The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-25
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORM ALTON
Blu RE AU
FREDERIC J. HAEKIN. Director.
Washington. D. C
uEI,P FOR HOMEsEEKERs.
Washington. D. C


maintained information departments, !
to which the man in search of a home |
or farm might put his questions.
This good work of the railroads has |
now been taken over and is being CO.
ordinated under a new department of |
the United States railway administra- |
ton, known as the homeseekers' bu- |
reau. This bureau, like the ones
maintained by the railroads, will fur |
nish free information and ADVICE to
the intending farmer or country
iweller. The chief difference be- |
tween this national buseau and the
old railroad departments is that the
national bureau has no interest ex-
cept to tell the inquirer the truth
about any section of the country. The |
ing essentially means of competition, |
were naturally inclined each to make |
as attractive case as possible for the |
region traversed by it's own road.
There are not many organizations of
value to as many persons as the home
seekers bureau. 1t will be a friend
and guide to the returned soldier or
job1ess war worker whose desires turn
to rural occupations. 1t will aid the |
department of agriculture in reaching |
new farmers, and in disseminating the |
results cf its valuable work. And not
the least of its purposes will be to help |
build up the railroads.
When the discharged soldier goes to |
the station to get his ticket home, he !
will be handed a small printed slip |
telling him that if he is interested in
entering any phase of farm life, the |
railroad administration is prepared to
give him assistance. Ticket offices all
over the country will post these no
tees. In rehabilitation centers and
communities where large numbers of
war workers are apt to be turned off,
the agent will hand notice of the
homeseekers' bureau to every pur-
chaser of ticket.
The first nine soldiers may throw
the slip away, but the tenth one may
carefully preserve the address. Some
one has told him of the golden oppor-
tunities awaiting the sheep-raising
farmer in northern Arkansas. Here
is chance to find out. The Home
seekers Bureau will send him author
itative data on the prospects for sheep
raising, not only in northern Arkan-
sas, but in other regions where the
sheep industry is as yet undeveloped.
They will give him full information
in regard to the land available, the
value of it, and the terms upon which
it can be obtained. Information in re-
gard to the demand for wool and the
advisa bility of such an enterprise is
also forthcoming. If the soldier be-
comes sufficiently interested in the
proposition, he will be placed in direct
communication with the Farm Adviser
for that section, who will help to the
next stage.
Thus the railroad administra ton
has accomplished its work in one case.
When it has done all it can for him,
he is turned over to the department
of agriculture, which will give him
information about how to raise the
sheep.
In the above mentioned case. the
soldier had been correctly informed.
1t happens that there are great posi-
bilities in sheep raising in certain sec
lions. But often the city man is taken
in by stories of fortunes to be made in
fig and lemon orchards, or in cultivat-
ing Swamps. If he really wants to
take up farming or stock raising, the
Homeseekers' Bureau will tell him
frankly the chances of success in the
particular line that attracts him.
The headquarters of the homeseek-
ers' bureau will of course be in Wash
ington, D. c., but its agents are located
in every state. There are about One
hundred railroad agricultural agents
working for the railroad administra-
ton, who have now been made part
of the homeseekers' bureau. These
agents are now engaged in collecting
data relative to their respective locali-
ties. They will make reports telling
what crops thrive, what crops are
needed, the shipping facilities, the
Cdiry supply, the climate, schools and
churches. These reports are to be
published as pamphlets and will be
used in answering the requests. When
specific information is asked which is
not contained in the printed matter
available. or in any other form, the
homeseeker will be placed in commu-
nication with one of these agents, who
will supply the latest information.
This bureau, which was inaugurated
on January /, is now receiving at
least one hundred letters a day. This
is pretty good indication of the need
for just such an organization. A sur
vey of the daily mail shows that the
ma jority of inquiries come from peo-
pie who have always lived in cities,
but who wish to obtain small pieces of
land near the larger cities. Truck
farming and poultry raising are the
most popular occupations The ques-
tions are very general, and many peo-
pie want information about more than
one state. The homeseekers' bureau
wishes to encourage people to write
more specific questions, as il believes
that in this way it can be of greater
service.
If the man who wants to raise wheat
on the plains of Minnesota or start an
apple orchard in Oregon will give
some information about his expert
ence and ability, and the amount of
money he wants to invest, the bureau
will be able to help him much more
in the light of these facts.
So far the mail has shown that
quIle d OF women are very
much interested in taking UP some
kind of farming. They seem partial
to livestock breeding and poultry
raising. Experience has proved that
women are very well ada pied to poul-
try raising, and in particular to all
kinds of dairy work.
Several persons have written ask
ing how to get work on farms Such
a request is little out of it's line
but as the homeseekers' bureau takes
an interest in every potential farmer
it will do wha: il can for those no
wish to get some practical expert
eRce. In matters of this nature it will
cooperate with the United States en-
ployment service
Chambers Of commerce. trade
boards. community centers and news
pa pers are asked to cooperate with