TRANSPORTATION IN TIME OF WAR. 525b. In time of war possession and control may be taken of transportation systems.-The President, in time of war, is empowered, through the Secretary of War, to take possession and assume control of any system or systems of transportation, or any part thereof, and to utilize the same, to the exclusion as far as may be necessary of all other traffic thereon, for the transfer or transportation of troops, war material and equipment, or for such other purposes connected with the emergency as may be needful or desirable. Id., 645. 525c. Obstructing or retarding, etc., orderly conduct or movement of interstate or foreign commerce, or orderly movement of trains, etc., engaged therein, punishment; employment of armed forces.— On and after the approval of this Act any person or persons who shall, during the war in which the United States is now engaged, knowingly and willfully, by physical force or intimidation by threats of physical force obstruct or retard, or aid in obstructing or retarding, the orderly conduct or movement in the United States of interstate or foreign commerce, or the orderly make-up or movement or disposition of any train, or the movement or disposition of any locomotive, car, or other vehicle on any railroad or elsewhere in the United States engaged in interstate or foreign commerce shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and for every such offense shall be punishable by a fine of not exceeding $100 or by imprisonment for not exceeding six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment; and the President of the United States is hereby authorized, whenever in his judgment the public interest requires, to employ the armed forces of the United States to prevent any such obstruction or retardation of the passage of the mail, or of the orderly conduct or movement of interstate or foreign commerce in any part of the United States, or of any train, locomotive, car, or other vehicle upon any railroad or elsewhere in the United States engaged in interstate or foreign commerce. Act of Aug. 10, 1917 (40 Stat. 272), amending Sec. 1, Act of Feb. 4, 1887, as amended by Act of June 29, 1906 (34 Stat. 589), and Act of Aug. 29, 1916 (39 Stat. 631). 525d. Provisions relative to decrees of antitrust violations, labor disputes, etc., not repealed.-Nothing in this section shall be construed to repeal, modify, or affect either section six or section twenty of an Act entitled 'An Act to supplement existing laws against unlawful restraints and monopolies, and for other purposes,' approved October fifteenth, nineteen hundred and fourteen.1 Act of Aug. 10, 1917 (40 Stat. 272). 525e. Preference or priority of transportation of commodities essential to national defense.-During the continuance of the war in 138 Stat., 731, 738. which the United States is now engaged the President is authorized, if he finds it necessary for the national defense and security, to direct that such traffic or such shipments of commodities as, in his judgment, may be essential to the national defense and security shall have preference or priority in transportation by any common carrier by railroad, water, or otherwise. Id. 525f. Same-Directions for.-He may give these directions at and for such times as he may determine, and may modify, change, suspend, or annul them, and for any such purpose he is hereby authorized to issue orders direct, or through such person or persons as he may designate for the purpose or through the Interstate Commerce Commission. Officials of the United States, when so designated, shall receive no compensation for their services rendered hereunder. Id. 525g. Same-Offices for persons designated, compensation, etc.— Persons not in the employ of the United States so designated shall receive such compensation as the President may fix. Suitable offices may be rented and all necessary expenses, including compensation of persons so designated shall be paid as directed by the President out of funds which may have been or may be provided to meet expenditures for the national security and defense. Id. 525h. Maintenance of agencies at Washington by common carriers.—The common carriers subject to the Act to regulate commerce or as many of them as desire so to do are hereby authorized without responsibility or liability on the part of the United States, financial or otherwise, to establish and maintain in the city of Washington during the period of the war an agency empowered by such carriers as join in the arrangement to receive on behalf of. them all notice and service of such orders and directions as may be issued in accordance with this Act, and service upon such agency shall be good service as to all the carriers joining in the establishment thereof. Id, 273. 525i. Duties of common carriers, punishment for failure to perform.—And it shall be the duty of any and all the officers, agents, or employees of such carriers by railroad or water or otherwise to obey strictly and conform promptly to such orders, and failure knowingly and willfully to comply therewith, or to do or perform whatever is necessary to the prompt execution of such order, shall render such officers, agents, or employees guilty of a misdemeanor, and any such officer, agent, or employee shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both, in the discretion of the court. Id. 525j. Rates for transportation of persons and property to be just and reasonable, etc.-For the transportation of persons or property in carrying out the orders and directions of the President, just and reasonable rates shall be fixed by the Interstate Commerce Commission; and if the transportation be for the Government of the United States, it shall be paid for currently or monthly by the Secretary of the Treasury out of any funds not otherwise appropriated. Id. 525k. Exemption from preferential or priority provisions in existing law. Any carrier complying with any such order or direction for preference or priority herein authorized shall be exempt from any and all provisions in existing law imposing civil or criminal pains, penalties, obligations, or liabilities upon carriers by reason of giving preference or priority in compliance with such order or direction. Id. 534a. Transfer of vessels, equipment, stations, and personnel of Lighthouse Service to War Department in time of national emergency. The President is hereby authorized, whenever in his judg ment a sufficient national emergency exists, to transfer to the service and jurisdiction of the Navy Department, or of the War Department, such vessels, equipment, stations, and personnel of the Lighthouse Service as he may deem to the best interests of the country, and after such transfer all expenses connected therewith shall be defrayed out of the appropriations for the department to which transfer is made. Act of Aug. 29, 1916 (39 Stat. 602). 