CONVEY TO TRENTON, N. J., A PORTION OF THE SITE OF PRESENT FEDERAL BUILDING

FEBRUARY 5, 1930.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. ELLIOTT, from the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 8918]

The Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, to which was referred H. R. 8918, a bill authorizing conveyance to the city of Trenton, N. J., of title to a portion of the site of the present Federal building in that city, having duly considered the same, hereby make report of same, with the recommendation that the bill, as amended, do pass.

On page 1, line 13, after the figures "1919" strike out period and insert in lieu thereof a semicolon and the following words: "Provided, That the land conveyed shall be used for street purposes and no other, to be cared for and maintained as are other public streets in said city, and in the event that the premises shall cease to be so used for street purposes, the right, title, and interest in the land herein authorized to be conveyed shall revert to the United States."

The following letter from Hon. Andrew W. Mellon, Secretary of the Treasury, explains the facts:

Hon. RICHARD N. ELLIOTT,

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
January 31, 1930.

Chairman Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds,

House of Representatives.

MY DEAR CHAIRMAN: Receipt is acknowledged of your letter of January 22, 1930, requesting a report on a bill (H. R. 8918) authorizing the conveyance to the city of Trenton, N. J., of title to a portion of the site of the present Federal building in that city, and now used as a part of North Montgomery Street under license granted by the Treasury Department on August 8, 1919.

If the bill were amended so as to insert at the end of line 13 the following words: "Provided, That the land conveyed shall be used for street purposes and no other, to be cared for and maintained as are other public streets in said city, and in the event that the premises shall cease to be so used for street purposes, the right, title, and interest shall revert to the United States," this department would interpose no objection to the passage of the proposed legislation.

Very truly yours,

71ST CONGRESS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session

{

REPORT No. 620

DEFACING GOVERNMENT STAMPED ENVELOPES AND POSTAL CARDS

FEBRUARY 5, 1930.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. KELLY, from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 7395]

The Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, having had under consideration the bill (H. R. 7395) to extend to Government postal cards the provision for defacing the stamps on Governmentstamped envelopes by mailers, reports the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do pass.

This proposed legislation is recommended by the Postmaster General in his annual report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1929, which he states as follows:

in

The act of February 20, 1925 (39 U. S. C. 369), authorized users of Government stamped envelopes to deface the postage stamps thereon under certain conditions. In such cases the Postal Service is relieved from the time and expense involved in canceling the stamps on the envelopes at the time of mailing and therefore where large quantities of mail are presented the handling and dispatch of such mail is materially facilitated and expedited. For this reason it would materially benefit the Postal Service if the same facilities were extended to Government postal cards.

Hearings were held on this measure by a subcommittee and representatives of the Post Office Department were questioned. It was learned that at the present time authorized users of Government stamped envelopes are permitted to deface the postage stamps thereon under regulations. It was stated that this permission has been of considerable benefit to the service in the saving of expense, and that no losses have resulted.

It is believed that the extension of the permission to cover Government postal cards will not only facilitate and expedite the handling of this class of mail matter but will save considerable expense to the Post Office Department.

Your committee, therefore, urges the enactment of this bill.

O

AUTHORIZING THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY TO ACCEPT TITLE TO CERTAIN REAL ESTATE

FEBRUARY 5, 1930.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. ELLIOTT, from the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 9407]

The Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, to which was referred the bill (H. R. 9407) to amend the act of Congress approved May 29, 1928, authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to accept title to certain real estate, subject to a reservation of mineral rights in favor of the Blackfeet Tribe of Indians, having duly considered the same, hereby make report with the recommendation that the bill do pass.

The following letter from Hon. Andrew W. Mellon, Secretary of the Treasury, to the Speaker of the House, transmitting their views, reads as follows:

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
January 27, 1930.

The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. SIR: Pursuant to authority contained in existing legislation authorizing the acquisition of land for an inspection station at Babb-Piegan, Mont., a site therefor has been selected embracing 2 contiguous tracts of land owned by certain Blackfeet Indians, 1 tract containing 20 acres and the other containing 42.95 acres. It is understood that the 42.95-acre tract is subject to a reservation for mineral rights for the benefit of the Blackfeet Tribe of Indians. It is therefore recommended that the existing legislation be amended so as to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to accept title to the larger tract of land subject to a reservation of mineral rights in favor of the Blackfeet Tribe of Indians. A draft of the desired legislation is inclosed.

Respectfully,

A. W. MELLON, Secretary of the Treasury.

O

71ST CONGRESS 2d Session

}

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

REPORT No. 622

DEMURRAGE CHARGES ON UNDELIVERED C. O. D. PARCELS

FEBRUARY 5, 1930.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. KELLY, from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 1234]

The Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, having had under consideration the bill (H. R. 1234) to authorize the Postmaster General to impose demurrage charges on undelivered collecton-delivery parcels, reports the same back to the House with the following amendment:

In line 9, strike out the word "delivery," and insert "delivery;". So amended, the committee recommends that the bill do pass.

This proposed legislation is recommended by the Postmaster General in his annual report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1929, in which he states as follows:

Recommendation is renewed for legislation to control the practice of leaving C. O. D. parcels in post offices of address longer than is justified by imposing demurrage charges on undelivered collect-on-delivery parcels which the addressees have failed to accept within a reasonable period.

At the hearing of the subcommittee on this measure it was stated by representatives of the Post Office Department that there is a growing practice of using the post office for storage of collect-on-delivery parcels. In some cases a large number of parcels are ordered and are kept in the post office for an indefinite period. One parcel at a time will be taken away by the addressee upon payment of C. O. D. charges. Such practice entails considerable expense to the Post Office Department, and it is believed that a reasonable payment should be made where such mail matter is kept in the post office for an unreasonable period. This measure gives the Postmaster General authority to fix such reasonable period and to establish a reasonable demurrage charge when delivery has not been made to either the addressee or the sender until after the expiration of the prescribed period.

Your committee believes it to be a reasonable charge and urges the enactment of the measure.

INTERNATIONAL MAP OF THE WORLD ON THE MILLIONTH SCALE

FEBRUARY 6, 1930.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. PORTER, from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. J. Res. 14]

The Committee on Foreign Affairs, to which was referred the resolution (H. J. Res. 14) to provide for the annual contribution of the United States toward the support of the Central Bureau of the International Map of the World on the Millionth Scale, having considered the same, reports it to the House with the recommendation that it do pass without amendment.

A resolution identical with this passed the House in the last Congress but failed to receive action in the Senate prior to adjournment. The facts in reference to this resolution are fully set forth in a message from the President of the United States dated January 4, 1929, which is appended hereto and made part of this report.

To the Congress of the United States:

With reference to my communication of December 30, 1924, regarding legislation to be enacted by the United States in connection with the map of the world on the millionth scale, I transmit herewith a report by the Secretary of State recommending a request to Congress providing for an annual appropriation of $50 for the payment of a contribution by the United States toward the support of the Central Bureau of the International Map of the World on the Millionth Scale. The recent developments in the matter are explained in the report of the Secretary of State, which has the indorsement of the Secretary of the Interior, and I trust that this small annual appropriation will be granted. CALVIN COOlidge.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

January 12, 1929.