to the trustees of the academy the restriction, imposed by the act of March 8, 1888, that the property be used exclusively for educational purposes. This property was originally an Army arsenal. In 1879 it was leased, by act of Congress, to the Reverend A. Tomer Porter, at nominal rent. Nine years later the land was conveyed to the trustees of Porter Academy by the act of March 8, 1888, but with the restriction described in the preceding paragraph. The academy now holds a conditional fee simple title. So long as the restriction is continued, it is unable to borrow money for the repair of the property. At this time the academy is in such condition that in order to keep operating, additional funds must be obtained from some financial institution so that the necessary repairs and alterations may be made. The proposed bill, therefore, releases to the trustees of the academy the restriction imposed by the act of March 8, 1888. The Department of the Army, in the following letter to the Chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, interposes no objection to the enactment of the proposed bill "since its enactment into law will not adversely affect any activity of the National Military Establishment." The committee report on the bill is unanimous. Hon. CARL VINSON, Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. VINSON: Reference is made to your recent request to the Secretary of Defense for the views of the National Military Establishment with respect to H. R. 4466, Eighty-first Congress, a bill removing certain restrictions imposed by section 2 of the act of March 8, 1888, on certain lands conveyed by such act to the trustees of Porter Academy. The Secretary of Defense has delegated to this Department the responsibility for expressing the views of the National Military Establishment. The Department of the Army has no objection to the above-mentioned bill but recommends that it be modified as indicated below. The purpose of this bill is to authorize the Secretary of the Army to release to the trustees of Porter Academy the restriction placed upon certain land in Charleston, S. C., conveyed to them pursuant to the act of March 8, 1888, which provided that the property should be inviolably dedicated to educational purposes and no other. No objection is interposed to this measure since its enactment into law will not adversely affect any activity of the National Military Establishment. It is recommended that the language of the bill be modified as follows: In the first line of the title delete the words "section 2 of"; in line 6 insert the words "which was" after the words "South Carolina"; in line 7 delete the word "by" and insert in place thereof the words "pursuant to the provisions of"; in line 10 delete the word "section" and insert in place thereof the words "sections 1 and"; in line 10 delete the word "provides" and insert the word "required"; in line 11 delete the word "shall" and insert in place thereof the word "should"; in line 12 delete the period and add the following language "and required that the deed of conveyance contain a condition to that effect." A copy of the bil modi fied as indicated is attached. The above recommended changes will cause the bill to be identical in language with S. 1742 and will correct line 10 which refers only to section 2 rather than to sections 1 and 2. The passage of this measure will not involve the expenditure of any Federal funds. This report has been coordinated among the Departments and Boards in the National Military Establishment in accordance with procedures prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. Inasmuch as the committee has requested that this report be expedited, it is submitted without determination by the Bureau of the Budget as to whether it conforms to the program of the President. Sincerely yours, GORDON GRAY, Under Secretary of the Army. Although paragraph 2 (a) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives does not apply in respect to the proposed bill, there is set forth below for the information of the House of Representatives existing law pertaining to this legislation: ACT OF MARCH 8, 1888 (25 STAT. 45, CHAPTER 29) Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of War be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to convey, by deed duly and properly executed to the trustees of the Porter Academy, of Charleston, South Carolina, and to their successors, the property situated in said city, belonging to the Government of the United States, formerly used as an arsenal, now and for the seven years last past used for educational purposes, bounded on the north by Bee street, on the east by Ashley street, on the south by Doughty street, and on the west by President street, said conveyance to embrace a condition that said property shall be inviolably dedicated to educational purposes, and no other. SEC. 2. That the Secretary of War shall require the said trustees to file an acceptance in the War Department of said property, stipulating that the same shall be dedicated and used for all time for educational purposes, and for no other. INCREASING PENSIONS FOR WIDOWS AND CHILDREN OF DECEASED AND RETIRED POLICE AND FIREMEN OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA JUNE 7, 1949.