Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-29
LAUDS SOLDIERS
SETTLEMENT BILL
Former Gov. Spry, Utah,
Likens MondeII Measure to
"Manna From Heaven"

Like mama from heaven" to the
penniless soldier. is the description
given by former Gov. William Spry of
Utah to the Mondell soldiers settle
ment bill, at the final hearing on that
measure before the House committee
on public lands yesterday.
Gov. Spry appeared before the COM
mittee as member of the special
commission appointed by Gov Bam-
berger of Utah to represent that state
in cooperating with the federal gov
eminent in carrying out the purposes
of the Mondell bill.
Not a Sectional Measure.
This is not a sectional measure"
declared Mr.. Spry. Every state OF
the Union can receive benefits under
will be the fault of the state and not
of the bill. To my certain knowledge
there are large areas of cutover tim
Der lands and wet lands in the south
that can be reclaimed and utilized un-
der its provisions. Thousands of acres
of cutover lands in the northwest can
be made available for settlement. Arid
lands of the west can be reclaimed.
and abandoned farms and waste lands
of the north and east can be brought
back into productivity.
Every soldier Of the great war will
receive benefits from this proposed
legislation, either direct or Indirect"
in national and state meetings. sup
ported the bill" he added. and so
: favored by the soldiers.
Benefits Are Outlined.
"I am strong for the hill because
1t will accomplish a vast amount of
good not merely for the soldier. but
will develop. the country and will
strengthen the already loyal attach
ment on the part of the soldiers for
the country" the former governor
told the committee.
The owners of the soil become the
rulers of the nation. If every Ameri-
can owned his home, whether 1T be
a farm or a city lot, he would be a
better citizen for that reason. The
money that 1t is contemplated to ap-
propriate under this measure will be
well invested. 1t will all come back
and will yield blessings manifold"
The witness stated that Utah has
authorized the sale of 100000 worth
OF bonds. the proceeds Of which will
be used to cooperate with the gov
ernment in placing soldiers on the
land. and he had no doubt that that
state and other states will eventually
provide enough funds to make up rs
per cent Of the cost of a soldiers
settlement project within their re-
spective borders, and which will
enable them to take over manage
ed under the Mondell bill.
Bill Rated formulation Stone"
Replying to questions by members
Of the committee as to whether the
bill should be extended in scope, Mr.
Spry said the measure Is, the "founda-
ton stone" of the legislative struc-
ture that will be reared for the bene-
Mt and relief of soldiers. He ex-
pressed confidence that the act will
De 30 successful in its application to
the soldier that appropriations in adj
dition to the half billion dollars au-
thorized will be demanded and
granted. and that assistance might
later be extended by the federal or
state governments to soldiers in ac-
curing individual farms through
amendment of the farm loan act, and
even indirectly in building, city
homes, through the establishment OF
. system of federal home loan banks
Measure Endorsed by Others.
Lieut.. w. r. Green, son of Rep
Hesentative Green of Iowa. another
witness. also Endorsed the Mondell
Dill. Lieut.. Green has moved to
ldahO from Iowa, where there is
some opposition to the measure,
which is based apparently in part
upon the fact that Iowa lands may
be too high priced to make a soldiers
settlement project feasible in that
state. and the further fact that the
population Of the state is declining.
Representative Sinnott of Oregon,
chairman of the committee, put into
the record a letter from Secretary Of
Labor Wilson explaining that he was
too busy to appear at the hearing but
submitting extracts from his annual
reports in which he suggested that
forest industry and mining COM
munities as well as agricultural COL
onies be established as part of the
national program of land develop
ment.
Urges "Prior Rights" for Soldiers.
Representative Hastings of Okla
homa, in a communication to the COM
mittee. suggested that world war SOL
diers be given a prior right to enter
public lands for homestead purposes
and authorizing the reservation of
land for that purpose for a period of
two years and suspension Of the time
limit for residence under the home
stead act for the benefit of soldiers.
Chairman Sinnott announced that
the committee will meet Tuesday
when II may take up the Mondell bill
with a view TO reporting it favorably.
1T Ii not believed that more than two.