Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-17
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL J. COLLINS.

he ouSted by n new purchaser, did
buy-to their own loss.
1t is understood that Lloyd Georges
plan follows the lines of the Snowden
bill. That would have abolished all
private property in land and trans
ferred all land not already the prop
erty of the crown to a ministry of
land, functioning with certain advisory
councils. Payment to former owners
would be made in National Land
Stock" bearing 5 per cent interest and
maturing in 80 years. The amount of
the stock would be such as would give
the former owner an annual income
equal to the present net renting value
such value to be calculated on the rea
sonable rent of the land for the pur-
poses for which it is used at the time
of the transfer to the board
Ihere has been great divergence of
judgment as to what that "reasona BILE
rent really amounts to, for some con-
tend that it means the theoretical rea-
sonable income on the estimated value
of the land, while others point to the
actual condition of the rentals received
during the depressed state of farm in
dustry. Tenants under the Snowden-
Lloyd George plan would enjoy Sc
curity of tenure, but could not become
owners of any land. Their permanency
would always be conditional upon their
making good agricultural use of the
acres. A farmer who neglected to pro-
duce a reasonable food crop would be
liable at any time to lose his holdings
In recent political campaign. Pre-
mier Baldwin proposed d measure
which would provide acres and
COW to every wage,earner-not to
induce him to become 3-acre
farmer, but to supplement his indus
trial job with a cottage and garden
plot, so that he could raise some of
his food.
England has subsidized unemploy.
ment, and the question of financial aid
| to food production does not appall Eng
lish lawmakers, as does any socialistic
plan in the United States for Govern
ment aid to agriculture.
The Economist of London, with
characteristic conservatism, argues
against the land naturalization plans.
1t says:
I'VE do not have any faith in it's
possibilities. We do not attach very
great importance to agricultural re-
form as a means of avoiding depend
ence on foreign food supplies, short of.
an economical revolution, which would
involve a drastic reduction in the
| standard of living, and ultimately of
the population of Great Britain 1t
does not seem practicable to modify,
except in a. minor way, the system
under which we exchange our man.
ufactures and services for food Nor
do we believe that urban life is in
compatible with health and physical
efficiency, and that it is necessary to
increase the number of people doing
manual labor in the fields for the sake
of preserving the British stock"
Lloyd George retorts that British
agriculture Is far behind European
continental agriculture, but he frank
ly admits that there may be a cues
ton as to whether the state will make
a better landlord for the farmer than
the private landlord has been.
The London Times reports that the
| ministers will undertake to put
through a bill to purchase all land at
price 15 times the present rental
which, it is estimated, will cost 90
million pounds sterling. This new act
corresponds to the land legislation
of Poland and Czechoslavakia recent
ly enacted.
1t is alleged that Lloyd George in
tends to make the land question and
prohibition Of liquor the leading issues
in his coming political plans, hoping
return to the premiership. While
he is identified with the Liberal party,
and holds possession of the party
funds, it is explained that he repre-.
sents one wing of the party and not
| the entire body of liberals. 1t is not
assured that naturalization of the
land will win all votes Of tenants nor
the opposition of all landlords.
copyright. 1926. by Paul v. Collins.)