Evening star., 1936-05-18

effective this month, they turn back
from So to $40 per month on their
houses, with this repayment rate to
be doubled gradually over three
year period. With valuations on the
individual homesteads awaiting COM
pletion of the project, no permanent
contracts have been drawn between
the residents and the Government. 1t
is planned, however, to give them
about 40 years in which to pay Oh
their purchases.
With the background OF Ineffective
spending connected with the project
in the first two years of its existence,
it is now admitted by the Resettle-
ment Administration that this partic-
ular experiment never will be written
off entirely by the homesteaders. In
fact. taking the Administrations fig
ure on direct total cost Of 81, SOC, 900.
the repayments of $50 families at $50
per month apiece would amount only
to $50, 900 yearly, or 2 per cent of the
investment. The principal hope,
therefore, is that the experience thus
gained might make possible similar
enterprise at vastly less cost.
Prospect Of Work PIeases.
Work Is allotted by Administrator
Flynn, most of it thus far being in
connection with construction, although
others are employed in the co-opera-
tive store, the blacksmith shop and
in the metal and woodworking shops
of the Mountaineer Craftsmen's Co
operative Association, self-help ex-
pertinent undertaken before the Ar
thurdale project was conceived, ano
now located within the new COM
munity. Expected arrival of an in
dustrial enterprise gives promise o1
employment for about so men, ano
the prospect has done much to i'm
prove the psychology of the colony.
Unless this and other industria
opportunity becomes available, how
ever, it is admitted that there viii
be insufficient employment to furnish
the necessary support.
Starting from a common back
ground, in which each family wa:
doing equally poorly, the practices o.
classifying workers and assigning
them to occupations has had botf
good and bad effects. The desirable
reaction has been principally one o.
! individuallsm as workers, with a shad'
more of ability learned new occupa
tions with greater speed, found them
selves promoted and earning NOR
money. Some. taking more pride IL
ownership, did more to make theil
homes attractive, and applied create
diligence in agriculture.
| AS would necessarily occur in an!
collection of 100 families, difference
and jealousies have arisen. So strong
for instance, did agitation over thu
job classification become short whil'
ago that a member of the Executive
| Committee of the Homesteaders' Clul
conferred with a Government agen
about the advisabinty of applying I
single wage scale. 1t was determined
however, that majority sentiment, a
well as that of the administration
was against the idea-that the In
dividualistic urge was too strong tt
submit to arbitrary leveling OF in
come.
| Colonists Satisfied.
| And beyond these differences, th'
colonists reflect a satisfaction at thet
circumstance.
| 'I Just came over here to work II
the beginning" one of them drawl
as he leans on a tractor, "and thei
I got a chance to move my family In
had little house and piece Of land
but I've been going deeper into deb
every year for five or six years.
paid all that off when sold the plac