Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-02-11
National Pioneering.
Nav York Evening post.

New York Evening Post.
Busy ais congress IS, no measure before 1t de-
serves more scareful consideration or prompt
action than Secretary Lanes bill appropriat-
ing Sl00000000 FOR the investigation, irriga-
ton, drainage, and development OF swamp,
arid, waste, and undeveloped lands for the pur-
pose of providing employment and farms with
improvements and equipment for honorably
discharged soldiers, sailors and marines OF the
United States" Great Britain, France, Canada,
Australia, South Africa and New Zealand al
ready have adopted plans to assist the soldiers
who wish to return to the land. In the United
States, every week lost in our adoption of
definite scheme adds to the confusion and re-
duces the chance of placing the returned fight
ers in occupations where in the long run they
will be most useful TO the nation.
In spite. of the general assumption. it is
doubtful whether many soldiers will be eager
to cultivate the SOIL now that they have ceased
digging trenches. About IS per cent of our
army came from the farms, but many of them
do not want their old jobs back. As tenants
paying high rents, or as farmhands with no
standard hours and wages, they are likely to
prefer the attractions of the cities. Those
clerks and industrial laborers who tired of the
narrow office and the clatter of machines, dream
of broad acres are not likely soon to realize
their vision under the conditions of farming
which they will find if the government does not
organize their efforts. The high wages of re-
vived industries would soon drain them off the
land again. Nor is the success OF the Qld-fash-
Toned homesteading plan, even under the wider
opportunities following the civil war, such as
to invite its present extension. When a nation
was pioneering we could rely on the sturdy
persistence of the individual in spite of all
hardships, to build the farm. Now when the
best cleared land is taken and gangploughs
tractors, and scientific agriculture are estab-
lished in competition, the pioneer has harder
time of it.
Sunnnse hautavAr thatn tba eo,arnr,a,t
says something like this to the soldier: I'VE
will give you job now at 81 day for an eight
hour day. The work will be clearing, draining
and irrigating waste lands under the direction
OF the best engineers and agricultural experts
the nation can furnish. When the land is cleared,
you will be further employed building modern
houses, barns, and fences, growing the prelimi-
nary crops of legumes, doing the other tasks
necessary to render the soil fertile, and making
roads. We will lay out communities of rs to
lUO0U0 acres, the farms in long narrow strips, |
SO that no house shall be over mile and
halt from the nearest town, which we shall also
build The town will have a school, a drug
store movie, modern creamery good DOR |
mtories for day laborers, and all things neces-
sary for an agricultural community. When all
this is done, and everything is ready-even to
the animals in the barns, and the machinery
you may buy going farm. The price will be |
from $4,000 TO $4,000 One-tenth of this you
can pay in cash, which by that time you will |
HafS sdFSu AolH your wages. Inc rest you |
may pay in yearly installments of per cent
per cent for interest and 2 per cent for
amortization. Even then we shall continue to |
help you The best advice as to the nature of
your crops and the method of growing them |
and marketing them will be at your service"
Under such inducements the soldier might pre- |
fer to be farmer From questonnaires al |
ready sent out, the indications are that Is per
cent OF the army, at least is interested in this
project of Secretary Lanes
Those who have followed the community |
settlement projects in Australia, and that in |
California under Elwood Mead, know that such |
colonies have been successful. The men under |
taking them, because they are in a group do not |
become so easily discouraged as does be- |
ginner in the middle of an older settlement or |
by himself, The farms are scientifically planned |
and can be cultivated at a profit. The intro |
duction of higher standards of living attracts |
aggressive men and women. There is little |
chance for the loneliness and inertia that affict |
farming population which has little opportun- |
ity to get together.
Can suitable lands be found, and if so, how |
can they be obtained? The Department of the |
Interior has had three engineers of national |
reputation going over the field, and has its an |
swer ready. There will be people who will OBJ |
jeet, just as there are established farmers who |
object, because of what they think the plan will |
do to food prices and land values, the theorists |
who object because of the various words like |
'paternalism' and Socialism" Ali directors |
should have their say but the soldiers who want |
a chance to earn decent living in the country /
the laborers and employers who are interested |
III reduced cost of food, and plain people |
everywhere who favor national policy for the |
encouragement OF agriculture, should make sure /
that minor obstacles do not defeat proposal /
which seems so hopeful.