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Show illfilS ASKED FOfi MONDELL BILL i Soldier Settlement Boards of Three States Draft Changes. Utah, Idaho and Nevada Bodies Telegraph Plans to Washington. Recommendations embodying the desires of the soldiers' settlement commissions of Utah. Idaho and Nevada relating to the provisions for the Mondeli national soldier settlement bill, now pending before be-fore congress, were drafted at a conference confer-ence held at the capltol yesterday afternoon. after-noon. The recommendations were forwarded for-warded In a telegram to Unltel States Senator Reed Smoot, as chairman of the eenate public lands committee, with the request that he urge their Inclusion In the Mondeli measure. Representatives of the commissions of the three states joined unanimously In the recommendations, recommenda-tions, directing attention to the fact that Ihe reclamation problems of the three btates were practically Identical. - Moat important among the recommendations recommen-dations proposed at the conference was Ui;e mat is utsisntu "u' - operation in soldier settlement work between be-tween the federal and the state governments. govern-ments. Nevada and Utah have each appropriated ap-propriated $1,000,000 to begin the work, while the Idaho legislature appropriated $100,000 to launch the work In that state. It was the unanimous opinion of the men at tile conference that the administration ad-ministration of details in carrying out the development of soldier settlement proiects ehould be. left to the state officials, and that in the expenditure of the funds appropriated ap-propriated hv the states the states should have a right to do their share In the management of the projects. Calls System Faulty. "The failure, or partial failure, of some of the proiects of the United Mates reclamation rec-lamation service has been due to a system sys-tem which virtually results in an "au-sentee "au-sentee landlordism' In the management of the particular problems involved," Colonel J. G. Scrougham of Carson City, representing Nevada at the conference, neclared. "Local men know local conditions con-ditions best, and when Nevada, Utah and Idaho are spending their own money on these projects they should be assured that there will be the proper cooperation coopera-tion with the federal officials. Just now we have a secretary of the Interior who appreciates and understands our western problems, but we donot know how long that condition may exist. It Is therefore there-fore expedient that we should he assured that we will have a voice in the work to be done." The Mondeli bill, as drafted and presented pre-sented to congress, only provides that the "secretarv of the interior "may cooperate" in the event, states make appropriations for the work; Another amendment proposed by the conference is that the secretary be authorized au-thorized to make loans for the purchase of farm equipment, stock and the liko, up to a maximum of 75 per cent of the value of such eauipment, instead of 60 per cent, as the bill originally provides, and that the maximum amount be Increased from JS00 to 51000. Wage Payment Favored. The conference also unanimously Indorsed In-dorsed a proposed amendment drafted by ' Senator Smoot, which provides that the covernment may withhold 10 per cent of the wages of soldiers who work on the projects during the preparation, the money to he aPDlled on the first pay-rnt pay-rnt !f iho nlHlr tnkes a farm under the provisions of the act. In the event he decides not to take advantage of his right to select a rural home, the money thus withheld Is to be paid to him. A few other minor changes were suggested, sug-gested, and the question of whether the bill, as drafted, would permit the secretaire- t- cany cut the infiltration plan to temporarilv meet the needs of the western west-ern states while big proiects were being built also came up. It was the opinion of the confreres that the bjll did give the secretarv that power. Representatives Representa-tives of all tifree states were unanimous In the belief that the infiltration method was the only practical means of placing men on farms Immediately, pending the development of large community projects. proj-ects. It was also agreed that, following .the passage of the bill, which seems likely within the next thirty days, representatives representa-tives of the soldier settlement boards of Utah, Idaho. Nevada, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado should go to Washington together to take up the matter of the work to be done In each of these states. It was the consensus of opinion that the problems are so much alike In all of these states that If the representatives of thobe states could all agree upon plans It would be much easier for the secretary secre-tary of the Interior to majte his plans In a way that would meet the approval of tho respective commissions. Other Veterans Included. The conference aiso discussed the advisability ad-visability of including Spanish-American war veterans under the benefits of the act. which now applies only to men who served in the war with Germany. The conference was unanimous In the opinion opin-ion that the veterans of the war with Bpaln should al30xbe entitled to rural homes under the provisions of the act. Joseph T. Young of Pocatello, vice president of the Snake River Plain development de-velopment association, outlined several possible proiects which Idaho had In mind, including the construction of a dam at American falfs to water land In tho vicinity of Bruneati, and also a project 1n the vicinity of Mountalnhome. Colonel Bcroug'nam said the Nevada officials contemplated con-templated the possibility of conserving the wa;.te waters of the battle Mountain Moun-tain basin In Nevada to provide water for 120.000 acres of land. At present IfiO.OOO acre feet of water go to waste by evaporation evap-oration annually In that section, the colonel stated. Chairman W. n. Wallace of the Utah board spoke of tho Frovo-Wcber Frovo-Wcber project, to brintr 200,000 acres of land under water In Weber. Davis, Salt I.ake. Tooele and Utah counties, and also of tho Castle Peak and other projects proj-ects which had been under consideration. considera-tion. Much valuable information relative to pofc.!'ib!e prophets throughout tho states represented was furnished to the commissioners com-missioners by Bishop William L. Hansen, colonization agent of the Mormon church. Mr. Vallac5 presided itji cnuirman of the coherence and J. Jeo Moc-han acted e.a secretary in the absence of O. .1. Grimes, who Is -ccretary of the t't-ih board. Others present were Colonel F-rougham. S K. Brady of Pocatello, president of t'" I'l-'ho Reclamation j-eoclation: j-eoclation: Mr. Young, secretary of the Idaho commission: lr. 11. G. Ivterson. nre.Mdent of the Utah Agricultural college, col-lege, who Is a member of the Utah com-rninslon, com-rninslon, and Blnhop Hansen. |