grazing which destroys natural reproduction is common. Planting has been neglected. Continued removal of only the best material has left a depleted growing stock of poor quality. These have reduced the value and productive capacity of farm woodlands and hence the income from them to farmers.

Areas classifiable as farm woodlands, which already comprise more acreage than is occupied by any other farm crop, are on the increase. In 1935 the census reported 185 million acres of farm woodland, an increase of some 24 percent from the 1929 figure. Further, it is believed that several additional millions of acres of submarginal land will have been dropped from agricultural use by the end of the 20-year period 1930-50. It is recognized that there is little prospect of there being any major use for most of this great acreage of land other than for the growing of trees. Encouragement and leadership in securing forestation of a part of this tremendous acreage, spread over many States, is a logical Federal function.

We should be concerned not only with those areas whereon the tree growth is depleted or has been destroyed by lumbering, fire, or clearing for agriculture, but also with those large areas which are naturally treeless but upon which trees can be grown. The benefits to be derived from tree plantings in the Prairie-Plains Region are as great or greater than in the case of regions having forests. Forestation in the Prairie-Plains Region will reduce wind and water erosion and conserve soil and subsoil moisture-features which are at last being recognized as essential to continued agriculture and public welfare in the region. Forestation will also provide protection for crops, livestock, and homes; furnish an outlet for farm labor in slack periods; produce fuel and other wood products now brought from considerable distances; and help to stabilize the western boundary of profitable, agriculture of the region.

To accomplish the purposes of this act, investigations, as provided in the bill, will be necessary in such phases as selection and production of tree planting stock, planting technique, and care of plantations; on the best silvicultural management, harvesting, and utilization of woodlot stands; and on marketing of products expecially through cooperative enterprises.

In summary the activities proposed under this legislation would contribute very materially and within a reasonable period to better balanced land use on farms, to better and more stable farm income, and hence to greater stability of farm ownership. These are important factors in the agricultural and rural rehabilitation program of this Department and of the Administration.

You will be interested to know that this bill has been referred to the Acting Director of the Bureau of the Budget for his consideration. Under date of April 2, 1937, he advises that the legislation proposed by bill H. R. 4728 would not be in conflict with the program of the President, providing that it be amended to authorize annual appropriations of not to exceed $3,350,000 instead of $5,000,000. Subject to the revision in the authorization for annual appropriations, as noted above, this Department recommends the enactment of the legislation proposed in this bill.

Sincerely,

HARRY L. BROWN,
Acting Secretary.

Also, it will be noted that, in accordance with the suggestion of the Director of the Bureau of the Budget, the amount authorized to be appropriated has been reduced. The reduced authorization for expenditure of funds in this bill has been made to conform to the authorization carried in a companion bill passed by the Senate a few days ago.

О

TERM OF COURT AT BENTON, ILL.

APRIL 28, 1937.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. WALTER, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 169]

The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 169) to provide for a term of court at Benton, Ill., after consideration, report the same favorably to the House with an amendment with the recommendation that, as so amended, the bill do pass.

The committee amendment is as follows: Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the following:

That section 79 of the Judicial Code (U. S. C., 1934 ed., title 28, sec. 152) is amended to read as follows:

"The State of Illinois is divided into three districts, to be known as the northern, southern, and eastern districts of Illinois. The northern district shall include the territory embraced on the 1st day of July, 1910, in the counties of Cook, De Kalb, Du Page, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, La Salle, McHenry, and Will, which shall constitute the eastern division; also the territory embraced on the date last mentioned in the counties of Boone, Carroll, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside, and Winnebago, which shall constitute the western division. Terms of the district court for the eastern division shall be held at Chicago on the first Mondays in February, March, April, May, June, July, September, October, and November, and the third Monday in December; and for the western division, at Freeport on the third Mondays in April and October. The clerk of the court for the northern district shall maintain an office in charge of himself or a deputy at Chicago and at Freeport, which shall be kept open at all times for the transaction of the business of the court. The marshal for the northern district shall maintain an office in the division in which he himself does not reside and shall appoint at least one deputy who shall reside therein. The southern district shall include the territory embraced on the 1st day of July 1910 in the counties of Bureau, Fulton, Henderson, Henry, Knox, Livingston, McDonough, Marshall, Mercer, Putnam, Peoria, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell, Warren, and Woodford, which shall constitute the northern division; also the territory embraced on the date last mentioned in the counties of Adams, Bond, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Christian, De Witt, Greene, Hancock, Jersey, Logan, McLean, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Mason, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, and Scott, which shall constitute the southern division. Terms of the district court for the northern division shall be held at Peoria on the third Mondays in April and October; for the southern division, at Springfield on the first Mondays in January and June

