, 1922-06-21

in the bonus bill when It shall be
taken up by the senate. We welcome
tits belated Interest in the subject. but
are surprised at some Of the state
ments hat have been made in con
nection with it. For instance, in a
letter that has recently been sent to
officers Of the legion in Wyoming. It
was stated hat the author of that
letter a made a very careful study
of the land reclamation provisions in
the bonus bill. as a result OF which,
it was stated. that he had '~regretfuny
come 10 the conclusion that it did not
authorize any plan which definitely
committed the government to an en-
larged reclamation program. IT did
not provide n funds or means of
Kissing funds for carrying out such
Development
1T strikes me as being very extraor.
binary that anyone should assume to
write to members of the legion. and
officers of the legion. in such terms
with regard to a reclamation plan
which the legion n endorsed at a
national convention; which the Off
cial representatives of the legion had
themselves presented to congress. AID
which the representatives of the
legion still approve at this time.
Tho writer of the above quoted
letter recommends in lieu OF the sol
der settlement land reclamation pro.
vision. which had been placed in the
bonus bill at the request of the legion,
he insertion of the so-called Smith
McNary bill. Realizing that the fact
that my name had been coupled with
the soldier settlement hin from the
beginning would tempt certain gentle
men to oppose It, I stated in the SEN
ate hearings. as you will note. that I
would be glad to have the senate
place in the bill any reclamation
measure they decided upon and we
would work out the differences in
conference. I am sorry they did not
place this s in the bonus bill
in place of Title s before the bill was
reported from the committee.-if that
is what they desire to do. I hope they
viii take action. even though belated,
butt trust that no legion man will be
led to believe that the Smith-McNary
bill, as 1t stands. will fully meet the
needs of the soldiers. 1t ia not in
tended to be primarily and in the
main a measure for the benefit of the
soldiers. II is a plan Of general rec
lamation under which the chief bene-
ficiaries would be those now under
reclamation projects or now owning
lands that would be irrigated. From
the standpoint OF those people that Is
not, of course. an objection to the bill,
but from the of the SOL
der It would be a decided objection,
unless it. shall be overcome. for the
only benefit the soldier would get out
of it would be in the few cases in
which there might be so-called sur
plus lands opened to entry.
ct realize that Title s of the bonus
BIN ia objected to by some people be-
cause it is primarily and practically
wholly a soldier reclamation plan, but
every proposed project in Wyoming,
including the so-called Casper-Alcova
project; the Pass Creek and Big Creek
projects on the Upper Platte; the
Green River project; tho Oregon
Basin unit of the Shoshone project,
der Title 8 of the bonus bill as it
passed the house. It is very doubt
full If they could he developed under
the Smith-McNary bin as it now
stands. You win understand. of
course, that I am favorable to any and
every reclamation plan that is rea-
sonable, as 1 stated to the senate COM
mittee. I have no disposition t. urge
against any reclamation provision