Of the reclamation service OF
the reclamation drainage Of lands outside existing Iea
nation projects and Of the reclamation and preparation Ior
cultivation Of cut-over timber lands IN any Of the states
Ct the United States"
Much can be done BY the reclamation Of swamp lands,
Of which Texas alone shown IN director DaTss report TO