The copper era and Morenci leader., 1922-10-06

] vided that soldiers should have a preference right of entry, therefore, Fit was not soldiers settlement bill, and yet at the opening of every re- clamation project since the close of the war there have been 10 soldiers asking for farms where one was to be found. If 60 days preference right had been given it is absolutely certain that none but ex-soldiers would have obtained the farms EX- perlence has demonstrated that fact beyond question And can anyone doubt that this, disagreement on the subject of soldier preference could not have been easily reconciled by the conferees if their hearts were in their work?
 The undoubted truth is that in violation of the trust imposed in them they followed their private in sYlpntlons gather than the will of efie two houses, and that is not my concept of the duty of conferees. When the house, after due delibera- ton, after mature consideration, adopts soldier settlement plan, and when the senate amends the bill in terms designed to accomplish that same policy then the bill goes to conference, certainly in good faith, III fairness to the two houses, in jus tice to the majority in each body who voted in favor of this legislation the committee of conference should have at least made an effort at com promise and agreement.
 Let 1t not be forgotten that land settlement was one part of the five fold plan recommended and requested by the American Legion, the organi- zation of veterans, which is primarily responsible for the passage of this bill. The American Legion at it's national conventions has repeatedly indcrsed the idea of providing homes for ex-service men by retaining arid and swamp lands, and has as strongly insisted upon this as any other of the five options whereby those who served the nation in the late war were to have their compen- sation adjusted. The conferees on this bill, however, have totally and contemptously ignored this request.
 MIR. GREEN of Iowa. Will the gentleman yield for a question?
 MIR. HAYDEN, Yes.
 MIR. GREEN of Iowa. Speaking for myself and myself alone, I adopt ed the course which I thought would be most likely to bring to the veter- ans the compensation which has so long been denied them. (Applause.)
 MIR. HAYDEN. The veterans have always asked for five forms of com. pensation and advocated each one of them with equal earnestness The best form of compensation, the great est benefit that can be conferred by this government on any American who patriotically. served his country in time of war is to provide him with a farm with a home upon the land. In my judgment the land settlement and reclamation feature was the only constructive part of this bill. The ether provisions mean nothing eX- cept that taxes must be levied or revenue raised in some way to pay for cash now or in the future to the returned soldiers, sailors and marines. Under the land settlement or recla- nation provisions congress could have made possible the reclamation of waste lands, which would coa- tinually increase in value. It would have been an enduring and most profitable investment. Homes and farms would be created and a perman ent market made for the products of American factories. If the conferees had only tried, if they had only taken advantage of their opportunity, If they had only done their plain duty, they could have placed in this bill a reclamation provision which would have added enough wealth to this nation to have many times more than equaled the total cost of the soldiers bonus.
 Il repeat, MT. Speaker, that ma jority of the conferees on this bill did not carry out the will of the house and the senate. They did not follow their instructions. They did not act in good faith. They did not make an honest effort to do what both bodies desired, and that was to report back legislation which would have pro- vided homes and farms for veterans by the reclamation of waste lands. (Applause.)