of, to discharged members of the military or naval forces of those governments which have been associated in war with the United States since April 6, 1917, and come within the provisions of laws of such governments similar to this act, at such rates and under such regubureau is hereby authorized to utilize the similar services, supplies and appliances provided for the discharged members of the military and naval forces of those governments which have been associated in war with the United States since April 6, 1917, by the laws of such governments similar to this act, in furnishing the discharged members of the military and naval forces of the United States who live within the territorial limits of such governments and come within the provisions of subdivision (6) hereof, with the services, supplies and appliances provided for in such subdivision; and any appropriations that have been or may hereafter be made for the purpose of furnishing the services, supplies and appliances provided for by subdivision (6) hereof are hereby made available for the payment to such governments or their agencies for the services, supplies and appliances 80 furnished at such rates and under such regulations as the director may prescribe. therefor, hospital, dental, medical, surgical and convalescent care and treatment and prosthetic appliances for any member of the military or naval forces of the United States. not dishonorably discharged, disabled by reason of any wound or injury received or disease contracted, or by reason of any aggrava-lations as the director may prescribe; and the tion of a pre-existing injury or disease, specifically noted at examination or entrance into or employment in the active military or naval service while in the active military or naval service of the United States on or after April 6, 1917, and before July 2, 1921: Provided. That the wound or injury received or disease contracted or aggravation of a preexisting injury or disease, for which such hospital. dental, medical, surgical and convalescent care and treatment and prosthetic appliances shall be furnished, was incurred in the military or naval service and not caused by his own willful misconduct: Provided. That where a beneficiary of the bureau suffers or has suffered an injury or contracted a disease in service entitling him to the benefits of this subdivision, and an emergency develops or has developed requiring immediate treatment or hospitalization on account of such injury or disease, and no bureau facilities are or were then feasibly available and in the judgment of the director delay would be or would have been hazardous, the director is authorized to reimburse such beneficiary the reasonable value of such service received from sources other than the bureau. (10) That all hospital facilities under the control and jurisdiction of the bureau shall be available for every honorably discharged veteran of the Spanish-American war. the Philippine insurrection, the Boxer rebellion or the world war suffering from neuropsychiatric or tubercular ailments and diseases. paralysis agitans, encephalitis lethargica or amoebic dysentery, or the loss of sight of both eyes, regardless whether such ailments or diseases are due to military service or otherwise, including traveling expenses as granted to those receiving compensation and hospitalization under this act. The director is further authorized, so far as he shall find that existing government facilities permit. to furnish hospitalization and necessary traveling expenses to veterans of any war, military occupation or military expedition since 1897, not dishonorably discharged, without regard to the nature or origin of their disabilities: Provided. That preference to admission to any government hospital for hospitalization under the provisions of this subdivision shall be given to those veterans who are financially unable to pay for hospitalization and their necessary traveling expenses. (11) The director shall have the same power and shall be subject to the same limitations in the sale of surplus or condemned supplies, material and other personal property as now pertains to the secretary of war. The director is authorized to make regulations governing the disposal of articles produced by patients of such bureau in the course of their curative treatment or to allow the patients to sell or to retain such articles. a (15) That any person who is now receiving a gratuity or pension from the United States under existing law shall not receive compensation under this section unless he shall first surrender all claim to further payments of such gratuity or pension, except as provided in subdivision (7) of section 201. (16) No compensation hereunder shall be paid for the period during which any such person is being furnished by the bureau course of vocational rehabilitation and support as authorized in title IV. hereof: Provided, however. That in the event any person pursuing a course of vocational rehabilitation is entitled under title II. of this act to compensation in an amount in excess of the payments made to him under title IV. hereof for his support and the support of his dependents, if any, the bureau shall pay monthly to such person such additional amount as may be necessary to equal the total compensation due under title II. hereof. (17) That no changes in rates of compensation made by this act shall be retroactive in effect. The act was approved by the president June 7, 1924. HOSPITAL FACILITIES FOR VETERANS. The director of the United States veterans' bureau is authorized to provide additional hospital and out-patient dispensary facilities for patients of the United States veterans' bureau, and facilities for a permanent national training school, at a cost not exceeding $350.000, for the blind who are beneficiaries of the United States veterans' bureau, by purchase and remodeling or extension of existing plants. and by construction on sites now owned by the government or on sites to be acquired by purchase, condemnation, gift or otherwise. (12) Where the disabled person is a patient such hospitals and out-patient dispensary fa in a hospital or where for any other reason