Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-16
SAYS RECLAMATION
WORK IS ESSENTIAL
Finney Declares Selection of
Settlers Is Necessary to
Projects Success.

Selection 81 settlers with view 20
their fitness, for development of farms
on reclamation projects. already un.
dertaken on al least one Western
project. must underly the future de
Nelopment OF reclama ton, f. c. Fin
ney, First Assistant Secretary of the
Interior, told the second and final
days session of the conference on rec.
lamation a. the Interior Department
yesterday.
Mr.. Finney Joined wit h Secretaries
Work and Jardine. who spoke Mon.
day, predicting that whatever may be
the true situation today as to farm
overproductinn he is sure we have
not enough farms or farmers Cor our
needs in the next 10 or 20 years
The increase in population. decline
IN production because of soil eXhaus.
ton and manv other factors viii cause
a necessiir for more farms and their
products" he added. s
Emanuel Nuemann Of New York
secretary of the Palestine Foundation
Fund. said tina, the settlement OF Pal
estine by the Jews was increasingly
successful. as We're the projects for
placing the settlers upon the land.
Denial that reclamation was fail
nre, was made by Representative Ad,
olson r.: Smith OF Idaho. chairman of
the committee on irrigation and agri-
culture. The opinion seems to he
abroad that the reclamation policy is a
failure. when. as matter of fact,
more has been accomplished toward
creating national wealth and in the
making of happy homes for thousands
Of people than any other undertaking
which has had governmental superNi
sion.
"Recla alton is national and not
local question, tc" here has been
created on these projects a mai ket for
the manufactured products Of the
East which amounts - at least $780,
600 900
Provision should he made for the
substa ntial needs of the settler on
reclamation projects. Mr.. Finney said.
Don't give him money without in
terest. Let him understand that con
tracts are made to be kept. Educate
him TO meet his debts when due. I'm
less a man has the knowledge and
ability. or is of the type who may be
educated along right lines, he is likely
to fail" he added.
Addresses by four members Of Con
cress on varied aspects of the recla
nation problem brought the confer
ence 10 A coSe.
Aid Generally Agreed.
Cabinet members. engineers. rail
way men and politicians who spoke
a I the meeting agreed that future set
tiers on reclamation projects should
receive air until they are able to place
their farms on a self.supporting basis.
The entire problem was called
human problem by Hugh MacRae
of Wilmington, y. C. The future
of the family must be measured not
in acres nor in its value in dollars
to others but in its own well being
He defined the two greatest needs
Of farmers as a disable system for ex-
tending him necessary credit and
supply OF skilled farm families who
will act as leaders and demonstrators.
Southern problems were given
large share of the discussion during
the afternoon, while DIR. Flwood Mead.
commissioner of reclamation. exhib-
tied motion pictures showing progress
on several reclamation pro jects AT the
night session.
DR.. w. W. Long of Clemson Col
lege s. G.. enphs sized the importance
of community Organization in colonial.
ZION projects in that section, advo-
catinE{ the establishment of commu-
nifty creameries, cotton gins, banks
and other necessities. DR.. A. NJ.
Soule, president of the Georgia Col
lege OF Agriculture. urged the drain
ing of Florida swamp lands. while
general discussion OF the relation OF
the railways to reclamation brought
out the unanimity of railway repre-
sentatives on need for legislation fix
ing definitely the cost to the settler
OF his land and water and of financial
assistance to him at the beginning OF
settlement.