The permanent buildings and other improvements represent an expenditure of some five and one-half million dollars. The estimated value of the entire plant today is about ten million dollars.

Rules of admission to home.-Under the present rule only those men who have had some service in the Regular Army as enlisted men, are eligible for admission to the home. The rules of admission are contained in detail in the Army Regulations. The point to be made is that the soldier must have had some service in the Regular Army of the United States.

74TH CONGRESS 1st Session

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SENATE

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REPORT No. 106

AMEND THE WAR DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATION ACT RELATIVE TO THE OPERATION OF MOTOR-PROPELLED VEHICLES

FEBRUARY 7 (calendar day, FEBRUARY 11), 1935.-Ordered to be printed

Mr. DUFFY, from the Committee on Military Affairs, submitted the

following REPORT

[To accompany S. 1300]

The Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1300) to amend the War Department act relative to the operation of motor-propelled vehicles, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with a recommendation that it do pass.

The War Department Appropriation Act for the fiscal year 1935 (Public, No. 176, 73d Cong.), contains the following restrictive provision respecting motor vehicles:

* That, effective January 1, 1935, no appropriation contained in this act shall be available for any expense of any character, other than as may be incident to salvaging or scrapping, on account of any motor-propelled vehicles procured prior to January 1, 1920, except tractors, ambulances, fire trucks, and vehicles now in use by Reserve Officers' Training Corps units: * *

While steps have been taken to finally dispose of the vast bulk of motor equipment coming within the restrictions of this law, the provision as written, adversely affects several types of vehicles which the War Department deems it necessary in the public interest to keep available for use in case of need, until they are replaced by equipment of modern types. The classes of vehicles referred to include those which constitute equipment essential to the operation of troops in the field. A notable example is the 6-ton tank, M-1917. This is a combat weapon for which no substitute is available, or could be readily procured in an emergency. It is most advisable that these vehicles be under ready control of the War Department at all times. In addition to those referred to above, included among the affected vehicles are some of heavy cargo or other special types, upon which considerable funds have been expended for their modification and

modernization. The modified cargo vehicles have been equipped with pneumatic tires and air brakes, and fill a very definite need for heavy-type transportation for local use on Army posts. The modernized vehicles have been completely rebuilt with modern parts and are, for all practical purposes, new vehicles. In the special types are occasional vehicles such as a derrick truck whose primary purpose is no longer transportation, but is actually a piece of mobile and necessary machinery. The War Department feels that it would be wasteful to dispose of these classes of vehicles in their present condition of economical usefulness.

For the foregoing reasons it is most desirable that the proposal be enacted as early as possible, to the end that the resultant use and economy may not be long delayed.

O

Mr. GLASS, from the Committee on Appropriations, submitted the

following

REPORT

[To accompany H. J. Res. 117]

The Committee on Appropriations, to whom was referred the joint resolution (H. J. Res. 117) making appropriations for relief purposes, report the same to the Senate with various amendments, and present herewith information relative to the changes made:

SECTION 1

It is recommended by the committee that the authority for relieving economic maladjustments, as proposed by the House, be stricken from the joint resolution.

It is proposed by the committee that after the language "and for such purposes and such projects, Federal or non-Federal", the following qualifying language be inserted: of a type such as is or may be authorized by law.

It is recommended by the committee that the following proviso relating to eligibility for unemployment relief be included in the joint resolution:

Provided, That no person shall be eligible to receive any money from the appropriation made herein as relief on account of unemployment unless it is established to the satisfaction of the official charged with furnishing such relief that such unemployed person (1) is in actual need, (2) has not within sixty days resigned from or left any position the wage for which was at a rate in excess of $50 a month, and (3) has bona fide endeavored to obtain employment and has been unable to do so.

It is recommended by the committee that the following be stricken from the joint resolution:

"The specific powers hereinafter vested in the President shall not be construed as limiting the general powers and discretion vested in him by this section."

It is recommended by the committee that the following be inserted in the joint resolution:

Funds made available by this joint resolution may be used, in the discretion of the President, for the purpose of making loans to finance, in whole or in part, the purchase of farm lands and necessary equipment by farm tenants, croppers, or farm laborers. Such loans shall be made on such terms as the President shall prescribe and shall be repaid in equal annual installments, or in such other manner as the President may determine.

SECTION 2

It is specifically provided in the joint resolution as reported to the Senate that the appropriation shall be available for use "only" in the United States and its Territories and possessions, exclusive of the Philippine Islands.

It is also affirmatively provided that the provisions of section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (requiring advertising and competitive bidding) shall apply to purchases made or services procured when the aggregate amount involved exceeds $300.

SECTION 3

It is recommended by the committee that the provision authorizing the fixing of compensation of officers and employees appointed under this section without regard to the Classification Act of 1923, as amended, be stricken out.

SECTION 4

It is recommended by the committee that the following section be stricken from the joint resolution:

"SEC. 4. In carrying out the provisions of this joint resolution the President is authorized, to such extent and in such manner as he finds and prescribes as necessary to the efficient and coordinated administration of the powers exercisable under this joint resolution,

to

"(a) Establish and prescribe the duties and functions of governmental agencies (including corporations with corporate authority only as approved by the President and within the scope of this joint resolution);

"(b) Utilize and prescribe the duties and functions of any governmental agency (including a corporation);

"(c) Consolidate, redistribute, abolish, or transfer the functions and/or duties of, and transfer the property and/or personnel of, any emergency governmental agency (including a corporation); and upon the transfer to another agency and/or the abolition of all the functions and duties of any agency, such agency shall cease to exist; and

"(d) Delegate the powers conferred on him under this joint resolution to any governmental agency (including a corporation).”

SECTION 5

It is recommended by the committee that section 5 be stricken from the joint resolution, except paragraph (c), which is made a separate section amended to read as follows: