TO REGULATE LEAVES OF ABSENCE OF EMPLOYEES OF THE NAVY YARDS, GUN FACTORIES, NAVAL STATIONS, AND ARSENALS OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

JUNE 11, 1930.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. LEHLBACH, from the Committee on the Civil Service, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 12136]

The Committee on the Civil Service, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 12136) to regulate leaves of absence of employees of the navy yards, gun factories, naval stations, and arsenals of the United States. Government, reports the same to the House with an amendment, with the recommendation that the amendment be agreed to and the bill as amended be passed. The committee amendment is as follows:

In section 2, on page 1, in line 13, after the word "leave", insert the word "only".

The following is the text of the bill:

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That employees of the navy yards, gun factories, naval stations, and arsenals of the United States Government, who were so employed on the 1st day of May, 1930, and who have since been separated from the service without leave of absence, shall be credited with pro rata leave accruing during their current year of service and remunerated accordingly.

SEC. 2. That the proviso in the naval appropriations bill approved August 29, 1916 (Public Laws, vol. 39, pt. 1, p. 617; U. S. C., title 34, sec. 511), be amended so as to read as follows: "That it shall be lawful to allow pro rate leave only to those serving four consecutive months or more.'

In. compliance with the rule of the House the proviso in the act of August 29, 1916 (Public Laws, vol. 39, pt. 1, p. 617; U. S. C., title 34, sec. 511), amended by section 2 is set forth.

That each and every employee of the navy yards, gun factories, naval stations, and arsenals of the United States Government is hereby granted thirty days' leave of absence each year, without forfeiture of paying during such leave: Provided further, That it shall be lawful to allow pro rata leave only to those serving twelve consecutive months or more: And provided further, That in all cases the heads of divisions shall have discretion as to the time when the leave can best be allowed: And provided further, That not more than thirty days' leave with pay

shall be allowed any such employee in one year: Provided further, That this provision shall not be construed to deprive employees of any sick leave or legal holidays to which they may now be entitled under existing law.

In the first week in May several hundred employees in the various navy yards and gun factories throughout the country were dropped without previous notice. It is the customary practice that when employees who have accrued leave are so dropped they are granted such leave with pay and the separation made effective at its expiration. A large number of the employees separated as above lacked a few days or weeks of 12 months' service, without which their accrued leave did not become effective. The purpose of this bill is to alleviate the hardship occasioned by the existing law.

Section 2 of the bill will prevent a recurrence of a situation similar to that sought to be remedied by this bill.

PROTEIN CONTENT OF WHEAT

JUNE 12, 1930.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. HAUGEN, from the Committee on Agriculture, submitted the

following

REPORT

[To accompany S. 101]

The Committee on Agriculture, to whom was referred the bill (S. 101) to provide for producers and others the benefit of official tests to determine protein in wheat for use in merchandising the same to the best advantage, and for acquiring and disseminating information relative to protein in wheat, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it do pass with the following amendment:

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the following language:

That this act may be cited as the "Federal-State protein and oil testing act." As used in this act the term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture.

SEC. 2. The Secretary is authorized to make surveys and to conduct research and educational programs with respect to the protein content of wheat, alfalfa hay, and alfalfa meal, and of the oil content of flaxseed, in any year prior to or during the harvesting and marketing thereof. The Secretary shall compile and disseminate (1) estimates of the probable amount of protein in wheat, alfalfa hay, and alfalfa meal, and of oil in flaxseed, (2) information pertaining to the protein content of wheat, alfalfa hay, and alfalfa meal, and the oil content of flaxseed, as a merchandising factor in the marketing and as a factor in the production of such commodities, and (3) information relating to the conditions affecting the quality and quantity of protein in wheat, alfalfa hay, and alfalfa meal, and of oil in flaxseed.

SEC. 3. For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of section 2, the Secretary shall establish, maintain, and operate laboratories in cooperation with any State agricultural college or with any other agency of a State, meeting conditions prescribed by the Secretary, with which cooperation is found practicable or desirable. In the event that such cooperation is not found practicable or desirable, the Secretary may establish, maintain, and operate laboratories at such places as he may deem practicable for the efficient execution of the provisions of section 2. SEC. 4. (a) In carrying out the provisions of this act, the Secretary may cooperate with any department or agency of the Government, any State, Territory, District, or possession, or political subdivision thereof, or with any person. (b) The Secretary may (1) make such regulations, (2) appoint and fix the compensa

tion of such officers and employees, not in conflict with existing law, and (3) make such expenditures (including expenditures for rent and personal services at the seat of Government and elsewhere, for periodicals, books of reference, and for printing and binding) as are necessary for the efficient execution of the provisions of this act.

SEC. 5. In order to carry out the provisions of this act there is authorized to be appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, a sum of not to exceed $75,000 per annum, commencing with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1930.

The committee is impressed with the need for comprehensive data regarding the protein content of wheat both from the production and merchandising standpoint as well as the value of a survey to deter mine as early as possible in the crop year the amount of protein in the crop. This would enable growers and others to utilize such information to the best advantage as a merchandising factor.

In the course of its consideration of this measure and of other proposed legislation on related subjects the committee was convinced that the protein content of other commodities such as alfalfa hay and alfalfa meal as well as the oil content of flaxseed are likewise of such importance to producers and merchandisers as to warrant inclusion in any legislation on this subject at this time. The bill authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to make surveys and to conduct research and educational programs with respect to the commodities mentioned prior to or during the harvesting and marketing of such commodities. It requires the Secretary to compile and disseminate estimates of the probable amount of protein in wheat, alfalfa hay, and alfalfa meal and the oil in flaxseed; information regarding these facts from a merchandising standpoint as well as from a production standpoint; also information regarding condition affecting their quality and quantity.

The bill directs the Secretary to establish, maintain, and operate laboratories in cooperation with State agencies and wherever such cooperation is found impracticable he is authorized to establish and maintain necessary laboratories on his own account. Such Federal or joint Federal-State laboratories are to be employed for the purpose of making the survey and compile and disseminate the information outlined above.

Amend the title so as to read:

An act to provide for official tests to determine the protein content of wheat, alfalfa hay, and alfalfa meal, and the oil content of flaxseed for use in merchandising the same to the best advantage, for acquiring and disseminating information relative thereto, and for other purposes.