New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-30
Water Power Development
Feature of the Bill at Re.
quest of Administration:
Kelly, Pittsburgh, Sponsor
Holding Up Farm Titles
Provision of Legislation
That Is Likely To Be
Part of Mondell Bill
BY THEODORE NJ. KNAPPEN
Nec York Tribune
Woshinot1n Burenu

Netc York Tribune
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, June ga new ele-
ment has been introduced into the
many-angled silent struggle going on
in Congress in regard to the soldiers
land settlement measure by a provision
in the Kelly bill, introduced by Repre-
sentative NJ. Clyde Kelly, OF Pittsburgh.
which proposes to hold up all water
power development under the control
of the Federal government until sur
veys can be made to determine
whether any or all undeveloped water
powers may be made to articulate with
the development programme of the bill.
The Kelly bill is largely the product
of the Department OF Labor, and is
supposed to represent the aspirations
of labor and economic new thought"
as applied to the land settlement plan.
1t provides not only for agricultural
communities but also for waterpower
utilization, mining and numbering com
munities. In fact, not only water
power exploitation is to be held 10
during the examination period. which
may take years, but also during that
period no title to any government or
other natural resources is to be alien
ated. 1t is far more than a land set
Element bill. for it puts the government
businesses.
The supporters of the Kelly bill hope
to see many of its features incor-
porated into the Mondell bill, which is
the one the House committee is using
as the foundation for its hearings. OPP
ponents Of any government land SETTLE
ment scheme are also hoping that this
viii be done, for they believe that the
more the bill is loaded up with dens
that tend toward state socialism tho
easier it will be to defeat it,
Plan Open to All
One Of the distinctive features of tn,
Kelly bill is that it does not contem
plate the giving of title to the farms
that are to be carved out of the re
claimed tracts, and another is that the
project is not reserved TO ex-soldiers OF
the recent war but is opened I'D to all
The settler gets a leasehod which is
not transferable and attaches to him or
his heirs only so long as they rema'..
on the land. This feature is intended
to guard against speculation and ton
ancy.
All of the land settlement PROPOSE
tons are viewed with apprehension by
many members of Congress, who be
lieVe that they go too far in the di-
recrion OF paternalsm and bureau
one time there was a sort of movement
TO unite the Republican party in OPP
position to these measures. bat with
Floor Leader Mondeil proposing one OF
them and Senator Smoot introducing
another this purpose has been sban-
doned.
Senator Wadsworth. of New York,
is thinking of introducing as an alter
native a bill that will look to the en-
y
capital TO create new farm communi-
ties, but that viii not involve govern
ment capital investment
The prospect is nat when urgent
administrative legislation is disposed
OF the land settlement measures will
become the chief controversial matter
before Congress.
Senator Warren G. Harding of
Ohio, and Representative ". n. Boies,
tf Iowa, came out to-day with state
ments n opposition to the bill
Harding Picks Flaws
Senator Harding says that. while he
strongly favors some method of open
ing up the idle lands to the energy
and enterprise OF the soldiers in
manner that will be a Just reward for
their sacrifice. he cannot find that this
purpose is served by either the Mon
dell or Smoot bills. which. nc says.
would make it impossible for the set
tier to secure improvements. equip
ment or stock unless he has consid
cradle working capital in hand.
In lieu of the Lane plan. embodied
generally in the Smoot and Mondell
bills, Senator Harding would have the
entire soldier settlement programme
ed by Congress, thus getting it out Of
control of the present Adminstrati ton.
The proposed commission would gath
er data and work out a comprehensive
plan for community farm settlements
that could be used not only in work
ing out soldier settlements, but also
as guide for the promotion of rural
settlement in general.
Senator Harding also states that he
does not believe that opportunities for
land settlement should be restricted to
community projects. but that it should
be extended to others, with great eX-
perience, who desire to locate on farms
of their own choosing.
The Senator expresses confidence that
under government supervision that will
protect the settler it is entirely pos
sible to work out plans by which pr-
vate capital would finance the soldier
settlement projects and at the same
time extend him 100 per cent initial
credit, thus making it possible for him
to start without capital.
Representative P,ics opposes the
Lane scheme because Of the vast eX-
pense it involves in retaining lands
remote from markets while there are
unused lands near them. and because
he fears that it is scheme not in
the interest of the returning soldier,
but one from which the land specuia~
tors will profit"