The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-12-24
LAND HELD BY U. $. 10 OFFER
PROBLEM

BY the time the Federal Govern
ment gets through with it's present
land purchase programs it will have
title to one-fifth of all the land in
the United States, according to SEN
ator Byrd's Congressional Commit
tee.
The extent of these holdings,
383,600,533 acres, may be realized
by noting that this area is eqaal to
the entire areas of the FL states OF
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont
Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Con-
necticut, Pennsylvania, New York.
New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland
West Virginia, Virginia, North Caro-
lima, South Carolina, Georgia, Flori-
da, Ohio, Alabama, Kentucky, and
Indiana.
Since June 80, 1910, the Federal
Government has acquired or will
have acquired when the present pro-
gram is completed, some 14,75O,OOO
acres for war purposes, or an area
equal to the combined areas of the
five states of Delaware, Rhode Is
land; Connecticut ), Massachusetts
and New Jersey.
The Department of the Interior
holds more than 200,000,000 acres
of land.
The Department. of Agriculture
holds 163,OOO,O00 acres, almost all
in the public domain.
The War Department, when acqui-
sitions pending are completed, will
have possession of little more than
23,OOO,000 acres.
The Navy Department has acqudr-
ed 593,48S acres; is acquiring an
additional 799,19S acres. Fifth larg-
est Government land-holder is the
Tennessee Valley Authority, which
has acquired $3.50 acres.
The War and Navy Departments
have purchased IA hotels at cost
of SIS, 100000. One of these, the
Stevens, has been resold. The Gov
eminent paid $5,50O,000 for this
Chicago, hotel; has since resold it for
$5,25O.000.
The War Department is also
spending s11,250,000 year rental
for 545 hotels and cottages, con-
taing 43,0SS rooms, with capacity
for, 129 900 men, the Byrd committee
reports.
The Navy Department is paying
out $2,500,0OO year rental on
some AZ leased hotels; the Coast
Guard $4,000 a year for SO hotels
it has leased.
Federally owned real estate pre-
sents a problem to State and local
taxing units, the assessable value of
Federal holdings being estimated at
around three and one-quarter bill
lions of dollars.
The following is from Senator
Byrd's report:
.The committee has watched with
apprehension the alarming increase
in land acquisitions in the last few
years. While the committee recog-
nizes that much of this acquisition
has been for purposes connected with
the national emergency, it neyerthe-
less finds that excessive amounts OF
land have been purchased by the
Government since 1922
Senator Arthur Capper, of Kansas,
in discussing this Land holding prob
lem, calls attention to the fact that
the reconversion of land to private
ownership will be one Of the post
war problems.
Take good farm land acquired by
the Federal Government.
Shall this land be thrown open to
settlement by returning service men?
Or shall it be auctioned off to the
highest bidder for all such lands?
Or shall it be auctioned of in small
tracts to the highest bidder for each
tract2
A Senate special committee, head
cd by Senator George of Georgia, is
making special study Of postwar
problems. Among the witnesses was
Secretary of Agriculture Claude G,
Wickard, who made some reeommen-
dations on the return Of farm land
to farm production.
Summing up, Secretary Wickard
declared, and agree with this rec
ommendation, that such farm land
should be disposed OF from Govern
ment agencies direct to farmers
without permitting privste specula-
tors to split 1T up or profit on it dur
ing the process.
Also agree with this, too: the
land should be disposed of in efiici-
emit family-sized units. And ] think
here is . place where arrangements
should be made to re-equip this land
with buildings, fences and other
needed permanent equipment.