The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-08-07
BY J. BART CAMPBELL. International News Service Staff
 COrreSnOndent

Washington, Aug. 7-Ogden. Utah, has 32,S04 inhabitants. Immediately tributary to it are 5O,0O0 acres of ir- rigated land. Its trade and prosper ity, however are supported by a much wider irrigated area-200,0 900 acres fin which several smaller communities are also situated. But for the irri- gation and reclamation of this fruit ful territory there would be no Og- den, which it's Chamber of Commerce estimates receives and distributes about S5o,o00,00o worth of manufac- tured Eastern products annually.
 Senator Charles L. McNary (R.), of Oregon, chairman of the Senate Irri- gation and Reclamation of Arid Lands committee, cited Ogden as a striking example of the beneficial effect of transforming the desert into a land of plenty by the simple use of water.
 Senator McNary is the author of bill authorizing an aggregate appro- priatfon of $350, 100000 by which the empowered to provide for the .recla- mation of immense areas of dry, swamp and overflowed land for agri- cultural purposes in the West and South.
 Harding Endroses Bill.
 The bill has the endorsement of President Harding and of large ma jority of members of Congress ire spective of party affiliations, and Sem ator McNary, in an effort to secure the early enactment ! of the 1egisla- tfon proposed, offered it recently as an amendment to the McCumber sol diers' bonus bill, which the Senate has agreed to act on once the pend ing tariff bill is out of the way.
 The ex-service man is taken care of in the McNary measure by being accorded preferential rights to re- claimed land for homestead sites and are being entitled to employment first on whatever irrigation or reclamation projects are undertaken or ordered by the Secretary of the Interior.
 Whether the bill is adopted as a rider on the bonus legislation of is taken up by the Senate later on as a separate proposition, it's ultimate passage is conoeded by both Republi- can and Democratic leaders, who ad- init that its provisions are bound to prove of incalculable benefit to the West and South.
 As a member of the Senate Agri- culture Committee and of the Joint Congressio onal Commission of Agricu1- tura1 Inquiry, as well as one of the leaders of the Senate Agricultural Bloc," Senator McNary has given spe- cia1 study to the agricultural require ment of the entire country and par ticularly to those of the West. An agriculturist himself, being the own CT of a large fruit ranch in Oregon, from which he derived practical ex- ate. he believes the real solution of the nations economic problems lies in the success of the 'back-to-the- farm" movement. which many farm courage.
 Will Aid Employment.
 Throw open the vast unoccupied areas of the West and South to agri- culture-reclaim their arid or swamp land-and the agricultural interests will not only be benefited but unem- , ployment decreased, and the food sup ply increased. is Senator McNary's S contention.
 "we can only acquire national wealth as we keep our people em- ployed," Senator McNary said. we can only have a contented people as crative work. Forced idleness long continued will sap the best institu- tions. The war interrupted old lines of activity. It may be some time be- fore they are fully restored. For the time being the energy of many of our people should be directed into new channels such as internal improve ments.
 Unless there is a general retro gression, a breaking down of civiliza- ton, the human family will increase; there will be more mouths to feed. more bodies to clothe and more wants to be supplied than ever before. At the present time there is not over production, but an unusual under consum ption. believe by the re- | clamation legislation proposed food l supplies can be increased, the nome | market extended, the idle given work and the ex-service men and women | afforded an opportunity for acquir- ing land for homesteads.
 Carried in Republican Plank. ''The bill in question is in harmon " ith the plank in the Republican na- tional platform of 1920, which states
 "'We favor fixed and compre- hensive policy of reclamation to in- crease national wealth and produc- ton. We recognize the development of reclamation through the Federal action, with it's increase of produc- tion and taxable wealth, a safeguard | or the nation. We commend to Con gress a policy to reclaim lands and l the establishment of a fixed nationa policy of development of natural re- sources in relation to reclamation through the now designated agen' lcies."
 'The reason why the government Is asked to advance $350. 100000 witt which reclamation projects may bt financed grows out of the fact thai the money of private individuals el