cilities, to include the necessary buildings and structures. mechanical the disabled person and his wife are not liv- auxiliary equipment. ing together, or where the children are not approach work, roads and trackage facilities in the custody of the disabled person, the leading thereto; and also to provide accommoamount of the compensation shall be ap-dation for officers, nurses and attending perportioned as may be prescribed by regulations. sonnel; and also to provide proper and suit(13) The term "wife" as used in this sec- able recreational centers: and the director of tion shall include "husband" if the husband the bureau is authorized to accept gifts or is dependent upon the wife for support. donations for any of the purposes named here(14) That the bureau is authorized to fur- in. Such hospital plants and training school nish transportation, also the medical, surgi- to be constructed shall be of fireproof concal and hospital services and the supplies and struction and existing plants purchased shall appliances provided by subdivision (6) here- be remodeled to be fireproof, and the loca THE UNITED STATES BLIND VETERANS Seventy-seven men (whose names are given in the act) and their successors are created to be a body corporate of the District of Columbia. The name of the corporation shall be "The United States Blind Veterans of the World War." The purposes of the corporation are to bind together for their mutual fellowship and assistance those citizens of the United States of America who have served their country in war, and who bear as mark of such service the loss of their sight and to perpetuate and keep alive the memories of their comradeship and to enable them by their organization to render what aid they can to the blind in general, a The corporation created by the act shall have the following powers: To have perpetual succession with power to sue and be sued in courts of law and equity: to receive, hold, own, use and dispose of such real estate and personal property as shall be necessary for its corporate purposes; to adopt a corporate seal and alter the same at pleasure; to adopt a constitution, by-laws and regulations to carry out its purposes, not inconsistent with the laws of the United States or of any state: to use in carrying out the purposes of the corporation such emblems and badges as it may adopt; to establish and maintain offices for the conduct of its business; to establish state and territorial organizations and local chapter or post organizations; to publish a magazine or other publications, and generally do any and all such acts and things as may be necessary and proper in carrying into effect the purposes of the corporation. Any honorably discharged American veteran of the allied forces who participated in the world war and whose vision has become defective to such an extent that he is eligible for training under supervisor for the blind of the United States veterans' bureau. and any ex-service man who is eligible for such training shall be eligible for "active membership" in the United States Blind Veterans of the World War. The members of this corporation shall have the power to admit such other persons to "honorary" membership as they may see fit. The organization shall be nonpolitical and shall not be used for the dissemination of partisan principles. (Approved June 7, 1924.) INSPECTION OF BATTLE FIELDS. A commission, to be appointed by the secretary of war. is provided for to consist of a commissioned officer of the corps of engineers. United States army, a veteran of the civil war who served in the union army and a veteran of the civil war who served in the confederate army. The secretary of war shall, as far as practicable, select persons familiar with the terrain of the battle fields in and around Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia, and the historical events associated therewith. It shall be the duty of the commission, acting under the direction of the secretary of war, to inspect the battle fields in and around Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania Court INLAND WATERWAYS CORPORATION. Such Sec. 2. The capital stock of the corporation shall be $5,000.000, all of which is hereby subscribed for by the United States. subscription shall be paid by the secretary of the treasury, within the appropriations therefor, upon call from time to time by the secretary of war. Upon any such payment a receipt therefor shall be issued by the corporation to the United States and delivered to the secretary of the treasury, and shall be evidence of the stock ownership of the United States. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated the sum of $5.000.000 for the purpose of paying such subscription. Sec. 3. (a) Until otherwise directed by congress, the corporation shall continue the operation of the transportation and terminal facilities now being operated by or under the direction of the secretary of war, under section 201 of the transportation act, 1920, as amended, and shall, as soon as there is an sufficient improved channel the to permit same, initiate the water carriage heretofore authorized by law upon the Mississippi river above St. Louis. (b) If the secretary of war deems it advisable to discontinue the operation of any part of the transportation or terminal facilities, or to develop and operate new lines, in order to give the public the proper service, he shall report thereon to congress. ation of any of such facilities shall not be discontinued and new lines shall not be developed or operated until authorized by con gress. The oper (c) The operation of the transportation and shall be terminal facilities under this act subject to the provisions of the interstate commerce act, as amended, and to the provisions of the shipping act, 1916, as amended. in the same manner and to the same extent as if such facilities were privately owned and operated; and all vessels of the corporation operated and employed solely as merchant vessels shall be subject to all other laws. regulations and liabilities governing merchant vessels. Sec. 4. (a) The secretary of war shall appoint an advisory board of six members (hereinafter