Baxter Springs news., 1919-02-28
'FARM HOMES ii
FOR SOLDIERS
Bill Provides Way for Work at
Good Wages-UndevelOped
Lands Turned Into

House Of Representatives q bill III.
R., 13,651), introduced by Represent
ative J. F. Byrnes Of South Carolina,
which, II enacted into law, will give
the Secretary Of the Interior broad
powers along the line of soldier-set-
tlement plans.
The bill provides for an appropria-
tion Of S100,00O,0O0 for the investi-
cation, irrigation, drainage and de-
velopment of swamp, arid, cut-over,
waste and undeveloped lands
throughout the Country, for the pur-
pose Of providing employment and
farms with improvements and equip
ment for honorably discharged SOL
diers, sailors and marines.
Acting under an appropriation OF
$780, 900, the Reclamation Service has
made a rough preliminary survey Of
possible reclamation projects through
out the United States, and has pre-
sented to Congress q large amount Of
data bearing on the question. This
preliminary survey shows beyond
question that, given the funds to car
ry on the work, feasible projects Of
from 10000 acres up can be developed
in practically every state in the Union,
and several such projects in some Of
the states.
Work for Thousands
If the bill is passed it is proposed
to offer immediate work to thousands
of discharged soldiers, sailors and
marines in the construction Of merit
orious projects throughout the coun-
try. Because of the fact that practic-
ally each state contains one or more
feasible projects, it will usually be
possible to offer q man work in his
own state and frequently near his
former home.
All classes of labor will be required
from that necessitating the highest
degree of technical skill to that Of the
ordinary laborer. There will, Of
course, he hundreds of positions open
for men in the clerical work, such as
bookkeepers, accountants, timekeepers
and the like, as well as positions for
teamsters, blacksmiths, truck drivers
enginemen, cooks, etc.
This force, gathered from the ranks
of our fighting men, would be put to
work constructing these projects.
They would, for example, build the
dams and canals necessary to store
the water and bring it to the land in
the arid region; they would plow the
stumps and clear the brush from the
cut-over timberland, and clear and
drain the swamp land.
After this would come the work Of
leveling the ground, building houses
and barns, laying out town sites' con-
structing roads, erecting cooperative
creameries, canneries, warehouses,
etc., and, in short, bringing into be-
ing on each project several model
community settlements comprising at
least 100 farm families.
Each qualified soldier, sailor or
marine would then be given a pref
erence right of entry on these farm
homes which he had helped to create.
During the time he has worked for
the Government in the construction Of
these projects, he would be paid good
wages, and should be able without dif-
ficulty to save enough to make his in
itial small payment on the price of the
farm. The balance he would be al
lowed to pay in small installments
over q long period Of years.
Utilizing Abandoned Farms
In regard to the question Of utiliz-
ing the abandoned farms, this matter
has been given careful consideration
in connection with the plan as a whole,
and it is believed that where such
farms can be found in more or less
compact areas of from 5000 to 10000
acres up, they will form an integral
part of the plan.
In other words, the plan cOntem-
mates the construction Of community
settlements of not less than 100 fam
lilies rather than the placing Of the
men ON individual farms scattered
here and there throughout state or
the country. The financing OF indi-
vidual farms has been tried both in
Europe and Australia, and in both
cases rejected as q failure. On the
other hand, community settlements OF
100 families or more have, under the
same authorities, been signally sue
cessful.
Such community settlements will
make possible Federal supervision
and instruction, which would be i'm
possible in the case Of individual
f.-,,o,-s Thia will admit of the de-