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. DAVIS of Georgia, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 2021] The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 2021) to provide increased pensions for widows and children of deceased members and retired members of the Police Department and the Fire Department of the District of Columbia, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The purpose of this bill is to increase the pension allowances of both widows and children of deceased members and retired members of the Police and Fire Departments of the District of Columbia; also to extend the age of which children may receive their allowances from 16 to 18 years. It provides that widows and children of deceased members and retired members of both the Police and Fire Departments now receiving pensions shall be afforded the increase from the effective date of the amendatory act. The amount to be contributed by policemen and firemen to the retirement and relief system is increased from 31⁄2 percent to 5 percent. It is estimated the increased cost of this legislation will be approximately $300,000. However, it should be borne in mind that this bill also provides for an additional 1% percent deduction from the salaries of the members of the Police and Fire Departments, which will produce about $150,000. This will serve to reduce the cost to the District to approximately $150,000. The bill has been recommended by the Commissioners and by representatives of the firemen's and policemen's associations. Members of the United States Park and White House Police forces, by other legislation heretofore enacted, are given the same benefits as members of the District Fire and Police Departments automatically when benefits for the latter are changed. The same situation applies to the rate of deduction from their pay. This legislation is similar to H. R. 6295 of the Eightieth Congress, which passed the House and was reported in the Senate. Action was postponed pending the passage of the sales tax. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW In compliance with paragraph 2a of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, as introduced, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italics, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): SEC. 12. That from and after the passage of this Act the funds now authorized by law and known as the "Police relief fund" and the "Firemen's relief fund" shall be designated and known as the "Policemen and firemen's relief fund, District of Columbia." The said fund shall consist of all fines imposed by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia upon members of the police and fire departments of said District by way of discipline; all rewards, proceeds of gifts, and emoluments that may be received by any member of said departments (for extraordinary services), except such part thereof as the said Commissioners may allow to be retained by members of said departments; a deduction of one and one-half per centum of the monthly salary of each member of said departments; donations; and the net proceeds of sales of unclaimed property in the custody of the property clerk of the police department; all of which shall be paid into the Treasury of the United States to the credit of the "Policemen and firemen's relief fund, District of Columbia," herein provided for; and should the said fund at any time be insufficient to defray the expenditures hereinafter provided for, the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, in that event, are authorized, and it shall be their duty, to direct the collector of taxes of said District, and it shall be the duty of the said collector, pursuant to such direction, to pay into the Treasury of the United States, out of the general revenue of the District of Columbia collected by him, to the credit of the said “Policemen and firemen's relief fund, District of Columbia," such sums as may be necessary from time to time to meet deficiencies in said fund. The moneys to the credit of the said fund shall be available for appropriation by Congress annually only for expenditure on requisitions of the said Commissioners for the purposes set forth in tais Act, and all expenditures from said fund shall be made and accounted for in the same manner as other expenditures of the government of the District of Columbia are made and accounted for. Whenever any member of the police department or the fire department of the District of Columbia shall become temporarily disabled by injury received or disease contracted in the actual discharge of his duty, to such an extent as to require medical or surgical services other than such as can be rendered by the board of police and fire surgeons of said District, or to require hospital treatment, the expenses of such medical or surgical services, or hospital treatment, shall be paid from the policemen and firemen's relief fund, District of Columbia, provided for in this Act; but no such expenses shall be paid except upon a certificate of the said board of police and fire surgeons, or two members thereof, setting forth the necessity for such services or treatment and the nature of the injury or disease which rendered the same necessary, and upon the approval of the said certificate by the superintendent of the Metropolitan police or the chief engineer of the fire department, as the case may be. and the approval of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia. Whenever any member of the police department or the fire department of the District of Columbia shall become so permanently disabled through injury received or disease contracted in the line of duty as to incapacitate him for the performance of duty, or, having served not less than twenty-five years and having reached the age of fifty-five years shall, for any cause, become so permanently disabled as to incapacitate him for the performance of duty and shall make written application therefor and said application shall be approved by the Commissioners of said District, or, having reached the age of sixty years, in the discre |