10 miles from Manistique), and, in response to their appeals for assistance, it was necessary to dispatch Coast Guard facilities from the Plum Island Station, 43 miles distant. At the present time the northern section of the waters of Lake Michigan, for a distance of 44 miles to the eastward of Manistique, is without Coast Guard protection, and the nearest Coast Guard station to this port is located at Plum Island, Wis., a distance of approximately 43 miles to the southward. In addition to the grounding of the two steamers in 1934, recently two large vessels have grounded in this locality and resort had to be made to distant Coast Guard units to afford aid. For these reasons the establishment of a Coast Guard station in the vicinity of the port of Manistique is considered essential. The Treasury Department recommends the passage of the bill, as amended, as will be seen from the letter of the Acting Secretary of the Treasury which follows, and your committee urges the early enactment of the bill. Hon. S. O. BLAND, TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., May 8, 1987. Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Reference is made to your letter of January 25, 1937, enclosing a copy of bill (H. R. 3414, 75th Cong., 1st sess.) to provide for the establishment of a Coast Guard station at or near Manistique, Mich., and requesting to be furnished the views and recommendations of this Department thereon. The need for a Coast Guard station at or near Manistique, Mich., has been carefully studied by the Commandant of the Coast Guard who submits the following views upon the proposal: At the present time the northern section of the waters of Lake Michigan, for a distance of 44 miles to the eastward of Manistique, is without Coast Guard protection, and the nearest Coast Guard station to this port is located at Plum Island, Wis., a distance of approximately 43 miles to the southward. Many fishing tugs operate out of Manistique, and approximately 750,000 tons of shipping enter the harbor annually. During the year 1934 two steamships grounded at Point aux Barques (approximately 10 miles from Manistique) and, in response to their appeals for assistance, it was necessary to dispatch Coast Guard facilities from the Plum Island station, 43 miles distant. Recently, two large vessels grounded in this locality and resort had to be made to distant Coast Guard units to afford aid. In order to provide proper protection to the extensive marine commerce operating in the northern part of Lake Michigan and to give attention to observance of the maritime laws by shipping in the general region of Manistique, the establishment of a Coast Guard station in the vicinity of this port is considered essential. In a survey, entirely independent of the present study, made in 1936 by & board of Coast Guard officers, of needs along the Lake Michigan coast, it was recommended that a Coast Guard station be established at or near Manistique. For the above reasons, the Department recommends the enactment of enabling legislation to authorize the establishment of a station at or near Manistique, and accordingly recommends the passage of bill H. R. 3414, amended as follows: After the word "recommend" in line 7, insert a period, and strike out all of the following text in lines 7, 8, and 9. I am advised that the legislation proposed by bill H. R. 3414, thus amended is in accord with the program of the President. Very truly yours, STEPHEN B. GIBBONS, Acting Secretary of the Treasury. COAST GUARD STATION, MENOMINEE, MICH. JUNE 2, 1937.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. WARREN, from the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 3416] The Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 3416) to provide for the establishment of a Coast Guard station at Menominee, Mich., having had the same under consideration, report it back to the House with amendments and, as so amended, recommend that the bill do pass. The amendments proposed by your committee are as follows: 1. Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof the following: That the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to establish a Coast Guard station at or near Menominee, Michigan, at such point as the Commandant of the Coast Guard may recommend. 2. Amend the title by adding after the word "at" the words "or near", so as to read: A bill to provide for the establishment of a Coast Guard station at or near Menominee, Michigan. The purpose of amendment no. 1 is two-fold: All authority for appropriations for the establishment and construction of the proposed Coast Guard station is eliminated from the bill so as to limit the provisions of the proposed legislation to a mere authority in the Secretary of the Treasury to establish such a station; and, since it is customary in the wording of enabling legislation for the establishment of Coast Guard stations to invest the Commandant of the Coast Guard with a reasonable latitude of judgment in deciding upon the most advantageous location at which a station should be established along a section of the coast, instead of authorizing the establishment of the station "at Menominee, Menominee County, Michigan", the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to establish a Coast Guard station "at or near Menominee, Michigan". The specification "at Menominee, Menominee County, Michigan" is quite restrictive. The general coastal area at or near Menominee embraces the coasts of both Michigan and Wisconsin, since Menominee lies just inside the boundary line between the States of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is thought wise, therefore, to effect a change in this wording which will give the Secretary of the Treasury sufficient latitude in procuring a suitable site for the establishment of the proposed Coast Guard station. The purpose of amendment no. 2 is to so word the title of the bill as to conform to the change proposed by amendment no. 1. Both of the above amendments were recommended by the Acting Secretary of the Treasury for identical reasons, the Acting Secretary advising in a letter dated May 18, 