construction at Fort Francis E. Warren, Wyo., as proposed by the House, instead of $69,745, as proposed by the Senate; and reappropriates $343,784 on account of construction at Fort Lewis, Wash., and $75,000 on account of construction at Fort Benning, Ga., as proposed by the Senate.

No. 67: Appropriates $200,000 for arms, ammunition, etc., for target practice, as proposed by the House, instead of $250,000, as proposed by the Senate.

No. 46: Clarifies the text of the appropriation for barracks and quarters, as proposed by the Senate.

Nos. 54 and 55, relating to the Air Corps: Appropriates $31,479,635, instead of $31,679,635, as proposed by the House, and $31,522,295, as proposed by the Senate, and makes available for experimental and research work $2,310,377, as proposed by the Senate, instead of $2,510,377, as proposed by the House.

Nos. 60 and 61, relating to the Chemical Warfare Service: Appropriates $1,252,099, as proposed by the House, instead of $1,681,579, as proposed by the Senate, and strikes out the proposal of the Senate that $420,000 of the appropriation shall be available for gas masks.

No. 64: Appropriates $6,537,785 for the Organized Reserves, as proposed by the Senate, instead of $6,765,385, as proposed by the House.

No. 65: Appropriates $3,970,000 for the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, as proposed by the Senate, instead of $3,960,000, as proposed by the House.

No. 66: Appropriates $2,779,129 for citizens' military training camps, instead of $2,802,754, as proposed by the House, and $2,779,849, as proposed by the Senate.

No. 70: Appropriates $40,120 for Shiloh National Military Park, as proposed by the Senate, instead of $90,120, as proposed by the House.

No. 71: Continues available until June 30, 1932, the unexpended balances of the appropriations for survey of battlefields in the vicinity of Richmond, Va., and the battlefield of Saratoga, N. Y., as proposed by the Senate.

No. 76: Strikes out the provision inserted by the Senate with respect to giving the Secretary of Agriculture authority to use $5,000,000 of the $45,000,000 appropriation for drought relief in certain ways as to aid in extending credit to farmers.

No. 77: Strikes out the provision inserted by the Senate authorizing and directing the Federal Farm Board to make available 20,000,000 bushels of wheat, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to provide food for the distressed people in various parts of the United States.

No. 78: Appropriates $7,500 for expenses of attendance of the Army Band at the Confederate Veterans' Reunion at Montgomery, Ala., in June, 1931, as proposed by the Senate, amended to be immediately available.

The managers on the part of the House have agreed to recommend that the House either recede and concur or recede and concur with amendments in the following amendments of the Senate:

No. 30: Relating to Army personnel engaging with publications carrying paid advertising.

No. 32. Relating to the purchase of oleomargarine or butter substitutes.

Nos. 40, 41, 43, and 44: Relating to an appropriation of $45,000 for construction at West Point, N. Y., and an appropriation of $12,000 for reimbursing the Gray Ladies of the Red Cross.

No. 48: Relating to the procurement of articles of the growth, production, or manufacture of the United States.

No. 72: Relating to the repair, restoration, and rehabilitation of Old Fort Niagara, N. Y.

No. 74: Relating to the construction of a public terminal for coastwise traffic in Biloxi Harbor, Miss.

RELIEVING COMMISSIONERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OF CERTAIN MINISTERIAL DUTIES

FEBRUARY 19, 1931.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. ZIHLMAN, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany S. 4963]

The Committee on the District of Columbia, to which was referred the bill (S. 4963) to relieve the Commissioners of the District of Columbia of certain ministerial duties, having considered the same, report back to the House with the recommendation that the legislation do pass.

The purpose of this bill is to release the commissioners from a considerable amount of routine work, necessitated by the signing of certain official papers of the District of Columbia government.

Under the terms of the bill the secretary of the Board of Commissioners would be permitted legally to sign such documents in the name of the District or of the Board of Commissioners, and to affix the District seal when requisite.

The bill specifically provides, however, that before such papers may be signed, their contents must have been considered and approved by a meeting of the Board of Commissioners, and their approval noted in the minutes of the meeting, which minutes must be signed. by a majority of the board. The documents to which this bill refers are deeds, contracts, pleadings, leases, releases, regulations and other papers which the commissioners are now obliged to sign.

The commissioners' letter, asking the introduction and passage of this legislation is appended hereto and made a part of this report, and the committee knows of no opposition to the measure.

HR-71-3-VOL 240

Hon. F. N. ZIHLMAN,

WASHINGTON, November 25, 1930.

Chairman Committee on the District of Columbia,

House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.

SIR: The commissioners of the District of Columbia have the honor to submit herewith draft of a bill entitled "A bill to relieve the Commissioners of the District of Columbia of certain ministerial duties."

The object of this bill is to relieve the Commissioners of the District of Columbia of a great deal of burdensome work of signing official papers and to place this duty upon the Secretary of the Board of Commissioners.

The commissioners will continue to exercise the functions placed upon them by law of considering and approving all matters referred to in the proposed law, but they will be relieved of the actual execution of the instruments therein referred to. They believe that the passage of this legislation will enable them to give greater time to the larger public problems of administration by relieving them of much detail, which can well be performed by the Secretary of the Board of Commissioners.

Very truly yours,

L. H. REICHELDERFER. President Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia.