The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17
bANKHEAD WANTS.
 SWAMP LANDS 0F| SOUTH RECLAIMED.
Reminds Western Senators Of Promised Aid For
 Southern Projects
WASHINGTON BUREAU 1
 THE AGE-HEIiALD ! Washington, D. C., June 16

[
 Washington. D. C., June 16
 Just 2l years ago, to the day, Con- gress passed and President Roose- welt signed the national reclamation act under which the government, to date has expended s130,o00,o00 in the Irrigation of arid lands of the west.
 While this act was heralded as one t1 the outstanding accomplishments of the Roosevelt administration, and while the great influences of the President made possible it's enact ment by Congress, the bill would not have become law had 1t not received liberal support from democrats of the south. for arrayed against 1t were many Of the republican leaders of that day. Had the bill been al- lowed to assume partisan charac- ter, it's defeat would have been cer- tain.
 In the enactment of the reclama- tion act the south almost solidly came to the support of the west, and asked no immediate return. It was distinctly understood, however. that in time the south would appeal to Congress for federal aid in reclaim ing it's swamp lands. and western senator's and representatives who were leading the fight for the reclamation bill pledged western aid to the south whenever the south was ready to ask for swamp land reclamation law.
 The time has now come when the south is ready to appeal tC western senators and congressman to make good the promise given 21 years ago. It so happens that at this same time the west is looking to Congress to provide more 1iberally than ever be- fore for the irrigation of its arid lands.
 Bnnkhcad Takes Lead.
 Representative William B. Bank head of Alabama, always a believer in federal aid for the reclamation of. waste lands, has just returned from a trip to the Pacific coast, which en- abled him to see much that has been accomplished in 21 years under the national reclamation law, and he de- clares the time now has come for Congress to aid the south as it pre- sviGusly aided the west. He goes fur ther and offers & reminder to his western colleagues that they must cooperate with the south and lend 1t a helping hand on it's swamp lands if it expects the south again to aid in promoting the irrigation of arid lands
 "Continued western development, insofar asi it relates to the reclama- tion and settlement of land through federal agencies, can take place only as the south and the east are willing and able to help" declared MT. Bank head upon his return from the far west. Discussing the prospect for reclamation legislation; and the need for government aid in retaining the swamp lands of the south, MT. Bank head said:
 When in the west on a recent visit, I was surprised and delighted at the evident prosperity and rapid growth; particularly so, when 1t was impressed upon my mind as never before, that much of this develop ment has been the result of wise policy strenuously urged by my old time friend, Francis G. Newlands and embodied in the reclamation act of June IT. 1902.
 This act has curious Legislative history, for. although 1t was passed during a republican administration. signed by President Theodore Roose- velt and regarded by him as one of the brilliant results of his admin istration, yet we must not forget that 1t was passed, against the stren- uous protests of leading republicans, such as Uncle Joe Cannon, by the rank and file vote of the house democratic as well as republican. It was the clear understanding then. that when the time did arrive in the development of the country that the south needed similar legislation. there would be reciprocal treatment by the west, in recognition of this great aid from the south.
 O O south's Time Now.
 The time has now arrived when the south can properly demand this recognition, because, as l stated again and again, in the west, we of the south are now, in some respects the pioneer part of the United states. We have the largest area of good land undeveloped. susceptible Of high degree of cultivation It is true, we do not have some of the diff cult, picturesque engineering prob lens of the west, but, nevertheless, we do have some very real diff culties, such as can be effectively overcome only by the adoption of a well-consdered federal policy.
 Not that I mean that the federal government should interfere in To- cal affairs, or dominate in any way fn our settlement problems--rather the contrary; its attitude should be similar to that advocated by my father in connection with the good roads movement. The federal gov ernment can we'll afford to utilize the experience of its various bureaus. the credit which attaches to federal undertakings. and can aid the states, and particularly reclamation and settlement districts to develop. It should not be necessary for each new undertaking in the south to start anew and learn for itself, by trial, and perhaps failure, those ways which have been found successful elsewhere, any more than 1t should be necessary for each piece of high way to be an experiment. All should be CO., ordinated in accordance with the valuable experience already Ob-