1937, that the legislation proposed by the bill H. R. 3416, amended as above recommended, is in accord with the program of the President. A careful study has been made by the Commandant of the Coast Guard of the need for a station in the coastal region embracing Menominee, Mich. There is a large volume of water traffic in this area plying out of the ports of Menominee, Marinette, and Oconto, and the shipping entering the city of Green Bay, Wis., passing within 7 miles of Menominee, reached a total of 1,868,977 short tons, valued at $14,494,250 during the year 1934. Last year 604 motorboats of all classes were reported as plying between Gills Rock and Green Bay. Marine activities at Menominee have increased greatly in recent years, and for a distance of 36 miles to the southward and 38 miles to the northward of Menominee no protection is offered small boats in Green Bay. The Sturgeon Bay Canal Coast Guard Station, which is approximately 25 miles to the eastward, and the Plum Island Coast Guard Station, which is approximately 40 miles to the north, are the nearest stations to afford any protection for boating and marine commerce that ply the waters of Green Bay. A factor to be taken into consideration for the location of a station at Menominee is that of providing protection to fishermen and yachtsmen who use Green Bay waters each year, where it frequently has been necessary for the Coast Guard to dispatch boats from distant stations to search for missing craft. To insure a reasonable degree of protection to marine commerce and activities in Green Bay, and to afford the Coast Guard means to give attention to compliance with navigation and other maritime laws by the large number of vessels operating along this general coastal area, the establishment of a Coast Guard station at Menominee is recommended both by the Treasury Department and by your committee. The Acting Secretary of the Treasury advises that a site is available at this point for the proposed station which has the peculiar advantage of being centrally and strategically located, and a site for a lookout, which would afford an excellent view of adjacent waters and the shore line for a great distance, is also available. As stated above, the bill, as amended, is in accord with the program of the President, and your committee being cognizant of the need for and the many advantages to be derived from the establishment of such a station, recommends the early passage of the bill. The letter of the Acting Secretary of the Treasury, dated May 18, 1937, is as follows: Hon. S. O. BLAND, TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., May 18, 1937. Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Reference is made to your letter of January 25, 1937, enclosing copy of bill (H. R. 3416, 75th Cong., 1st sess.) to provide for the establishment of a Coast Guard station at Menominee, Mich., and requesting to be furnished the views and recommendations of the department thereon. A careful study has been made by the Commandant of the Coast Guard of the need for a Coast Guard station in the coastal region embracing Menominee, Mich. There is a large volume of water traffic in this area plying out of the ports of Menominee, Marinette, and Oconto, and the shipping entering the city of Green Bay, passing within 7 miles of Menominee, reached a total of 1,868,977 short tons, valued at $14,494,250 during the year 1934. Last year 604 motorboats of all classes were reported as plying between Gills Rock and Green Bay. Marine activities at Menominee have increased greatly in recent years, and, for a distance of 36 miles to the southward and 38 miles to the northward of Menominee, no protection is offered small boats in Green Bay. The Sturgeon Bay Canal Coast Guard station, (approximately 25 miles to the eastward), and the Plum Island Coast Guard station (approximately 40 miles to the north) are the nearest stations to afford any protection for boating and marine commerce that ply the waters of Green Bay. A factor to be taken into consideration for the location of a station at Menominee is that of providing protection to fishermen and yachtsmen who use Green Bay waters each year, where it frequently has been necessary for the Coast Guard to dispatch boats from distant stations to search for missing craft. To insure a reasonable degree of protection to marine commerce and activities in Green Bay, and to afford the Coast Guard means to give attention to compliance with navigation and other maritime laws by the large number of vessels operating along this general coastal area, the establishment of a Coast Guard station at Menominee would possess the advantage of being centrally and strategically located. In the survey conducted by the Coast Guard it was found that a site was available at this point for the proposed station and for a lookout which would afford an excellent view of adjacent waters and the shore line for a great distance. It is customary in the wording of enabling legislation for the establishment of Coast Guard stations to invest the Commandant of the Coast Guard with a reasonable latitude of judgment in deciding upon the most advantageous location at which a station should be established along a section of the coast. Bill H. R. 3416 is restrictive in specifying "at Menominee, Menominee County, Michigan.". The general coastal area at or near Menominee embraces the coasts of both Michigan and Wisconsin and it is, therefore, recommended that the title and text of the bill be amended to read as follows: "A BILL To provide for the establishment of a Coast Guard station at or near Menominee, Michigan "Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to establish a Coast Guard station at or near Menominee, Michigan, at such point as the Commandant of the Coast Guard may recommend." The enactment of the bill, thus amended, is recommended by this department. I am advised that the legislation proposed by bill H. R. 3416, amended as above recommended, is in accord with the program of the President. Very truly yours, STEPHEN B. GIBBONS, Acting Secretary of the Treasury. H. Repts., 75–1, vol. 2- -44 о |