Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-10-02
BILL OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO
WORLD WAR VETERANS 10
NOW BEFORE CONGRESS
PLANS COMMISSION TO
OFT VETERANS LOCATED
Measure .pifssrs Materially From the
Mondsil- Land Settlement Bill
Baker suggests Re- snIistmsnts In
Regular Army 10 Enable Young Mon
to Take Advantages OF Activities.
LBy E. c. Dougherty.l

Washington, Oct. S.-The creation OF
. commission on rural and urban home
settlement contemplated In . bill In
tFoducsd IN the senate by Senator
wadsworth, Of New York, viii prove Of
vital Importance to every Iowa boy
who served his country In the recent
war The bin. which Is now before 3
subcommittee OF the senate agricul-
tural committee. is promised early con-
siderasion and may be passed before
the present extra session OF congress
adjourns and the new congress con.
venes, or shortly after the opening OF
the nations legislative chambers IN
December
The commission would consist OF i've
membsrB who shall be experts In
housing, rural organizations, cooper
alton and colonization" The purpose
Of the commission will be to invssti-
gate thoroughly and report 70 congress
concerning immediate farm settlement
for returned soldiers, sailors and mar
ines; Industrial housing; allotment OF
land to returned ex-service men, vet
Grams Of the European war. and to
widows and orphans Of soldiers and
sailors who lost their lives in the war;
the encouragement Of cooperation FOR
any and all Of these purposes between
the United States and the several
states, and persons, societies, associa-
uoos and corporations, and finally to
furnish to these agencies necessary In
formation advice or suggestions for
putting into operation the recomnen-
datton Of the commission and the laws
that congress may enact making them
effective.
Differs From Lane Plan.
The measure. considered by many OF
the conservative group az q partial 50
luton OF the high cost OF living prob
lem, - entirely different from the Mon
dell soldier settlement bills. popularity
known as the Lane reclamation pro-
3ecr which by the way 10 vigorously
opposed by Representative Boiss, OF
the Eleventh Iowa district and solves
the soldier and land settlement prob
lens in manner more IN keeping with
the views OF many nsmbers Of con-
gTesA
In discussing the proposed commits
stpn today Senator Wadsvorth said:
~One Of the most difficult problems
confronting the country today Is that
Of maintaining the rural population in
prosperity and contentnent and in SUI
doient numbers to preserve the prop
er balance between the rural or food
producing population and the urban or
food consuming population 1t Is con-
coded by students OF agriculture that
our farming territory - capable OF
much more intensive cultivation and OF
supporting q much larger population.
The problem lies In the difficulty OF Be-
curing the proper settlement Of the
soil To bring more people TO the soil
and thereby increase the food produc-
ton. ways must be found OF assuring
to such settlements proper financial
backing IN the first instance and rea-
sorabls prospect Of financial success
Il have believed for long time that
cooperation among groups Of people
properly supported would solve the dif-
f!culty. Ny theory OF my bill Is that
the government, thru e properly ap-
pointed commission, should study all
the experiments heretofore made In
this country and abroad, inform the
proper cooperative effort, including
the initial financing of settlers. and en-
courage and guide movements Of this
kind. The bill does not contemplate
government financing accompanied by
large bond issues and expenditures OF
vast SUNS Of money from the federal
treasury. This Is one Of the principal
defects OF the so-called Lane plan for
soldier settlement II L. hoped rather
that the people Themselves, with edu-
cation and with proper guidance. and
by legislative support II necessary, can
do these things for themselves in
healthy, natural way"
Baker Urges Rs-EnIistmerts.
In announcing today that the war de-
partment Is unable, by reason Of the
absence Of any congressional author
ity. to extend its educational activities
to men who have been discharged from
the army. Secretary Of War Baker