referred to as the "board") from individuals prominently identified with commercial or business interests in territory adjacent to the operations of the corporation. No member of the board shall be an officer. director or employe of, or substantially interested in, Two of such memany railroad corporation. bers shall continue in office for terms of one year, and the remaining four for terms of two, three, four and five years, respectively, from the date of appointment, the term of each to be designated by the secretary of war. Each successor shall be appointed by the secretary of war for a term of five years from the date of the expiration of the term of the member whom he succeeds, except that any successor appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of a term shall be appointed only for the unexpired term of the member whom he succeeds. A vacancy in the board shall not impair the powers of the remaining members to execute the functions of the board. (b) The members shall receive no salary for their services on the board, but under regulations and in amounts prescribed by the secretary of war may be paid by the corporation a reasonable per diem compensation for attending meetings of the board and for time spent on special service of the corpora tion, and their traveling expenses to and from such meetings, or when assigned to such special service. (c) In addition to the six members, the secretary of war shall appoint an individual from civil life or (notwithstanding section 1222 of the revised statutes or any other provision of law or any rules or regulations issued thereunder) detail an officer from the military establishment of the United States as chairman of the board. Any officer so detailed shall, during his term of office as chairman, have the rank, pay and allowances of a brigadier-general, United States army, and shall be exempt from the operation of any provision of law or any rules or regulations issued thereunder which limits the length of such detail or compels him to perform duty with troops. Any individual appointed from civil life shall, during his term of office as chairman, receive a salary not to exceed $10,000 a year to be fixed by the secretary of war. The secretary of war may delegate to the chairman any of the functions vested in the secretary by this act. (d) The board shall meet for organization purposes when and where called by the secretary of war and thereafter at such times and places as the secretary deems necessary. The board shall consider matters submitted to it by the secretary of war and make recommendations thereon, and from time to time advise him and make recommendations, in respect of the management and operation of existing facilities the development and or operation of new lines. Sec. 5. The corporation (a) Shall have succession in its corporate name during its existence; (b) May sue and be sued in its corporate name: 201 and 500 of the transportation act, 1920. as amended; (i) May, in the exercise of such functions, conduct the business of a common carrier by water and maintain, manage and operate properties held for or used in the service of transportation or necessary or convenient to such use; and (j) In addition to the powers specifically granted shall have such powers as may be necessary or incidental to fulfill the purposes of its creation. Sec. 6. (a) The secretary of war shall transfer to the corporation all assets transferred to, or acquired, constructed or operated by. or under the direction of. the secretary of war, or which revert to the United States. under section 201 of the transportation act, 1920, as amended, or under the joint resolution entitled "Joint resolution to exempt the New York state barge canal from the provisions of section 201 of the transportation act. 1920, and for other purposes," approved Feb. 27, 1921. (b) The rights, privileges and powers and the duties and liabilities of the secretary of war, or the inland and coastwise waterways service, in respect of any contract, loan, lease, account or other obligation, under section 201 of such act or under such joint resolution, shall become the rights, privileges and pow. ers and the duties and liabilities respectively of the corporation. (c) All money available for expenditure or the making of loans under such joint resolution or section 201 of such act, and all money repaid in pursuance of loans made under subdivision (c) of section 201 of such act, shall be available for expenditure or the making of loans by the corporation under this act. (d) The enforceable claims of or against the secretary of war, or the inland and coastwise waterways service, in respect of the operation. construction or acquisition of any such transportation facilities. shall become the claims of or against, and may be enforced by or against, the corporation. (e) The secretary of war shall adjust and appraise the value, at the time of transfer. of all assets transferred to the corporation under this act, and such value shall be entered upon the books of the corporation. the statute of limitations or of any prescrip(f) In the determination of the running of tive right, the period of time shall be comhad not been passed. puted in the same manner as though this act (Approved June 3. 1924.) MERCHANT MARINE ACT AMENDED. 