The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-25
PUBLISHERS HEAR
LAND BILL PLEA
Lane Says $4,000 Have Asked
for Grants Under Ex-
Soldier Plan.
CURE FOR UNREST SEEN
Americanization Measure Will
Cause 100000 More to
Read Papers.

FRANKLIN X. Lane. Secretary of the
interior, made an eloquent appeal to the
publishers Of America last night for SIM
port Tor his two measures which will
DO up before the next Congress-the
Americanization bill and the bill grant
ing farm land to returned soldiers. The
occasion was the annual dinner OF the
american Newspaper Publishers Assoc
citation in the Waldorf Astoria. More
tnan 500 editors and newspaper owners
OK the United States heard his words.
COMPUTING the criticisms of the land
Grant Dill on the ground that soldiers
DON'T want to engage in farming, Sec
retary Lane declared that already his
once had received $1,000 applications
from returned fighters for farms under
the proposed measure. Working the soil.
ne SAID, would prove the best cure for
the social unrest that seems to be upon
the land.
Since the close of the war" he said.
more things have been discovered to
De the matter with the Industrial COM
mercial and Administrative life of this
country than has even been found by a
republican speaker in the middle of a
Democratic campaign. This nation is
not perfect. but It is a perfecting ma
N'oA' Sio"ihb' young nation. There
never viii come a day when It will not
be found possible to better something in
America, for that which cannot be bet
tered is dead.
Wants Theory Proved.
What Is the reason for these criti-
oaems? II there is something radically
wrong and something which we can
oofrect IN our system of government
then let us have revolution. But when
man comes forward with an untried
theory and presents it AS a policy for
the United States to pursue. say
Show us what has been done with this
same theory contrasted with what has
obtained in the United States
There Is one answer to these long
drawn faces and sour mouthed critics
who would change our institutions The
United States of America has lived Is
success, and will live We have just
come through the greatest war of time.
and can 1t be that people who are
raised under such institutions are a fail
ure? To the newly born democracies OF
Europe. America says: Look to us and
not to the East.
I'VE have thrust upon US a responsible
ty never borne before because of our
venture across the water. We must
show that democracy is not a panacea
for all ills. but bit Of machinery by
which you can become master Of your
own individual and national destiny. We
must prove the value of democracy to
them and to ourselves. These agitators
cannot come challenging to America
America has no apology to make"
Speaking of his land programme he
said he proposed that the United States
should add TO its possessions as much
land as seven times the State OF Vir-
ginia simply by the expenditure of little
money.
Land Ready for Use.
There are $50, o00, 900 acres OF unused
land in this country" he said. land that
includes large tracts in Wisconsin, Mich
tgan, Maine, Minnesota, and the South
ern coast States have 10000, 900 acres
that are undeveloped. a crime against
the world. Our proposition is TO put the
soldier out on this land have him work
his farm. build his house. pay him until
he is on his feet, and then In forty years
he can pay back Uncle Sam. We have
planned the great enterprise to build
settlements. and have good roads radlat-
ing from them"
~ his Anericanization bill passes, he
said, In eight years there will be $780,
900 more readers of American news
papers. A fourth of the first million and
nalf men drafted into the army were
unable to read or write. said the Secre-
tary. and 1t took six months TO teach
them enough English for them to conf
prehend ordinary orders.
The revelation was appalling and un-
forgivable." he said. land a cause Of
humiliation 10 the United States"
Gov. Henry J. Allen of Kansas said
the American soldiers were understood
by the French at sight He said that
the American soldiers were the greatest
kickers in the world about the things
that didn't count. but when 1t came to
the big things kicked less than anybody
else. He said he was glad TO see that
the editors and publishers had some
thing to say about Mr.. Burlesons pro-
gramme, for he said that meant the
press was getting over the disease of
national lockjaw He declared the war
industries and agencies not now needed
should be Immediately demobilized.
Augustus Thomas was applauded when
he soundly whacked the legislators who
enacted the prohibition laws. The SOL
disrs returning from France. he said,
will not be satisfied with what has been
done In their absence. He said:
"I don't care anything about the
revenue side of the question; on the lib
erty side there is much to be said The
crux has not thus far been touched, !
don't believe we could have had the
civilization We have to-day In this land
mad 1t been a dry country from Puritan
time down.
A cablegram was sent TO President
Wilson telling him that the publishers
we're solidly behind the Victory Loan.
Among the guests were Gov. Walter e.
GaH AlaIx stn Ia