ury dated February 27 and March 4, 1926, are attached hereto and made a part of this report, as follows: Hon. NATHAN L. MILLER, Governor of New York, Albany, N. Y. FEBRUARY 2, 1921. SIR: Dr. L. E. Cofer, health officer, port of New York, has conferred at this bureau to-day with respect to the prospective transfer of the quarantine station from the State to the Federal Government, and especially the bearing this prospective transfer has on the current operations of the station. It is understood that Doctor Cofer's trip was in response to suggestions from your office, with a view to ascertaining, if possible, the probable date upon which the Federal Government will be in a position to consummate the transfer. In view of the prospects for an early transfer the bureau can very well approciate your natural concern as to the propriety of authorizing the expenditure of State funds to any extent other than is absolutely necessary for the maintenance of the station. For you information I may say that the money for the purchase of this station has been appropriated by Congress and is available and will be paid just as soon as the State authorities can deliver evidence of a clear title to the property. This latter aspect of the project is being handled by the Department of Justice in behalf of the Federal Government and your attorney general's office in behalf of the State of New York. The bureau has been advised that the evidence of clear title by the State as submitted to the Department of Justice appeared to be satisfactory, but that just on the eve of rendering decision in the premises petition was received by the Attorney General of the United States on behalf of certain interests in New York laying claim to the quarantine property and, as a consequence, papers in the case had to be referred again to the United States district attorney at New York for further investigation. How long this may prolong the negotiations the bureau can not say, but assumes that the matter will be expeditiously investigated and trusts that settlement may be effected at an early date. Just as soon as the Attorney General's office has evidence as to the validity of the title the department will immediately forward a warrant to the State of New York for payment of the sum agreed upon for the purchase of the quarantine station. The development which has delayed transfer is naturally one that could not be foreseen either by the Federal Government or by the State. The character of the emigration to the United States and the deplorable insanitary condition in central Europe together constitute probably the greatest menace to the public health of this country that has existed for many years. I am, therefore, taking the liberty of expressing the hope that, notwithstanding the imminence of transfer and the natural desire of the State not to expend funds on property shortly to pass from its control, you will, in the interest of public health, authorize Doctor Cofer to make liberal expenditure of funds for operating expense of the station, including reasonable repair of the station utilities and equipment as may be required for the efficient enforcement of the quarantine laws and regulations. With every assurance of my esteem, I am, H. S. CUMMING, Surgeon General. FEBRUARY 27, 1926. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: In compliance with your request of the 21st ultimo, for information relative to H. R. 677 and an expression of my opinion as to its merits, I have to submit the following: This claim is presented because of the fact that during the month of February, 1921, while the transfer of the United States quarantine station in New York Harbor from State to Federal control was imminent, the State of New York authorized the erection at Hoffman Island of a disinfecting plant, which was especially needed at that time for the treatment of verminous persons arriving from those countries in Europe where typhus fever prevailed. The building was not finished until subsequent to March 1, 1921, the date of the transfer. Although the obligation to pay was entered into prior to that date, the money was disbursed by the State of New York subsequent to the transfer of the station to Federal control. On April 27, 1916, the New York Senate and Assembly enacted a law creating a commission for the purpose of negotiating for the transfer of the quarantine establishment at the port of New York to the United States. As a result of that legislation a joint board of appraisal was appointed to determine the value of the property to be transferred. The commission authorized by the New York State law of April 27, 1916, took appropriate steps to designate representatives of the State to make an appraisal of the property, and the Secretary of the Treasury, acting on the authority contained in section 5 of the act approved June 19, 1906, also designated representatives in behalf of the United States. As a result of the joint appraisal a valuation of $1,395,275 was agreed upon as being reasonable, and Congress in the sundry civil act of 1921 made an appropriation of that amount for the purchase of the New York State quarantine property, located at the port of New York. Steps were taken, upon the approval of the sundry civil act of 1921, for the transfer of the station, but on account of delays incident to the proving of the title, this was not effected until March 1, 1921. In view of 1920-21, however, a very serious emergency arose at the port of New York because of the widespread prevalence of typhus in Europe and the continued arrival at the port of New York of typhus-infected vessels. The facilities at the quarantine station were wholly inadequate, and it was necessary, in order that the public health of the country be properly protected, that increased facilities be provided. In view of the imminence of the transfer of the property to Federal control, the State authorities were reluctant to undertake any additional expense for improvements to the station. Under such circumstances, however, the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service deemed it proper to set forth the situation to the Governor of New