1920 is amended so as to read as follows: Section 11 of the merchant marine act of "Sec. 11. (a) That during a period of five years from the enactment of this act (merchant marine act of 1920) the board may annually set aside out of the revenues from sales and operations a sum not exceeding $25,000,000, to be known as its construction loan fund. The board may use such fund to the extent it thinks proper, upon such terms as the board may prescribe, in making loans to aid persons citizens of the United States in the construction by them in private shipyards or navy yards of the United States of vessels of the best and most efficient type for the establishment or maintenance of service on lines deemed desirable or necessary by the board. provided such vessels shall be fitted and equipped with the most modern, the most efficient and the most economical engines. machinery and commercial appliances or in the outfitting and equipment by them in private shipyards or navy yards of the United 288 States of vessels already built, with engines, "(c) No loan shall be made for a longer any "(d) All such loans shall bear interest at rates to be fixed by the board, payable not During less frequently than annually. interest period in which the vessel is operated exclusively in coastwise trade or is inactive the rate of interest shall be not less than During any in54 per centum per annum. terest period in which the vessel is operated in foreign trade the rate shall be not less The board than 4 per centum per annum. the rules for determining prescribe may amount of interest payable under the provisions of this paragraph. "(e) No loan shall be for a greater sum than one-half the cost of the vessel or vessels to be constructed; or than one-half the cost of the equipment hereinbefore authorized for a vessel already built: Provided, however, If security is furnished in addition to the mortgage on the vessel or vessels, the board may increase the amount loaned, but such additional amount shall not exceed one-half the market value of the additional security furnished and in no case shall the total loan be for a greater sum than two-thirds of the cost of the vessel or vessels to be constructed; or than two-thirds of the cost of the equipment and its installation for vessels already built. "(f) The board shall require such security as it shall deem necessary to insure the completion of the construction or equipment of the vessel within a reasonable time and the repayment of the loan with interest; when the vessel is completed the security, shall include a preferred mortgage on the vessel, complying with the provisions of section 30 of the merchant marine act, 1920, which mortgage shall contain appropriate covenants and provisions to insure the proper physical maintenance of the vessel and its protection against liens for taxes, penalties, claims or liabilities of any kind whatever which might impair It shall also conthe security for the debt. tain any other covenants and provisions the board may prescribe, including a provision for the summary maturing of the entire debt. for causes to be enumerated in the mortgage. "(g) The board shall also require and the security furnished shall provide that the owner of the vessel shall keep the same insured against loss or damage by fire and against marine risks and disasters, and against any nd all other insurable risks the board speci hes, with such insurance companies, associa- Sec. 2. That section 12 of the merchant marine act, 1920, be, and the same is hereby, amended by adding at the end thereof a new paragraph to read as follows: "The term 'reconditioned' as used in this section includes the substitution of the most modern, most efficient and most economical types of internal combustion engines as the Should main propulsive power of vessels. the board have any such engines built in the United States and installed, in private shipyards or navy yards of the United States. in one or more merchant vessels owned by the United States and the cost to the board of such installation exceeds the amount of the board may transfer to its funds from funds otherwise available to it for that use. which expenditures under this section may be paid, from its construction loan fund authorized by section 11 of the merchant marine act, 1920, so much as in its judgment may be necessary to meet obligations under contracts for such installation; and the treasurer of the United States shall. at the request of the transfer accordingly: the board, make Provided, That the total amount hereafter expended by the board for this purpose shall not in the aggregate exceed $25,000,000. Any such vessel hereafter so equipped by the board under the provisions of this section shall not be sold for a period of five years from the date the installation thereof is completed. unless it is sold for a price not less than the cost of the installation thereof and of any other work of reconditioning done at the same time plus an amount not less than $10 for each dead weight ton of the vessel as computed before such reconditioning thereof is The date of the completion of commenced. such installation and the amount of the dead weight tonnage of the vessel shall be fixed by the board: Provided further. That in fixing the minimum price at which the vessel may thus be sold the board may deduct from the above prescribed 5 per aggregate amount centum thereof per annum from the date of And provided further, That no part of such installation to the date of sale as depreciation: fund shall be expended upon the reconditionfirst made a binding contract for a satisfactory ing of any vessel unless the board shall have provisions of this act or for the charter or sale of such vessel in accordance with the than five years by a capable, solvent operator: lease of such vessels for a period of not less or unless the board is prepared and intends to Such vessel. in any diately upon completion. directly put such vessel in operation immeof the enumerated instances, shall be docuand shall remain documented under such laws mented under the laws of the United States for a period of not less than five years from the date of the completion of the installation. and during such period it shall be operated coastwise." (Approved June 6. 