The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-25
NICHOLS REBUKES
LAND.BILL SPONSOR
Chides Swamp Area Sellers for
Hiring Press Agent to De-
lude Soldiers.
REPORTS CALLED FALSE
Representative Resents Eff
forts to Make Profits at
Expense of Veterans.
sp.eiai DespateA TO THE Sun.


WARRINGTON, Aug. 2i.-Charges that
several land companies controlling
large tracts Of swamp and arid wastes
are carrying on a nation wide propa-
sanda for the soldiers land bill in or
der that this land may be sold to the
Government at large profits and later
10 the soldiers were made to-day by
Representative Nichols (Mich.). MEM
Der of the House Public Lands Commit
tee that considered the bill.
Mr.. Nichols particularly attacked the
Southern Settlement and Development
Organization which maintains a press
agent in Washington and which. he as
serts, is sending out highly colored re-
ports of the land bill to soldiers.
THE facts are," said Mr.. Nichols,
that II this bill is enacted into law. as
the organization 30 strongly advocates
under the guise of beneitting the SER
vice men, thousands OF acres of South
ern swamp land will be sold to the Gov
eminent, at an unfairly higher price
than could otherwise be obtained"
Mr.. Nichols makes his charges In a
letter to Clement S. Ticker, Baltimore,
yice-president of the organization. after
Mr.. Ticker wrote Mr.. Nichols. admitting
that. the association has a press agent
in Washington
Reports Are Called One sided.
The letter of Mr., Nichols follows:
81 am pleased to have the opportunity
to address an official of the Southern
Settlement and Development Organiza-
ton, an association that has conspicu-
ously attempted to influence Congress
In it's attempt to determine what should
be done for the returned soldiers. In
view of the testimony before the COM
mittee / am OF course not surprised
that you accept for the organization the
responsibility of having employed with
private funds a press agent to distribute
throughout the nation one sided reports
of the hearings before the Public Lands
Committee on the soldiers land bill. thus
misleading the soldiers of the country
into thinking the bill was in their in
terest solely.
May l ask you II you believe the
soldiers of the nation reading the beau
tiful and highly colored description OF
the benefits to be derived by the soldier
from the proposed bill know that the
articles were written by publicity
organization? You. like many others
anxious TO promote the development OF
certain sections of the country. have
apparently entirely lost sight OF the fac
that House bill 407 is measure tina
was designed to aid the soldiers. The
title reads: To provide employment and
rural homes for the soldier
"It is too bad that in the mad ant
heartless rush for individual gain eveI
. ~ tw,al daA 70 "
timized. There are undoubtedly. optimis
tic persons who thought perhaps tina
n the hand Of greed might be stayed whel
America tried to determine the fair ant
honorable way to consider the futur
welfare OF the American soldier Of tn
great war.
Selfish Interests ALLEGED.
'"You say that there are ASSOCIATED
with the Southern Settlement and Devel
opment Organization, the North Carolin:
Land Owners Association, the Georgi;
Land Owners Association. the Florid
Cattle Tick Eradication Committee an
the Cut Over Land Utilization Depart
ment of the Southern Pine Association
VIII you try TO convince the pubic tina
when such organizations were a part
so the employment of press agent VIII
misled and deceived the soldiers and tn
general public that 1t was done withou
thought of selfish interests?
will you also try to make the publ
believe that when you employed n pres
agent you were entirely uninfluenced b
fact that If -this-proposed bill -wer
enacted into law thousands Of acres c
Southern swanpland will be sold to tn
Government, and probably at a highe
rrice than could ordinarily be obtained
am not opposed to the reclamation c
aIl the waste lands of the country. BIT
would have 1t done above board an
not by hiding behind the situation ere
nted by the release Of 100000 me
from the army and navy
"I think the conduct of your organ
cation was most reprehensve and II
quibbling will conceal the real mott,
ir'pelling a development organization
employ a press agent to put over bi
which was presumed to be to aid Il
soldiers"