York, and as a result of that communication the State authorities undertook the authorization and erection of the sterilizing plant in question. A copy of this communication is attached. In view of the above facts, I recommend the passage of this legislation, and in this connection it may be added that this matter has been presented to the Director of the Bureau of the Budget, who advises that the proposed legislation is not in conflict with the financial program of the President. Very truly yours, Hon. CHARLES L. UNDERHILL, Chairman Committee on Claims, House of Representatives. A. W. MELLON, Secretary of the Treasury. TREASURY Department, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Receipt is acknowledged of your communication of February 24, 1926, requesting that your committee be advised as to the opinion of this department concerning bill, H. R. 677, for the relief of the State of New York. In reply I have to advise you that pursuant to a prior call from your committee for report on this bill, there was forwarded to you under date of February 27, 1926, a communication from this department presenting certain information relating to the claim of the State of New York covered by H. R. 677 and recommending the passage of the proposed legislation. A copy of this report is inclosed herewith for your information. Very truly yours, Hon. CHARLES L. UNDERHILL, Chairman Committee on Claims, House of Representatives. A. W. MELLON, Secretary of the Treasury. CONFERRING AUTHORITY TO FIX THE SIZE OF FARM UNITS ON DESERT-LAND ENTRIES FEBRUARY 1, 1930.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed Mr. SMITH of Idaho, from the Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 1186] The Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 1186) to amend section 5 of the act of June 27, 1906, conferring authority upon the Secretary of the Interior to fix the size of farm units on desert-land entries when included within national reclamation projects, having considered the same, report thereon with the recommendation that it do pass with the following amendment: Page 2, line 11, after word "relinquish", insert "within a reasonable time after notice as the Secretary may prescribe and not less than two years". The reasons for the passage of the measure grow out of the fact that as withdrawals are made for reclamation projects under the national reclamation laws some lands are included that are in private ownership or that have been entered under the desert land law and have not passed to patent. Under existing law the Secretary of the Interior, prior to the commencement of construction work upon a project, is authorized to require owners of private lands to dispose of any acreage at a price fixed by the Secretary of the Interior in excess of the acreage defined as adequate for a farm unit upon the particular project. The Secretary of the Interior is without authority, however, to require entrymen under the desert land act to reduce their holdings below 160 acres. In the interest of uniformity and of closer settlement, it seems desirable that when reclamation projects are undertaken by the Federal Government, the Government ought to be given authority to define the acreage of farm units so that reclamation would be carried forward in the interest of the largest number of people and not for the benefit of a limited number of landowners or persons who had made entry upon land and had not yet received patent when such entries were in acreages in excess of the prescribed unit. The pending bill (H. R. 1186) has been recommended for passage by the Secretary of the Interior, Ray Lyman Wilbur, in a letter addressed to the chairman of the Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation, dated December 14, 1929; also by the Commissioner of Reclamation, Elwood Mead, in a memorandum for the Secretary of the Interior, dated December 9, 1929. A similar bill was recommended for passage by the former Secretary of the Interior, Hubert Work, in the Seventieth Congress, in a report dated April 13, 1929. The documents referred to herein are made a part of this report for the convenience of the House. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON IRRIGATION AND RECLAMATION, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: I am in receipt of your request of December 5 for a report on H. R. 1186. In this connection there is transmitted herewith a memorandum from the Commissioner of Reclamation; also a copy of a letter addressed to you by Secretary Work on April 13, 1928, reporting upon H. R. 12779, Seventieth Congress, first session, which is an identical bill. I am glad to concur in the recommendation that H. R. 1186 be enacted into law. Very truly yours, RAY LYMAN WILBUR, Secretary. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Memorandum for the Secretary. Reference is made to letter addressed to you December 5, 1929, and referred to this office for report to you from the chairman of the House Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation submitting a copy of the above-described bill. H. R. 1186 is identical with H. R. 12779, Seventieth Congress, first session, upon which the department submitted report under date of April 13, 1928. Copy of this report is inclosed for convenient reference. I recommend that a favorable report be made upon the bill. The letter of December 5, 1929, is returned herewith. Hon. ADDISON T. SMITH, ELWOOD MEAD, Commissioner. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Chairman Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation, House of Representatives. MY DEAR MR. SMITH: Your letter of April 9, 1928, has been received inclosing for report a copy of H. R. 12779, "To amend section 5 of the act of June 27, 1906, conferring authority upon the Secretary of the Interior to fix the size of farm units on desert-land entries when included within national reclamation projects." The bill proposes to amend section 5 of the act of June 27, 1906 (34 Stat. 519). This section deals with desert-land entries which, after being allowed, are included within the exterior limits of a withdrawal of land for the construction of a reclama |