SEC. 17. Section 500 of the World War Veterans' Act, 1924, approved June 7, 1924, is hereby amended to read as follows:

SEC. 500. Except in the event of legal proceedings under section 19 of Title I of this Act, no claim agent or attorney except the recognized representatives of the American Red Cross, the American Legion, the Disabled American Veterans, and Veterans of Foreign Wars, and such other organizations as shall be approved by the director shall be recognized in the presentation or adjudication of claims under Titles II, III, and IV of this Act, and payment to any attorney or agent for such assistance as may be required in the preparation and execution of the necessary papers in any application to the bureau shall not exceed $10 in any one case: Provided, however, That wherever a judgment or decree shall be rendered in an action brought pursuant to section 19 of Title I of this Act the court, as a part of its judgment or decree, shall determine and allow reasonable fees for the attorneys of the successful party or parties and apportion same if proper, said fees not to exceed 10 per centum of the amount recovered and to be paid by the bureau out of the payments to be made under the judgment or decree at a rate not exceeding one-tenth of each of such payments until paid. Any person who shall, directly or indirectly, solicit, contract for, charge, or receive, or who shall attempt to solicit, contract for, charge, or receive any fee or compensation, except as herein provided, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and for each and every offense shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $500 or by imprisonment at hard labor for not more than two years, or by both such fine and imprisonment.'

SEC. 18. Section 503 of the World War Veterans' Act, 1924, approved June 7, 1924, is hereby amended to read as follows:

SEC. 503. That whoever shall obtain or receive any money, check, compensation, insurance, or maintenance and support allowance under the War Risk Insurance Act as amended, the Vocational Rehabilitation Act as amended, or the World War Veterans' Act, 1924, and any amendments thereto without being entitled to the same, and with intent to defraud the United States or any beneficiary of the United States Veterans' Bureau shall be punished by a fine of not more than $2,000 or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment."

SEC. 19. Section 504, Title V, of the World War Veterans' Act, 1924, approved June 7, 1924, is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 504. Any person who shall knowingly make or cause to be made, or conspire, combine, aid, or assist in, agree to, arrange for, or in any wise procure the making or presentation of a false or fraudulent affidavit, declaration, certificate, statement, voucher, or paper, or writing purporting to be such, concerning any claim or the approval of any claim for compensation or maintenance and support allowance, or the payment of any money, for himself or for any other person, under Titles II or IV hereof, shall forfeit all rights, claims, and benefits under said titles, and, in addition to any and all other penalties imposed by law, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment, for each such offense."

[S. J. Res. 189]

Joint Resolution Authorizing the enlargement of the Federal Veterans' Hospital at Muskogee, Oklahoma, by the purchase of an adjoining city hospital and authorizing the appropriation of $150,000 for that purpose

Whereas the Veterans' Bureau has lately acquired from the State of Oklahoma title to the veterans' hospital located at Muskogee, Oklahoma: and

Whereas the city of Muskogee is the owner of a small hospital on a lot immediately adjoining that of the national hospital site similar in construction and architecture to that of the Federal hospital and fitting into the scheme of the Government to enlarge and improve said hospital and necessary to its enlargement and improvement; and

Whereas the city of Muskogee, Oklahoma, has graciously offered to sell said hospital to the Government for the sum of $150.000. being considerably less than the cost of its construction, in order and for the purpose of carrying out the scheme of the Veterans' Bureau in connection with said hospital; and

Whereas said additional facilities afforded by the said hospital are now needed and in the immediate future will be needed in the proper care of veterans assigned to said Federal hospital: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the purchase of said city hospital by the Director of the Veterans' Bureau at a sum of not exceeding $150,000, and the appropriation of $150.000 for that purpose is hereby authorized; the price to be paid therefor to be agreed upon by and between said Director of the Veterans' Bureau and the city of Muskogee: Provided, That this money shall be taken out of any lump sum appropriated after March 1, 1925, for hospital purposes.

Approved, March 4, 1925.

(149)

SEC. 20. That a new section be added to the World War Veterans' Act, 1924, approved June 7, 1924, to be known as section 505, and to read as follows:

"SEC. 505. Every guardian, curator, conservator, committee, or person legally vested with the responsibility or care of the claimant or his estate, having charge and custody in a fiduciary capacity of money paid, under the War Risk Insurance Act as amended, or under the World War Veterans' Act, 1924, for the benefit of any minor or incompetent claimant, who shall embezzle the same in violation of his trust or fraudulently convert the same to his own use, shall be punished by fine not exceeding $2,000 or imprisonment at hard labor for a term not exceeding five years, or both."

Approved March 4, 1925.

[S. J. Res. 189]

Joint Resolution Authorizing the enlargement of the Federal Veterans' Hospital at Muskogee, Oklahoma, by the purchase of an adjoining city hospital and authorizing the appropriation of $150,000 for that purpose

Whereas the Veterans' Bureau has lately acquired from the State of Oklahoma title to the veterans' hospital located at Muskogee, Oklahoma; and

Whereas the city of Muskogee is the owner of a small hospital on a lot immediately adjoining that of the national hospital site similar in construction and architecture to that of the Federal hospital and fitting into the scheme of the Government to enlarge and improve said hospital and necessary to its enlargement and improvement; and

Whereas the city of Muskogee, Oklahoma, has graciously offered to sell said hospital to the Government for the sum of $150,000, being considerably less than the cost of its construction, in order and for the purpose of carrying out the scheme of the Veterans' Bureau in connection with said hospital; and

Whereas said additional facilities afforded by the said hospital are now needed and in the immediate future will be needed in the proper care of veterans assigned to said Federal hospital: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the purchase of said city hospital by the Director of the Veterans' Bureau at a sum of not exceeding $150,000, and the appropriation of $150,000 for that purpose is hereby authorized; the price to be paid therefor to be agreed upon by and between said Director of the Veterans' Bureau and the city of Muskogee: Provided, That this money shall be taken out of any lump sum appropriated after March 1, 1925, for hospital

purposes.

Approved, March 4, 1925.

(149)