The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-05-19
THE SOLDIERS LAND BILL.

covering his recommendations regarding for returning soldiers and sailors received confirmation yesterday when Repre- sentative Mondel, republican house leader, stated that such legislation is on the program This recommendation was favorably acted up- on by the lower house of the last congress Tn it's final session but failed to pass the senate ,n account of the flibuster conducted by the republican senators.
 The bill considered at the last congress follows:
 "rhere is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be immediately available and to remain available until expended, the .iln of one hundred million dollars, to be expended under the direction of the secre iary of the interior. for the investigation. irrigation, drainage and development ot swami, arid, waste and undeveloped lands for the purpose of providing employment and farms with improvements and equip n1cnt for honorably discharged soldiers sailors and marines of the United States i..cuding necessary expenditures for per sonal services i'll the District. of Columbia and elsewhere; purchase, maintenance, hire ard operation of motor-propelled or 1orse-drawn vehicles The lands reclaim ed hereunder shall be disposed of under tine general regulations approved by the secretary of the interior, in such mannei and under such terms and conditions a. shall insure the reimbursement of the United States o~ others therein, during term of not exceeding forty years from the date of entrance upon the land by the settler. to- gether with interest from such date at four per centuln Ter annum. The money here ill appropriated shall be expended in the de- vcopment of one or more projects in each or the several states, if feasible projects be found therein.
 "The secretary of the interior is au- tl1orized to make any contracts or arrange ments and to do any or all acts necessary in his opinion, including the disposition of public lands, the acquisition of lands or property needed for the rights of way or other purposes, in connection with the de- velopment of any project by purchase or condemnation for carrying out the pur- poses hereof"
 In his recommendation to congress rela- tive to the plan, Secretary Lane asserted that it's adoption would tend largely to solve sev- eral problems.
 CD That of the immediate job for the man himself.
 (2) That of protecting the labor market against any possible collapse by being swamped by a surplus of labor.
 (3) That of providing for many lines cf established industry an immediate demand for their products.
 (4) That of staying the movement toward the cities and thus more completely decentralizing our population.
 (5) That of af6xing to our soil a large number of best-proved Americans
 (6) That of settling up turnout the land the most modern pattern of farm set clement in which the social side of human nature is given consideration.
 CD That of bringing into use those great areas of our land which now lie neg ected and of no value to the world.
 All of these objects, apprehend, will concern to the nation The question that arises in the mind will not involve the value of doing these things, but the practicabity of such program.
 As far as the proposal goes it is most worthy But it does not extend far enough. It stops when it gets to Alaska. Alaska is not included in the program. Why, no one seems to know
 It cannot be because Alaska hasn't got he land of the kind mentioned It is surely not because the land isn't productive The annual crops of those lands which have been developed are the best proof of its produc- iVeneSS even more than the average c0,,ntrv It may be that the secretary believed that the market was not as available for more farm products in Alaska. Such belief, if present s founded on misconception of facts, and 'ould easily be removed by the submission of