Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-02-21

This is the unique title of little
booklet which the secretary Of the
interior, with the active coopera-
ton of the war and navy depart
ments, is sending to the various
camps of the army, navy and ma
rine corps throughout the country
to ascertain the attitude of the
men toward his plan for providing
them with work and homes on re-
claimed land.
The booklet is in the form OF
questions and answers which give
a complete and concise description
of the plan, and also has attached
to it postcard QUESTIONABLE
which the men are asked to fill out
and mail to the department. Each
man interested will be asked to
state his name, home address,
age, occupation before enlistment,
whether he has ever worked on a
farm, whether he is interested in
the plan. what kind of farming he
would like to follow, whether gen
eral. livestock, truck, or fruit, and
whether he would be willing to
take a job in his own state or any
where in the United States if a job
on one of these proposed projects
is offered to him.
A tabulation Of the replies will
be presented to congress in con-
nection with Secretary Lanes re-
quest for an initial appropriation
Of 500, 900 900 TO begin construc-
ton on meritorious projects
throughout the United States.
The questions and answers in the
booklet are as follows:
@. What do you mean, work and
homes?
a. Just this: There is a bill now
/ before congress asking for an APP
preparation OF 100000, 900, which.
IL passed, will enable the interior
department to begin work at once
developing cooperative farm settle
ments for soldiers and sailors in
all or nearly all of the states.
Q. Who will get the farms?
A. Those who create them by
working on draining. clearing, irri-
eating and improving the lands.
Q. VIII all get farms?
A That depends on the amount
of land reclaimed.
@. Is this plan only for men
who have been across?
A. No. 1t is for all Of the men
who have worn Uncle Sans uni
form in the great war.
0. Where is this land 1ocated2
A. IN practically every state in
the union there are large areas Of
this land. There is dry land in the
west that needs water, which can
be provided by building dams and
canals. IN the east are large areas
of cut-over or logged-off timber
land, from which it will be neces-
sary to blow the stumps and clear
off the underbrush. In the south
is a large amount OF cut-over land
and swamp land which must be
drained.
@. Could I get a job near my old
home?
A. Probably you could. These
proposed settlements are scattered
all over the country, and it is plan
ned to have one in each state, If
congress provides the money for
construction.
@. How about wages?
A. You would be pad fair wages
by the government while doing this
work-just as good wages as you
would be able to get in outside
work of like character.
@. Would / be enlisted?
A No. This work is only for
men who have been honorably dis
charged from the service.
Q. What kind of work is It?
A. The government will have
work of all kinds in connection
with these settlements, from the
highest technical and clerical posi-
tons to that of laborer.
Q. Now, how about getting a
home out of this?
A After you have helped build
the dams and canals, or cleared the
cut-over land OF stumps. or built
the bitches to drain the swamp
land; after you have helped to
erect houses and barns, built
fences. constructed roads, and laid
out town sites, built creameries