and at Quincy on the first Mondays in March and September. The clerk of the court for the southern district shall maintain an office in charge of himself or a deputy at Peoria, at Springfield, and at Quincy, which shall be kept open at all times for the transaction of the business of the court. The marshal for said southern district shall appoint at least one deputy residing in the said northern division, who shall maintain an office at Peoria. The eastern district shall include the territory embraced on the 1st day of July 1910, in the counties of Alexander, Champaign, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Iroquois, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Kankakee, Lawrence, Marion, Massac, Monroe, Moultrie, Perry, Piatt, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Richland, Saint Clair, Saline, Shelby, Union, Vermilion, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, White, and Williamson. Terms of the district court for the eastern district shall be held at Danville on the first Mondays in March and September; at Cairo, on the first Mondays in April and October; at East Saint Louis, on the first Mondays in May and November; and at Benton, on the first Mondays in June and December: Provided, That facilities for holding court at Benton are furnished free of expense to the United States. The clerk of the court for the eastern district shall maintain an office in charge of himself or a deputy at Danville, at Cairo, at East Saint Louis, and at Benton, which shall be kept open at all times for the transaction of the business of the court, and shall there keep the records, files, and documents pertaining to the court at that place."

Terms of the district court for the eastern district of Illinois are now held at Danville, Cairo, and East St. Louis, none of which is centrally located. This bill will add a fourth place of holding court, Benton, which is centrally located. The terms at Benton will be held on the first Mondays in June and December. Accommodations for holding court there are to be furnished free of expense to the United States. The committee is advised that a considerable saving in the amount of witness mileage fees paid by the Government will result from the enactment of this proposed legislation, and that the convenience of lawyers and litigants will be substantially promoted.

In compliance with clause 2a of rule XIII existing law is printed below with matter proposed to be omitted enclosed in black brackets and new matter proposed to be inserted printed in italics:

The State of Illinois is divided into three districts, to be known as the northern, southern, and eastern districts of Illinois. The northern district shall include the territory embraced on the 1st day of July 1910 in the counties of Cook, De Kalb, Du Page, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, La Salle, McHenry, and Will, which shall constitute the eastern division; also the territory embraced on the date last mentioned in the counties of Boone, Carroll, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside, and Winnebago, which shall constitute the western division. Terms of the district court for the eastern division shall be held at Chicago on the first Mondays in February, March, April, May, June, July, September, October, and November, and the third Monday in December; and for the western division, at Freeport on the third Mondays in April and October. The clerk of the court for the northern district shall maintain an office in charge of himself or a deputy at Chicago and at Freeport, which shall be kept open at all times for the transaction of the business of the court. The marshal for the northern district shall maintain an office in the division in which he himself does not reside and shall appoint at least one deputy who shall reside therein. The southern district shall include the territory embraced on the 1st day of July 1910 in the counties of Bureau, Fulton, Henderson Henry, Knox, Livingston, McDonough, Marshall, Mercer, Putnam, Peoria, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell, Warren, and Woodford, which shall constitute the northern division; also the territory embraced on the date last mentioned in the counties of Adams, Bond, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Christian. De Watt. Greene. Hancock, Jersey, Logan, McLean, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Mason, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, and Scott, which shall constitute the southern division. Terms of the district court for the northern division stall be held at Peoris on the third Mondays in April and October; for the southern division, at Springfield on the first Mondays in January and June, and at Quiney on the first Mondays in March and September. The clerk of the court for the southern

district shall maintain an office in charge of himself or a deputy at Peoria, at Springfield, and at Quincy, which shall be kept open at all times for the transaction of the business of the court. The marshal for said southern district shall appoint at least one deputy_residing in the said northern division, who shall maintain an office at Peoria. The eastern district shall include the territory embraced on the 1st day of July 1910 in the counties of Alexander, Champaign, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Iroquois, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Kankakee, Lawrence, Marion, Massac, Monroe, Moultrie, Perry, Piatt, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Richland, Saint Clair, Saline, Shelby, Union, Vermilion, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, White, and Williamson. Terms of the district court for the eastern district shall be held at Danville on the first Mondays in March and September; at Cairo, on the first Mondays in April and October; [and] at East Saint Louis, on the first Mondays in May and November; and at Benton, on the first Mondays in June and December: Provided, That facilities for holding court at Benton are furnished free of expense to the United States. The clerk of the court for the eastern district shall maintain an office in charge of himself or a deputy at Danville, at Cairo, [and] at East Saint Louis, and at Benton, which shall be kept open at all times for the transaction of the business of the court, and shall there keep the records, files, and documents pertaining to the court at that place.