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where over 7,000 British troops under Lord Cornwallis laid down their arms at Yorktown, Va., on October 19, 1781, ending the Revolutionary War and our colonial period and marking the dawn of the new era of our national independence.

In considering the measure your committee felt it advisable to amend the bill so that it would conform with other measures of a similar nature that have been given favorable consideration. The following letter has been received from the War Department: FEBRUARY 4, 1931.

Hon. W. FRANK JAMES,

Chairman Committee on Military Affairs,

House of Representatives.

MY DEAR MR. JAMES: I am requested by the Secretary of War to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 31, 1931, transmitting for report a copy of H. R. 16590, a bill to permit the Army to participate at the Yorktown Sesquicentennial Celebration.

The matter is receiving consideration and the department will be pleased to furnish you with a report on this bill at the earliest practicable date.

Very respectfully,

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FILLING VACANCIES IN PORTO RICO LEGISLATURE

FEBRUARY 10, 1931.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. KNUTSON, from the Committee on Insular Affairs, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 15360]

The Committee on Insular Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 15360) to provide for the filling of certain vacancies in the Senate and House of Representatives of Porto Rico, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon and recommends that the bill do pass with the following amendment:

On page 2, lines 11 and 12, strike out the words "recommended for such appointment by the central directing committee of the," and insert in lieu thereof the words "who is a member of that".

In compliance with clause 2a of Rule XIII, there is herewith printed in roman type the section 30 of the act entitled "An act to provide a civil government for Porto Rico, and for other purposes," approved March 2, 1917, which is sought to be amended, with the amendatory language inserted in italics and the language sought to be repealed in brackets.

SEC. 30. That the term of office of senators and representatives [chosen by the first general election shall be until January first, nineteen hundred and twentyone, and the terms of office of senators and representatives chosen at subsequent elections] shall be four years from the second of January following their election. In case of vacancy among the members of the senate or in the house of representatives, due to any cause other than expiration of term of office, [special elections] a special election may be held, for the purpose of filling such vacancy, in the [districts] district [wherein] where such vacancy [occurred] occurs, under such regulations as may be prescribed by law [, but]: Provided, That no vacancy Occurring among senators or representatives at large shall be filled by special election but that any such vacancy, and any other vacancy among senators or representatives, the manner of filling which may not otherwise be prescribed by law at the date when such vacancy occurs, may be filled through appointment by the governor of a duly qualified person, who is a member of that political party to which the senator or representative last elected to the office was accredited at the time of such election: And provided further, That senators or representatives elected [in such cases] or appointed as such under the provisions of this section, shall hold office only for the unexpired portion of the term wherein the vacancy occurred, and that no senator or representative shall, during the time for which he shall have been

HR-71-3-VOL 2————5

elected, be appointed to any civil office under the government of Porto Rico, nor be appointed to any office created by act of the legislature during the time for which he shall have been elected until two years after his term of office shall have expired.

The bill in question has the approval of the War Department and the necessity for the enactment of legislation of this nature is emphasized by Resident Commissioner Felix Cordova Davila, of Porto Rico, in the following letter addressed by him to the chairman of your committee under date of January 12, 1931:

Hon. HAROLD KNUTSON,

Committee on Insular Affairs,

House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR MR. KNUTSON: In regard to the bill (H. R. 15360) introduced by me on December 17, 1930, to provide for the filling of certain vacancies in the Senate and House of Representatives of Porto Rico, I desire most earnestly to emphasize the necessity of enacting this legislation during the present session of Congress.

There are at present two vacancies in the House of Representatives of Porto Rico which can not be filled unless the remedial legislation proposed is approved by Congress.

It is my impression that this measure meets with the approval of the War Department. It also has been recommended by the Legislature of Porto Rico, a concurrent resolution having been approved to that effect.

This bill carries a provision under which special elections may be held for filling the vacancies that may occur, under such regulations as may be prescribed by law. Under this bill no vacancies occurring among senators and representatives at large are to be filled by special elections, but any such vacancy, and any other vacancy among senators or representatives, the manner of filling which may not otherwise be prescribed by law at the date when such vacancy occurs, may be filled through appointment by the governor of a duly qualified person, recommended by the central directing committee of the political party to which the senator or representative last elected to the office was accredited at the time of such election.

