The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-29
SAYS SOLDIER LAND
BILL AIDS ONLY FEW
Representative Jones Makes
Adverse Report to Keystone
State Delegation.
BENEFITS TOO LIMITED
Legislation Should Help All,
Not One Glass, or 1 IA P. G.
of Service Men.
spec,oi Despoteh 10 Tns Sun.

Special Despofch TO THn sun.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2s.--only ~ per
cent. OF Americas fighting men can pos
sibly be benefited by the Mondell SOL
dlers' land bill, framed to sell the SER
vice men arid and waste lands to be
reclaimed Representative Jones (Pa.)
said to-day.
At the request OF the Pennsylvania
delegation Mr.. Jones carefully investi-
gated the land programme, and In q
report to the other members advised
against It's Endorsement. as result II
IL believed the Pennsylvania members
will be practically unanimous against
the BILL which is expected TO be taken
UP in the House next week.
In his report Mr.. Jones said:
at 10 my opinion that the most san
guine promoters of this plan would not
expect more than $4,000 men available
for its operation. The latest newspaper
report l have states the total force. IN
GLIDING Army, Navy and Marine Corps.
Is 4.soo. coo, tho total men in the army
100000 and those who went overseas
2,0s6.0o0.
Fifty thousand men would be Y per
cent. OF the men In the army. What do
you propose to do with e6% per cent
II mako the broad statement that the
United States Government Is not Justi-
ned In Iesislatine benefits to soldiers BY
vocational classes; that any law purport-
Ing to be for the beneht OF soldiers
should be relatively for all the soldiers
that II Congress can Justify legislation
of benefits to soldiers we by reason OF
training and desire are agriculturists II
can legislate benefits 10 soldiers who by
reason of training and desire are miners
or by reason OF training and desire are
| mechanics. or machinists, or professional
| men. Ad infnitum.
mo legislat ton should come from this
| Congress that Is not general in it's appli.
cation and made available for every
| soldier boy irrespective of his environ
ment or training In life. You cannot
make a farmer out of a miner by calling
him a discharged soldier. You cannot
make a farmer out OF a mechanic by
calling him a discharged or released
sailor. Assuming for the sake of argu
ment that classified distribution Of bene
| hts to soldiers is CONNIE ndable and thai
the legislation Is to provide homes ans
farms for those soldier boys who b.
| training and desire want the benefits
that way maintain that the boy will
want It In his home country. in hi
l
he wants II.
Gov. Thomas s. Beckett OF Norti
| Carolina, speaking for the hill befor
the Southern Land Congress. says:
81 do not know about the arid land
| OF the West that require irrigation. bu
am satisfied that they would not appea
! to the soldiers from the Atlantic sea
board States. II these soldiers shall de
sire to take advantage OF the plans pro
posed am sure they would prefer 4
settle where they already know the con
ditions under which they would have t
live.
What is true OF North Carolina 1
true OF every other State in this Union
The boys have a right to expect thi
equitable and fair treatment. The Fed
erai Government Is not justified In say
ing to a soldier. X you 60 North or
you go South. n you go Fast or II yo
10 West you will be entitled 10 certai
Dement'S under an act OF Congress. Som
OF the proponents OF the hill say Il !
the intention to improve abandoned o
segregated farms In States that do no
admit of large compact areas for settle
ment work
This may he an honest thought upo
the part OF these proponents, but I can
read that intention In the bill. II Is con
trary To every expressed intention by II
advocates.
"a thorough study Of the bin and
brief OF the testimony before the CON
mittee convinces me that only wher
large areas OF compact. contiguous ter
, ritory can he found suitable for CON
munity settlement work could proteC
be established. and that soldier boys VIII
are available and are willing to urde'
take the task OF laborlng In tho maxim
OF the projects must he ready 10 leaS
|, their homes and families and go wher
, they are in order to receive the BENEFITS.