1 534b. Same-Return of to Lighthouse Service when emergency ceases. Such vessels, equipment, stations, and personnel shall be returned to the Lighthouse Service when such national emergency ceases in the opinion of the President, and nothing in this Act shall be construed as transferring the Lighthouse Service or any of its functions from the Department of Commerce except in time of national emergency and to the extent herein provided. Id. 534c. Same-Personnel while under jurisdiction of War Department subject to Articles of War.-Any of the personnel of the Lighthouse Service who may be transferred as herein provided shall, while under the jurisdiction of the Navy Department or War Department, be subject to the laws, regulations, and orders for the government of the Navy or Army, as the case may be, in so far as the same may be applicable to persons whose retention permanently in the military service of the United States is not contemplated by law. Id. 534d. Same-Secretaries of War, Navy, and Commerce to prescribe regulations governing duties of Lighthouse Service in time of war. The Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of War, and the 1 In case of a transfer of the Lighthouse Service to the War Department in time of national emergency, as provided by the act of Aug. 29, 1916 (39 Stat.. 602), Held, that such employees will retain their civilian status and that the employees' compensation act of Sept. 17, 1916 (39 Stat., 742), will be applicable to them in case of their injury or death in line of duty; and further, that in case of their capture by the enemy, the principles of international law relating to prisoners of war no doubt will apply. (War Dept. Bull. 18, Apr. 6, 1917.) Secretary of Commerce shall jointly prescribe regulations governing the duties to be performed by the Lighthouse Service in time of war, and for the cooperation of that service with the Navy and War Departments in time of peace in preparation for its duties in war, and this may include arrangements for a direct line of communication between the officers or bureaus of the Navy and War Departments and the Bureau of Lighthouses to provide for immediate action on all communications from these departments. Id. 534e. Shipping Board to have constructed or purchase, lease, or charter vessels suitable for use as Army transports or for other military purposes, etc.-The board, with the approval of the President, is authorized to have constructed and equipped in American shipyards and navy yards or elsewhere, giving preference, other things being equal, to domestic yards, or to purchase, lease, or charter, vessels suitable, as far as the commercial requirements of the marine trade of the United States may permit, for use as naval auxilliaries. or Army transports, or for other naval or military purposes, and to make necessary repairs on and alterations of such vessels. Sec. 5, act of Sept. 7, 1916 (39 Stat. 730). 534f. Vessels of War Department not needed for military purposes in time of peace may be transferred to the board permanently or for limited periods.-The President may transfer either permanently or for limited periods to the board such vessels belonging to the War or Navy Department as are suitable for commercial uses and not required for military or naval use in time of peace, and cause to be transferred to the board vessels owned by the Panama Railroad Company and not required in its business. Sec. 6, Id. 534g. Cost of ships turned over to Army excepted from appropriation for ships which is to be reimbursed cost of same.-The cost of purchasing, requisitioning, or otherwise acquiring plants, material, charters, or ships now constructed or in the course of construction and the expediting of construction of ships thus under construction shall not exceed the sum of $250,000,000, exclusive of the cost of ships turned over to the Army and Navy, the expenditure of which is hereby authorized, and in executing the authority granted by this Act for such purpose the President shall not expend or obligate the United States to expend more than the said sum; and there is hereby appropriated for said purpose, $150,000,000: Provided, That this appropriation shall be reimbursed from available funds under the War and Navy Departments for vessels turned over for the exclusive use of those departments or either of them. Act of June 15, 1917 (40 Stat. 183). COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY. 534h. Transfer of vessels, equipment, stations, and personnel of to War Department, etc., in time of national emergency.-The President is hereby authorized, whenever in his judgment a sufficient national emergency exists, to transfer to the service and jurisdiction of the War Department, or of the Navy Department, such vessels, equipment, stations, and personnel of the Coast and Geodetic Survey as he may deem to the best interest of the country, and after such transfer all expenses connected therewith shall be defrayed out of the appropriations for the department to which transfer is made. Sec. 16, Act of May 22, 1917 (40 Stat. 87). 5341, Same-Return of when emergency ceases. Such vessels, equipment, stations, and personnel shall be returned to the Coast and Geodetic Survey when such national emergency ceases, in the opinion of the President, and nothing in this Act shall be construed as transferring the Coast and Geodetic Survey or any of its functions from the Department of Commerce except in time of national emergency and to the extent herein provided. Id. 534j. Same-Personnel subject to Articles of War, etc., while under jurisdiction of War Department.-Any of the personnel of the Coast and Geodetic Survey who may be transferred as herein provided shall, while under the jurisdiction of the War Department or Navy Department, have proper military status and shall be subject to the laws, regulations, and orders for the government of the Army or Navy, as the case may be, in so far as the same may be applicable to persons whose retention permanently in the military service of the United States is not contemplated by law. Id., 88. 534k. Pay and allowances not to be reduced by transfer; pension for disabilities incurred while under jurisdiction of War Department. Nothing in this Act shall reduce the total amount of pay and allowances they were receiving at the time of transfer. While actually employed in active service under direct orders of the War Department or of the Navy Department members of the Coast and Geodetic Survey shall receive the benefit of all provisions of laws relating to disability incurred in line of duty or loss of life. Id. (See paragraph 5340, post.) 5341. Same-Examinations for appointment and promotion.—No person shall be appointed aid or shall be promoted from aid to junior hydrographic and geodetic engineer or from junior hydrographic and geodetic engineer to hydrographic and geodetic engineer until after passing a satisfactory mental and physical examination conducted in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Commerce, except that the President is authorized to nominate for confirmation the assistants and aids in the service on the date of the passage of this Act. Id. 534m. Field officers, designation, appointment, and pay.-The President is authorized to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, the field officers of the Coast and Geodetic |