The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-08-30
Republicans Want to Know
the Soldiers, Sentiment
on the Project
SECRETARY LANE
QUIET ON EXPENSES
Gives No Satisfactory Explanation
How the Appropriation to Investi-
gate the Plan Has Been Spent-Many
Soldiers Oppose the Scheme.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30-With oppo-
much stronger in the house than was ex-
,pected, indications are that the measure
will be shelved permanently. 1t is certain
no action will be taken until some definite
expression of the desires of large num-
Der of the soldiers can be obtained
A majority of the Republicans are in,
favor of postponing action at least until
after the meeting of the American Legion
in November. This proposal of Repre-
sentative Nichols (Mich) was agreed upon
by the Republicans in caucus, an effort
to table the motion being lost by large
majority. Later action on the bill was
postponed until another caucus which
will be called to determine whether the
measure shall be called up at ALL Repub-
lican Leader Mondell promised no effort
woulds be made to bring up the bill until
| that time.
Opponents of the bill admittedly have
| the edge in the fight in the house, and
4 y
| tions against it. The Pennsylvania dele
CATION is practically unanimous against
the program, and it is believed the New
York members will be swung into line
shortly Michigan is also expected to pre-
sent solid delegation against Mr. Mon
dell's bill
| Members of the house are now looking
to the American Legion and other sol
diers' organizations for expressions of
opinion as to whether the soldiers really
favor the proposal, and to what extent
it would be taken advantage of if passed.
Secretary Lane has about $4,000 replies in
favor of the plan out of nearly 3,000.0 900
inquiries sent to service men. Many OF
these, however, would not take the land,
but simply said the general plan was APP
proved by them.
! Opponents of the bill are planning "a
Point out that the funds given the de-
partment of the interior to investigate
the feasibility of the plan have been used
to stir up propaganda in favor of it
Efforts to obtain from Secretary Lane
information as to how the appropriation
amounting to 100000, was spent have
been met with only general statement OF
expenditures
The attitude of the American Legion
toward the program is still much dis
puted question in the house Mr. nondel
claims the legion has Endorsed the plan
but Mr. Nichols and other opponents de
ny this. Inquiries have been sent to the
various state officers of the legion
/, The first reply from Benjamin B. Bel
lows, vice-presidcnt of the American lie
gon of Michigan states the organization
of thai state - nra NJ ica I,- ,,pi+ed aoai a
the bill, and promises to assist Mr. Mich
OILS in the movement to defeat it. The
letter follows:
AT a recent meeting of the Charlie
A. Learned Post No / of the American
Legion. a resolution was passed thanking
YOU most heartily for the interest you
have taken in the service men, particular
ly in regard to the land grant law apply
ing to them.
PERSONALLY am very much interested
In that law, as | am very familiar with
the western land question, both logged
off land and sage brush irrigated land
| feel as you do that the bill as presented
is merely a colonization scheme of west
crn promoters, and would dislike seeing
any bill passed that would wish upon
the veterans of the United States bur-
den which they would have to carry for
years before being able to relieve them
selves of the load. Also cannot see why
the bill should not include the land of
all states that our veterans need not
go out of their own community to take
advantage of this back to the soil move
ment.'
After batting around restaurants for