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(c) For the purposes of this section the terms "persons", "surplus property", and "Government agency" have the same meaning as is assigned to such terms by section 3 of the Surplus Property Act of 1944, as amended.

EXHIBIT A

WAR ASSETS ADMINISTRATION, Washington 25, D. C., March 17, 1948.

Hon. CLARE E. HOFFMAN,

Chairman, Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments,

House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.

DEAR MR. HOFFMAN: Thank you for your letter of March 11, 1948, requesting the views of this Administration with respect to H. R. 5799, a bill "to amend section 13 of the Surplus Property Act of 1944, as amended, to provide for the disposition of surplus real property to States, political subdivisions, and municipalities for use as public park, recreational areas, and historic-monument sites, and for other purposes.'

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The proposed bill would provide for the disposition to States, political subdivisions and municipalities of surplus real property suitable and desirable for use as a public park, public recreational area, or historic monument, at a price equal to 50 percent of the fair value of the property in the case of park and recreational areas, and at no consideration in cases of historic monuments. The bill would also provide for raising the priority of States, political subdivisions and municipalities with respect to the acquisition of real property, to a position immediately above that of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation for resale to small business concerns.

This Administration is in accord with the provisions of the bill and therefore recommends its enactment.

We have been advised by the Bureau of the Budget that there is no objection to the submission of this report.

Sincerely,

JESS LARSON, Administrator.

EXHIBIT B

COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES,
Washington 25, March 23, 1948.

Hon. CLARE E. HOFFMAN,

Chairman, Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments,

House of Representatives.

MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Further reference is made to your letter of March 11, 1948, acknowledged March 12, requesting a report on H. R. 5799, Eightieth Congress, entitled "A bill to amend section 13 of the Surplus Property Act of 1944, as amended, to provide for the disposition of surplus real property to States, political subdivisions, and municipalities for use as public parks, recreational areas, and historic-monument sites, and for other purposes."

Briefly, the bill would authorize any designated disposal agency, with the approval of the War Assets Administrator, to convey to any State, political subdivision, or municipality any surplus land, including improvements and equipment located thereon, which is determined by the Secretary of the Interior to be suitable and desirable for use as a public park, public recreational area, or historic monument; provide that conveyances for park or recreational purposes shall be at 50 per centum of the fair value and that those made for historic monuments shall be without monetary consideration; it would provide that unless property so conveyed shall be used for the designated purpose for not less than 20 years, it shall revert to the United States at the option of the latter. Section 2 of the bill would amend section 13 (f) of the Surplus Property Act of 1944, as amended, so as to give to transfers under section 13 to States and political subdivisions and instrumentalities thereof priority over all other disposals under the said act except transfers to Government agencies under section 12, disposals to veterans under section 16, and sales to the Reconstruction Finance Corporation for resale to small business; and transfers to States, etc., for the purpose of education,

health, airports, harbors and port terminals, public or cooperative power projects, reestablishment of streets or highways, and parks, recreational areas, or historic monuments would have priority over all transfers under the act except transfers to Government agencies under section 12.

A companion bill, S. 2277, was reported favorably to the Senate by the Committee on Armed Services, March 8, 1948, and with a slight amendment passed the Senate March 15, 1948. Statements as to the purpose of the legislation are contained in the committee's report (S. Rept. No. 970).

This office has no information as to the need for the proposed legislation, and I make no recommendation as to the merits thereof. It may be observed, however, that some real estate becoming surplus to the needs of the United States undoubtedly could be utilized by States, etc., for the purposes specified in the bill to the benefit of the public, and there is not perceived any objection to favorable consideration of the proposed legislation.

It is noted that the statutory citation "55 Stat. 756" in lines 1 and 2, page 1 of both H. R. 5799 and S. 2277, apparently should be "58 Stat. 770."

Sincerely yours,

LINDSAY C. WARREN,

Comptroller General of the United States.

80TH CONGRESS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session

GENTARO TAKAHASHI

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REPORT No. 1698

APRIL 8, 1948.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House and ordered to be printed

Mr. FELLOWS, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the

following

REPORT

[To accompany S. 329]

The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill (S. 329) for the relief of Gentaro Takahashi, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The sole purpose of the bill is to grant the status of permanent residence to Gentaro Takahashi as of July 13, 1927.

GENERAL INFORMATION

The pertinent facts in this case are set forth in a letter from the Acting Attorney General to the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate, dated March 18, 1947, which letter reads as follows:

Hon. ALEXANDER WILEY,

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL,
Washington, D. C., March 18, 1947.

Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary,
United States Senate, Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR SENATOR: This is in response to your request for my views concerning the bill (S. 329) for the relief of Gentaro Takahashi.

This bill would authorize the Attorney General to cancel deportation proceedings against Gentaro Takahashi and would provide that he shall be deemed to have entered the United States for permanent residence on July 13, 1927.

The files of this Department disclose that Takahashi is a native and citizen of Japan, having been born in that country on January 11, 1888. He was first admitted to the United States for permanent residence in 1907. In 1926 he

returned to Japan, where he married a Japanese woman and reentered the United States at the port of Seattle, Wash., on July 13, 1927, as a treaty merchant. With the exception of his few months' absence in Japan, he has resided in the United States for approximately 40 years, or since he was 19 years of age. He was engaged in the mercantile business for a number of years, until 1933, when he discontinued his merchant status and went into the real-estate and insurance business. He thus became deportable for having terminated the status under which he was admitted. Mr. and Mrs. Takahashi have six native-born United

States citizen children.

This alien appears to be quite well educated, having attended grammar school and high school in Japan and having received college degrees from both Boston University and the University of Detroit in this country. There is no record of law violations on his part. During the war the family was detained at the Minidoka War Relocation Center at Hunt, Idaho, but they have now removed to Highland Park, Mich., where the alien has purchased a home for his family.

Although deportation proceedings are now pending, the Immigration and Naturalization Service has not as yet directed the alien's deportation but has given him additional time within which to depart from the United States.

Whether this measure should be enacted involves a question of legislative policy concerning which I prefer not to make any suggestions.

I have been advised by the Director of the Bureau of the Budget that there is no objection to the submission of this report.

Sincerely yours,

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80TH CONGRESS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session

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REPORT No. 1699

VIRGIN ISLANDS CORPORATION

APRIL 8, 1948.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed.

Mr. WELCH, from the Committee on Public Lands, submitted the

following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 5904]

The Committee on Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 5904) to incorporate the Virgin Islands Corporation, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendments and recommend that the bill as amended do pass. The amendments are as follows:

Page 7, line 14, following the semicolon, add:

It shall be the general policy of the Corporation to establish interest rates on loans that, in the judgment of the Board of Directors, will at least cover the interest cost of funds to the United States Treasury, the operating expenses of the lending division of the Corporation, and a risk factor which, over all, should provide for losses that may be expected to materialize on loans;

Page 7, line 15, strike out the word "therein" and insert in lieu thereof the word "herein".

Page 11, line 2, strike out the sentence:

One of the directors shall be designated by the President of the United States as Chairman of the Board.

Substitute in lieu thereof the sentence:

The directors shall designate one of their members as Chairman of the Board, subject to the approval of the President of the United States.

EXPLANATION OF THE BILL

The Government Corporation Control Act of 1945 (59 Stat. 597) provides that all wholly owned Government corporations not in possession of a Federal charter must cease activities by June 30, 1948, unless reincorporated by act of Congress before that date.

The Virgin Islands Company is defined by the act as a wholly owned Government corporation. The committee is of the opinion that it is of the utmost importance to the welfare of the inhabitants

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