76 GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND - AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY IX GENERAL 



The committee imderstand that the authorities contemplate isstdng 

 to each man, before demobilization, a form on which he will state inter 

 alia his wishes as to future emplo>Tnent, and that demobilization commit- 

 tees will be appointed, in connection with the EmplojTnent Exchanges, 

 to advise the men as to the various kinds of emplo3Tiient available. 



The committee therefore suggest that : 



i) The form which each man receives should enable him, if he so 

 desire, to express his preference for emplo3Tnent in the oversea dominions 

 of the empire ; 



2) The names of all those who thus express such a preference should 

 be sent for record, with all other relevant particulars concerning them, to 

 the Central Emigration Authority to be constituted as stated below ; 



3) The local demobilization committees, in order to advise men as to 

 opportunities overseas, should be in direct correspondence with the Central 

 Emigration Authority, which should issue the necessary literature and full 

 instructions ; representatives of the Central Emigration Authority should visit 

 these committees and attend as many of their meetings as possible ; wher- 

 ever possible men well acquainted wdth oversea affairs should be nomi- 

 nated by the Central Authority as permanent members of the local com- 

 mittees. 



§ 2. The SETTLEMENT OP EX-SERVICE MEN AT HOME. 



The existing schemes for the settlement on the land within Great Bri- 

 tain of discharged soldiers and sailors are on a small scale. They provide 

 for the settlement of no more than 240 men or, if their wives and families 

 be taken into account, of 1,200 persons. In addition general legislation 

 has provided for all tillers of the soil by the guaranteed minimum price for 

 wheat and oats from 1917 to 1922, and by guaranteeing a minimum wage 

 of 25s a week to agricultural labourers (l). 



The attention of the committee was mainly directed to emigration. 



§ 3. The constitution of a central emigration autority. 



The committee lay stress upon the necessity for the prompt creation 

 of a new Central Emigration Authority. 



. They make the following suggestions with regard to it : 



i) It is undesirable to set up an authority, to deal with the emigra- 

 tion and settlement of ex-service men, which would be independent of 

 any existing or prospective authority' concerned with emigration generally ; 



2) The oversea governments should be closely connected with the 

 new authority ; 



3) It should be in working order before the war is over ; 



(i) See our issue for October 1917, page 67. 



