No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. 33 



present time, certain amendments are advised: changing the 

 executive head for carrying out the law from the courts to a 

 drainage board, and providing for a better means of financing 

 the operations and for the supervision of the work. 



In connection with the general problem of reclamation work, 

 both of wet and dry lands, suggestions have come from several 

 sources on using unemployed labor during periods of depression 

 in general industrial lines. There is no doubt that such labor 

 might be used on such reclamation work, but if the work is to 

 be conducted to benefit the farmer's land, and if he is expected 

 to pay the bills, he should be given the benefit of competitive 

 bids on such reclamation rather than be obliged to pay the 

 added costs, which work done by such unskilled labor would 

 entail. On the other hand, however, if the State is to assume 

 some of the expense in order to relieve distress, and therefore 

 sees fit to use such labor on reclamation work, there can be no 

 objection, provided the farmers whose land is to be benefited 

 know of the probable cost in advance. In order to make any 

 such suggestion w^orkable, however, there must be a great deal 

 of preliminary work done in the survey of both wet and dry 

 lands, so that when the need arises for the employment of such 

 labor, the plans for doing the work will be ready, and for this 

 purpose there should go with the amended drainage law an 

 appropriation of not less than $2,500 yearly to make the 

 preliminary surveys. 



Many different agencies have looked into this general problem 

 of utilizing our now unproductive lands. The Homestead Com- 

 mission sees in them the place to divert those persons who are 

 congesting our cities, and by State aid providing suitable places 

 for these people to dwell and earn a livelihood. The State 

 Forester sees in much of this land only a forestry proposition, 

 while various voluntary relief committees see only places to use 

 unemployed labor. There is urgent need of a careful study by 

 some competent board of these lands of the State, so that they 

 may be put to the wisest use, and to this end the bill previously 

 mentioned, asking for an appropriation for studying Massa- 

 chusetts resources, should be introduced again this year, 

 as your secretary believes that it will accomplish results. 