There is no doubt that this legislation is wise and necessary, and I trust that it may receive the approval of the committee and the sanction of Congress during this session.

Very sincerely yours,

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LIGHTHOUSE RESERVATIONS AT MISSION POINT AND GRAND TRAVERSE POINT, IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN

FEBRUARY 11, 1931.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed.

Mr. MERRITT, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 9413]

The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 9413) to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to dispose of certain lighthouse reservations in the State of Michigan, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass.

The bill has the approval of the Commerce and Treasury Departments, as will appear by the letters attached.

Hon. JAMES S. PARKER,

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE,
Washington, May 15, 1930.

Chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce,

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House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR CONGRESSMAN: I have your letter of February 3, requesting a report from this department on H. R. 9413, entitled, "To authorize the Secretary of Commerce to dispose of certain lighthouse reservations in the State of Michigan. For the information of your committee, I am inclosing herewith a memorandum dated February 17, 1930, from the Commissioner of Lighthouses, regarding this bill; also a letter from the Director of the Bureau of the Budget, dated May 13, 1930.

Very truly yours,

E. F. MORGAN, Acting Secretary of Commerce.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE,
Washington, February 17, 1930.

Memorandum for the Secretary of Commerce.

1. The letter of February 3, 1930, from the chairman of the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, requesting a report on H. R. 9413, to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to dispose of certain lighthouse reservations in the State of Michigan, is returned herewith.

2. Portions of the reservations referred to are no longer required for lighthouse purposes and the bureau is agreeable to having such portions transferred to the State of Michigan for public-park purposes under the provisions outlined in H. R. 9413. The description of the properties it is proposed to transfer is not included in the bill, but will be incorporated in the deeds of conveyance if the proposed legislation should become a law.

3. It is recommended that this matter be reported favorably by the department, subject to consideration by the Bureau of the Budget.

Hon. JAMES S. PARKER,

G. R. PUTNAM, Commissioner of Lighthouses.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Washington, February 11, 1930.

Chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce,

House of Representatives.

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of February 3, 1930, inclosing a copy of bill H. R. 9413, Seventy-first Congress, second session, to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to dispose of certain lighthouse reservations in the State of Michigan.

Following the enacting clause the bill reads:

"That the Secretary of Commerce is hereby authorized to dispose of to the State of Michigan the lighthouse reservations at Mission Point and Grand Traverse Point, in the State of Michigan, the same to be held permanently by said State for public-park purposes, on such terms as he may determine and with such reservations and restrictions as may be necessary or proper for the maintenance and operation of lighthouses and Coast Guard station and for construction, maintenance, and use of such building or other property thereon as the needs of navigation may now or hereafter require; reserving also full and permanent right of ingress and egress to and from and travel upon lands which may thus be disposed of, for construction, maintenance, and operations of lighthouses, Coast Guard station, and of buildings and property in connection therewith: Provided, That should the State of Michigan fail to keep and hold said land for park purposes title thereto shall revert to and be reinvested in the United States."

The Coast Guard has no land or reservations at Mission Point or Grand Traverse Point in the State of Michigan. It maintains no stations or other units at those points and has no such establishments in contemplation. The bill refers to the Lighthouse Service.

In these circumstances the Treasury Department is not concerned and, therefore, has no further comment to make on the legislation proposed.

Very truly yours,

A. W. MELLON, Secretary of the Treasury.

[H. R. 9413, Seventy-first Congress, second session]

A BILL To authorize the Secretary of Commerce to dispose of certain lighthouse reservations in the State of Michigan

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of Commerce is hereby authorized to dispose of to the State of Michigan the lighthouse reservations at Mission Point and Grand Traverse Point, in the State of Michigan, the same to be held permanently by said State for public park purposes, on such terms as he may determine and with such reservations and restrictions as may be necessary or proper for the maintenance and operation of lighthouses and Coast Guard station and for construction, maintenance, and use of such building or other property thereon as the needs of navigation may now or hereafter require; reserving also full and permanent right of ingress and egress to and from and travel upon lands which may thus be disposed of, for construction, maintenance, and operations of lighthouses, Coast Guard station, and of buildings and property in connection therewith: Provided, That should the State of Michigan fail to keep and hold said land for park purposes title thereto shall revert to and be reinvested in the United States.

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