The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1937-09-02
West Union Priest Inspects
Federal Projects in the State

This past week M. L. Wilson, I'M
der-secretary Of the department Of
agriculture, came to Minnesota to
study some OF the government pro-
jects In Minnesota. In passing
through West Union he invited
Rev. Henry Reflex, Of West Union,
to accompany him on this survey.
Mr.. Wilson and Father Retzek are
mutual acquaintances. and both
are interested in what Is being
done for the human element as
well as the forests and wild life.
Following is a short resume by
Rev. Reflex Of the tremendous
ness Of these projects and their ul-
innate value to the state:
There is nothing political In
this. In fact at one Of our first
stops a die-hard conservative pull
ed me cautiously to one side and
asked: Are you one Of these scar
let-deep-dyed Democrats that he
took you along?' He could be as
sured, honestly, that In this there
is no politics. It is our mutual In
terest in these vast social, natural
brought us together.
'The trip was to include sur
vey Of some Of the resettlement
projects, biological survey, wild
life projects and some u. s. forest
projects. It took us from West Un-
ion to Detroit Lakes to Warroad.
Baudette and we parted company
in Bemidji.
ResettIement Projects
Our first glimpse Of this was at
st. Hilaire. A tract of land, $50
acres; a house with high full base
ment, foundation concrete;
rooms on first level large kitch-
en-, living room, bedroom and stair
way to upper level, two large bed
rooms; outside, late model ven
tilated clubhouse; poultry shed
about 16 by "a; a barn 30 by 40
with IL stanchions and room for A
horses, the loft with capacity Of
80 tons for hay and about to 400
bushels of grain; a well-house, a
well averaging $50 feet in depth,
with pump. All this to the selected
family for $4,000 with 40 years in
which to pay at 8 percent interest.
This with taxes, insurance ct al de-
manding approximately $500 per
year. These houses are not elabor-
ate but neat and practical. The
terms are also neat and practic-
able. Eighty-eight such units have
now been finished and there are
700 or more applicants for them.
Selection Difficult
1.-THE selection Of families for
these units is heartbreaking ted
ious task. So many younger sons
would like to start families with a
newly married wife and a little
help from dad. But as the ultimate
success or failure is dependent on
these human elements and factors,
care and caution must be exercis-
ed. Who knows human nature! MY
sympathy to the sociological divis-
ion Of these projects.
Another type of resettlement Is
being done on the vast Beltrami
project. Poor deluded farmers lis
tened to the glowing words OF the
misguided individuals who were
responsible for the attempted
demonstrating Of these submarginal
lands. They came. Now they are
pleading in desperation for help.
Their plight is pitiful. The children
without schools, without guidance
and many a day without decent
food. The erstwhile promoters are
gone but their victims remain. Now
the government is buying their
land (s2 and SO per acre) and these
people are being moved to farms
outside the reserve and to a new
start. About 282 have been trans
ferred and about 600 more must be
transferred.
Biological Game and Bird Reserve
'Tamarack lake region: 10000
acres have already been acquired
and the purchase Of 5000 more will
complete the square. 1t is natur-
al paradise for birds and game.
Some Of the lovely forest still re-
manning will be saved from the
destructively cheap lumber van
dals.
mud lake reserve: One of the
many foolish ditch and lake drain
age projects from the days gone
by. A few promoters made some
money and left hundreds of poor
families to face restitution. 1t was
alright in the drought, they had a
few crops. But, only lately we
heard that wall from that area
about tremendous rains with &C
companying floods. The exact num-
Der Of acres that are now being
purchased by the government /
forgot, but it is tremendous. The
farmers are getting a chance at
the resettlement units and with