The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-07-25
ADVOCATE BRINGING
 RETURNED SOLDIERS. ID CUT-OVER LANDS. OF LOWER ALABAMA.
Southern Commercial Con- gress' Representative Is Here to Work With Travellers Protective
 Association

Some time ago the Alabama Travellers Protective Association launched a cam paign to bring the returned soldier to Alabama as a settler and an occupant of the cut-over farm lands of the state.
 Major w. M Matthews, director of the Bureau of Agriculture Organization and Colonization of the Southern Commercial Congress. is here for the purpose of aid ing the T. r. A. in accomplishing that object.
 Major Matthews is at the Tutwiler, He was several years employed by the Ten nessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company and is the owner and operator of farm at Belleville, in southern Alabama. He is familiar with the conditions in Ala bama and he knows the returned soldier because he edserc& The service as a private and came ou tas major. Major Matthews says:
 5000 WAITING
 There are three thousand of these re- turned soldiers who wish to take up land Americans. There could be no better class of citizens. They wish land. The south has the land that is lowest in price and will fetch the most remunerative re- turns on the least outlay. The south should take the steps necessary to in duce these young men to settle here.
 My object, working in harmony with the T. P. A. and with the county farm agents, is to establish some sort of q directing agency which win bring this most desirable class of men to this state.
 "We must have some central agency and some working force to see that they are properly directed and escape the machinations of land sharks. We pro- pose to enlist the aid of the county farm agents and we wish to form an Alabama state organization with adequate finan- cial backing to Keep this project live and going for the next three years
 Major Matthews fs in close touch with the Alabama Travellers Protective Asso- citation and, through that agency, will endeavor to work out details of the plans of the Southern Commercial Congress
 The congress stands back of the bill. which provides for lending money to the soldier who wishes To acquire land. The bill provides for fund of $0o,ooO.0O0 to be devoted to that purpose.
 In Alabama there are more than ten millions of acres of cut-over lands avail able for soldier settlement They are ohtainable at Tow price.
 CUT-OVER LANDS
 It is the belief of the Southern Com mercial Congress and of MaJor Mat thews that. if the matter is handled right, Alabama can secure settlers on these cut-over lands from these re- turned soldiers and that they will be satisfied with the results that follow their investment. 4
 It is intended to call a meeting to be held in Montgomery when the state farmagents working out of Auburn and others intimately acquainted with Ala bama farm conditions shall be enlisted in the movement and arrange details for bringing the soldiers to Alabama.
 Illustrating the desire of the returned soldiers to take up lands and become producers. Major Matthews points to the Shoshone project. As son as that was announced the soldiers jumped at the opportunity There were 5000 ap- plications and 2,200 returned soldiers paid their way to attend the opening of the lands. When they arrived, 1t developed that, while the land was free, there was a charge of $95 per acre for water rights. A fee of $500
 
 were only TT farms available. In Ala bama on the other hand there are mil lions of acres obtainab1e at a low price and not subject to the heavy charges levied in the west for water rights and the like.
 THE BILL
 The soldier land reclamation bill was nine tenths on the way to passage when the late congress adjourned, and 1t is held certain that the incoming congress will put the bill to passage. The object of Major Mathews in com ing to Alabama and getting behind the efforts of the Alabama Travellers Pro- tective Association in it's land reclama- tion project is to aid in having Ala bama take immediate advantage of the forthcoming legislation.
 The Alabama Travellers Protective Association have been earnestly at work on the mater for some time and, with the cooperation of the Southern Conv vercial Congress. Through Major Matthews, 1t appears probable that a real zest to the soldier settlement