1924.) only on voyages which are not exclusively CONFERENCES ON HABIT-FORMING Whereas. President Roosevelt on Oct. 14, United States, as pointed out by President Wilson in his message to congress on April 21, 1913, "initiated the world-wide movement toward" the abolition of the traffic in habitforming narcotic drugs; and, Whereas, the international conference at The Hague proposed by President Taft on Sept. 1, 1909, to give international effect and sanction to the resolutions of the Shanghai opium commission resulted in the adoption of the Hague opium convention of 1912 by the powers assembled, which is in full force and effect between the nations which have ratified it; and, Whereas, the original convention delegated certain administrative functions to the Netherlands government (thereby constituting the said government an agent for the execution of the treaty), and said government called two conferences in 1913 and 1914 to consider problems growing out of the execution of the convention; and, Whereas, certain of the powers parties thereto have vested in the league of nations the agency or duty of executing the convention by treaty, dated June 28, 1923, article 23 of which provides as follows: "Subject to and in accordance with the provisions of international conventions existing or hereafter to be agreed upon, the members of the league will intrust the league with the general supervision over the execution of agreements with regard to trade in opiums and other dangerous drugs and, the Whereas, the United States, for the reasons that it is only by international co-operation that the suppression of the world-wide traffic in habit-forming narcotic drugs can be accomplished, and that this government is bound by the Hague opium convention equally with other governments to work toward this end, accepted an invitation from said agency to co-operate with it in the execution of said treaty; and, Whereas, as the result of conferences in January, May and September of 1923 between the representatives of the United States and governments represented by the league of nations, the latter governments agreed that the United States construction of the Hague opium convention, as provided in public resolution numbered 96. 67th congress, approved March 2. 1923, represented the objects which the treaty was intended to accomplish, and that any other construction would render the treaty ineffective and of no practical value, and accord Resolved by the senate and house of representatives of the United States of America in congress assembled, That the appropriation of such sum as may be necessary, not to exceed $40,000, for the participation of the United States in one or both of these conferences, or any postponement thereof, to be expended under the direction of the secretary of state, is hereby authorized: Provided, That the representatives of the United States shall sign no agreement which does not fulfill the conditions necessary for the suppression of the habit-forming narcotic drug traffic as set forth in the preamble. (Approved May 15, 1924.) HUNGARIAN DEBT SETTLEMENT. The settlement of the indebtedness of the kingdom of Hungary to the United States of America, made by the world war foreign debt commission and approved by the president upon the following terms, is hereby approved and authorized: Principal amount of obligation to be funded, $1,685,835.61; interest accrued thereon 10 Dec. 15, 1923, at the rate of 44 per centum per annum, $253,917.43; total principal and interest accrued and unpaid as of Dec. 15, 1923, $1,939,753.04; less payment in cash by Hungary on April 25, 1924, $753.04; total indebtedness to be funded into bonds, $1,939,000. The principal of the bonds shall be paid in annual installments on the 15th day of December, up to and including Dec. 15, 1985. on a fixed schedule, subject to the right of the government of Hungary to make these payments in three-year periods; the amount of the first year's installment shall be $9,600, the installments to increase with due regularity until, in the sixty-second year, the amount of the installment shall be $75,000. the aggregate installments being equal to the total principal of the debt. The government of Hungary shall have the right to pay off additional amounts of the principal of the bonds on any interest date upon ninety days' notice. Interest shall be payable upon the unpaid balances at the following rates, on Dec. 15 and June 15 of each year: At the rate of 3 per centum per annum, payable semiannually, from Dec. 15, 1923, to Dec. 15, 1933, and thereafter at the rate of 31⁄2 per centum per annum, payable semiannually until final payment. ingly it was purpose of the Hague opium 1928. decided: convention is to be achieved according to its spirit and true intent, it must be recognized that the use of opium products for other than medical and scientific purposes is an abuse and not legitimate. 2. In order to prevent the abuse of these products it is necessary to exercise the control of the production of raw opium in such 3 manner that there will be no surplus available for nonmedical and nonscientific purposes;" and, Whereas, it was further decided at said conferences that two international conferences should be called in the latter part of the year 1924 to agree upon a plan to enforce said treaty in accordance with said construction and interpretation, bearing in mind that the gradual suppression of the traffic in and use of prepared opium as provided in chapter 2 of the convention is not yet accomplished. reservations to that effect having been noted by certain powers (Great Britain, France, Germany. Netherlands, Japan, British India and Siam, in regard to prepared opium); Now, therefore, be it The government of Hungary shall have the right to pay up to one-half of any interest accruing between Dec. 15, 1923, and Dec. 15, on the $1,939,000 principal amount of the bonds first, to be issued in bonds of Hungary dated as of the respective dates when the interest to be paid thereby becomes due, payable as to principal on the 15th day of December in each succeeding year, up to and including Dec. 15, 1985, on a fixed schedule, in annual installments, increasing with due regularity in proportion to and in the manner provided for payments to be made on account of principal of the original issue of bonds, bearing the same rates of interest and being similar in other respects to such original issue of bonds. Any payment of interest or of principal shall be made in United States gold coin of the present standard of value or at the option of the government of Hungary, in any United States government obligations issued after April 6, 1917. such obligations to be taken at par and accrued interest. The payment of the principal and interest of the bonds shall be secured in the same manner and to the same extent as the obligation of Hungary which is to be funded; Provided, however. That all or any part of |