Pueblo chieftain., 1921-04-07
LEAD THE IMMIGRANT TO THE LAND

must begin az the homesteader does
he Will probably have to build his
house and barn. He will have to pre-
pare the soil. But this Is no more
than pioneers. immigrants and ma
tive born Americans. have been doing
1t was beins developed. The job
should be easier now. with parcel
post, mai! order syHema. railroads.
and practical Government assistance.
Government Nus Help
Mr.. Husband feels that IL the Gov
ernment docs decide to help tho Inn
migrant get start on farm. the
work should be carried further ana
snsys syra sdert %sas TSas a help ,sas: bin
the county agent and the Home
Demonstration Branch OF the De-
partment Of Agriculture should give
the foreign farmer and his wife
special attention. The Children's
Bureau can also help him. and local
the sanitation of his farm, and tho
education of his children.
First of all. however. Mr.. Hus-
band feels that the foreigner should
: not be shunted off to piece of land
where he can only catch sight Of the
smoke from his nearest neighbor's
house on a clear day. This isolation
has been n discomfort that many
homesteaders have had to endure.
Isolation is especially distasteful to
the immigrant and will undoubtedly
be avoided in planning the new
| homestead project Waste land can
be found in the crowded East as well
as In the West. a largo tract OF
land at considerable distance from
existing farms would probably. II
turned over to the immigrants, bc d.
vided among number of them. 20
| that they would not feel shut out
from other people. A whole colony
of foreigners however. is not 80
| desirable from the Americanization
point of view as a few mixed in with
American farmers.
People in different parts Of tbs
| country have begun to write to Mr..
Husband saying that there is land In
their localities which would be suit
able for farm development. and Of
fcrins to cooperate with tho Govern
mcnt and the new settlers. Tho no
definite plan has been formed. let
tors have come from such widely dis
tributed. states As Florida. Michigan.
Utah. North Dakota, Kentucky, and
Maine.
A railroad official has written ia
say that the railroads ought to CO.
operate in such a plan. An italian
bank official offered to loan mony
to Italian immirTnnts for land In
vcstment anG other organizations
offering suggestions.
Tho first step contemplated is IN
get together officials of the Labor
Agriculture and Interior Depart
mcnts to formulate working plan
and to sec IL existing Government
machinery is sufficient In carry II
out II not. II will be necessary for
Congress to pass a law giving tho
necessary authority. and perhaps
providing nome funds. before any
thing can be done.
II II Is worked out as Mr.. Hus-
band secs II. the immigrant farm
plan will be under the general dircc-
ton of the Government. even tho IL
involves a commercial deal between
the owner of the land. the immigrant.
and either bank or tho United
States Treasury.
In recent years there have bcen
plans similar to this ono engineered hy
promoters who took more interest
in the immigrants dollars than IN his
welfare. From experience with these
scheme. tho foreigner has becom~
wary OF good farm lands cheap"
proposals. II the Government takes
hand. II will be necessary for It tn
prove to the immigrant in tho begin
ming that 1t Is not staging n slciEht-
of-hand performance. The Govern
ment cannot possibly say to any in
dividual farmer II will guarantee
you success. or pay your Losses" but
It will have to assure him that tho
ton and that the Government agcn-
cics stand ready to teach him and
help him with his problems