The following indorsements from the several State militia officers are hereby made apart of this report: Hon. CLARENCE E. HANCOCK, M. C., STATE OF NEW YORK, HEADQUARTERS NAVAL MILITIA, June 25, 1930. Representatives Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR CONGRESSMAN HANCOCK: Yours of the 24th instant received, and I very much appreciate the efforts you are making to advance H. R. 6145. We find this bill generally desirable among Naval Militia and Naval Reserve commands. Aside from feeling that it would be advantageous to have young men in our service at 17 years of age instead of 18, this would be specially helpful in taking advantage of the provisions in the Naval Reserve act of July 1, 1925, for appointments to the Naval Academy from the Naval Reserve. The Naval Militias of the several States are also in the Naval Reserve, which explains our interest. As the law stands now we can not enlist a man until he is 18 years of age, and he is required to have one year of service by June 1 of the year in which he seeks appointment to the Naval Academy. It generally works out, however, that a man who enlists at 18 is shut out from this Naval Academy appointment because of being too old by the time the appointment becomes available. It was probably the thought in Congress in making provision for these appointments to the Naval Academy from the Naval Reserve and Naval Militia that this would encourage recruiting of desirable men, but as it works out we are not realizing that benefit. In all our inquiries among Naval Militia men and Naval Reservists we have found no one against this bill, and as you know it is favorably recommended by the Navy Department, so we hope you can have it enacted. As you are expecting to have the Naval Affairs Committee consider this bill tomorrow, I have wired the commanding officers of the several different States to communicate with you on this subject, as per copy of my telegram attached. Very sincerely yours, W. B. FRANKLIN, Rear Admiral, New York Naval Militia. Hon. CLARENCE HANCOCK, ST. LOUIS, Mo., June 25, 1930. Naval Affairs Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.: Understand that H. R. 6145, providing for Naval Reserve enlistments at 17 instead of 18 is up for consideration by your committee. Every naval reservist whom I know is heartily in favor of this change in the basic law as it gives more men an opportunity for appointment to the Naval Academy. Capt. G. F. SCHWARTZ, United States Naval Reserve Armory, St. Louis, Mo. Hon. CLARENCE E. HANCOCK, VERONA, N. J., June 25, 1930. Naval Affairs Committee, Washington, D. C.: Request your urgent support in connection with passage of H. R. 6145. Enact ment of this legislation will prove of inestimable value in making possible enlist ment of youths now barred from performing naval service. CARL T. MCNAMARA, Captain, Commanding New Jersey Naval Militia. Hon. CLARENCE E. HANCOCK, DETROIT, MICH., June 26, 1950. Member Naval Affairs Committee: Heartily indorse bill H. R. 6145 and hope you will use every effort to insure it passing. R. T. BROADHEAD. ANSONIA, CONN., June 26, 1980. Congressman CLARENCE E. HANCOCK, Naval Affairs Committee, House of Representatives: Request your committee take favorable action H. R. 6145, providing for enlistments Naval Reserve at 17. As commander Connecticut Naval Reserves appreciate importance change permitting reservist better opportunity obtaining appointment Naval Academy, also greater field for recruits. N. W. PICKERING. The following initiatory letter from the Secretary of the Navy, addressed to the Chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs of the House of Representatives, is hereby made a part of this report: NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, November 27, 1929. The CHAIRMAN Committee oN NAVAL AFFAIRS, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: There is inclosed herewith a copy of a letter, together with a copy of a proposed bill "To regulate the minimum age limits for enlistments in the Naval Reserve or Marine Corps Reserve," this day forwarded to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Sincerely yours, C. F. ADAMS, Secretary of the Navy. NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, November 27, 1929. The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. SPEAKER: I have the honor to transmit herewith a draft of a proposed bill to regulate the minimum age limit for enlistments in the Naval Reserve or Marine Corps Reserve. The purpose of the proposed legislation is to make it possible to make enlistments in the Naval Reserve or Marine Corps Reserve at the same age as enlistments may now be made in the regular Navy. Section 4 of the act of February 28, 1925 (43 Stat. 1081; U. S. C., title 34, sec. 753), provides that "The Naval Reserve shall be composed of male citizens of the United States and of the insular possessions of the United States, of eighteen years of age or over, who by appointment or enlistment therein, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy, * * * obligate themselves to serve in the Navy in time of war or during the existence of a national emergency declared by the President." The minimum age at which enlistments may be made in the regular Navy is 14 years, but if the candidate for enlistment is under 18 years, the consent of parent or guardian must be obtained. The same law applies to the regular Marine Corps. For the past several years, the policy of the Navy Department has been to make no enlistments under 17 years of age in either the Navy or Marine Corps. Recruits obtained under this policy of accepting young men of 17 years of age have been of excellent quality. It is believed that the same age limit would produce desirable members of the reserve. Furthermore, the present law authorizes the appointment of 25 midshipmen to the Naval Academy from the reserve. Midshipmen must be less than 20 years old in April of the year in which appointed. If the age limit for enlistment in the reserve is decreased, as provided by this proposed bill, it will permit a greater number of eligibles for the Naval Academy. It will also permit such eligibles to have a longer period of training in the reserve before being appointed as midshipmen. There would be no increased cost to the Government by reason of the enactment of this proposed legislation. In view of the foregoing, the Navy Department recommends that the proposed legislation be enacted. The inclosed draft of bill is similar in language to the bill H. R. 15852, introduced in the Seventieth Congress. BRIDGE ACROSS BOGUE CHITTO RIVER BETWEEN SUN AND BUSH, ST. TAMMANY PARISH, LA. JUNE 27, 1930.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed Mr. RAYBURN, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 13130] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 13130) granting the consent of Congress to the Louisiana Highway Commission, to construct, maintain, and operate a free highway bridge across the Bogue Chitto River between Sun and Bush, St. Tammany Parish, La., having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass. The bill has the approval of the War and Agriculture Departments, as will appear by the letters attached. WAR DEPARTMENT, June 27, 1930. Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives. So far as the interests committed to this department are concerned, I know of no objection to the favorable consideration of the accompanying bill (H. R. 13130, 71st Cong. 2d sess.) granting the consent of Congress to the Louisiana Highway Commission to construct, maintain, and operate a free highway bridge across the Bogue Chitto River between Sun and Bush, St. Tammany Parish, La. Hon. JAMES S. PARKER, F. H. PAYNE, Acting Secretary of War. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. PARKER: Careful consideration has been given to the bill, H. R. 13130, transmitted with your letter of June 25 with request for a report thereon and such views relative thereto as the department might desire to communicate. This bill would authorize the Louisiana Highway Commission to construct, maintain, and operate a free highway bridge and approaches thereto across the Bogue Chitto River between Sun and Bush, State of Louisiana. Favorable action on the bill is recommended. Sincerely, R. W. DUNLAP, Acting Secretary. O |