restrictions, and reservations as the Secretary of War may impose for the protection of the reservation." Sincerely yours, CHARLES L. UNDERHILL. The favorable comment of the War Department on this measure is as follows: Hon. W. FRANK JAMES, Chairman Committee on Military Affairs, House of Representatives. DECEMBER 19, 1929. DEAR MR. JAMES: Careful consideration has been given to the bill (H. R. 6591) to authorize the Secretary of War to grant to the town of Winthrop, Mass., a perpetual right of way over such land of the Fort Banks Military Reservation as is necessary for the purpose of widening Revere Street to a width of 50 feet, transmitted with your letter of December 6, 1929, with request for a report thereon and such views relative thereto as the department might desire to communicate. There is no existing law on this subject. No objection is interposed to the proposed legislation. However, if enacted into law, it is proposed to impose the following restrictions for the protection of the reservation: "The width of 50 feet will be uniform, and will not be exceeded opposite any part of the reservation at the expense of the military reservation. No part of the reservation shall be used for the widening of the street until this street has been widened to at least 50 feet in both directions throughout the limits of the town. No trees on the reservation property will be destroyed." Sincerely yours, O PATRICK J. HURLEY, INCREASE IN WHITE HOUSE POLICE FORCE FEBRUARY 11, 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. 9437] The Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, to which was referred the bill (H. R. 9437) to authorize a necessary increase in the White House police force, having duly considered the same, hereby make report of it 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, explains the facts: TREASURY Department, January 30, 1930. The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. SIR: The President believes that in the interest of good administration the control and direction of the White House police force should be vested in the chief of the Secret Service division of this department, as that division is charged with the protection of the President and his family and the person elected to be President. I therefore respectfully submit the draft of a bill to amend the act creating the White House police force approved September 14, 1922, so as to effect this change. Furthermore, it is the belief of this department that the present force is inadequate to perform properly the duties assigned to them. The force now consists of 35 privates and 4 sergeants. It is believed that the force should consist of at least 43 privates. With a force of that size, the ranking officers should have a grade and salary equivalent to the importance of their assignments. The bill provides, therefore, for the appointment of 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, and 3 sergeants, in lieu of the 4 sergeants, and permits flexibility in the number of privates. An estimate of the amount needed for 1931 was submitted to the Congress by the President in the Budget, but the amount has been reduced by the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, to the appropriation for the current year, pending the enactment of legislation reorganizing the force under the jurisdiction of the Secret Service. It is recommended that the proposed legislation be given early and favorable consideration. The Director of the Bureau of the Budget advises that, in so far as the financial program of the President is concerned, there is no objection to the submission of this proposed legislation to Congress for its consideration. Respectfully, A. W. MELLon, Mr. Moran, chief of the Secret Service, made the following statement before the committee: When the President directed that I should have supervision over the White House police force, I made a survey of the situation and found that the force was inadequate to properly protect the house and grounds, and therefore, requested 8 additional men. Four of these came from the park police and four from the Metropolitan police. We have been carrying these men on detail ever since. That order of the President was dated March 13, 1929. The personnel of the police force on duty at the White House, under order of the President, is the same as provided for in this bill. a BULL RUN AND SECOND MANASSAS BATTLE FIELDS, VA. FEBRUARY 12, 1930.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mrs. KAHN, from the Committee on Military Affairs, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 1408] The Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 1408) to provide for the study, investigation, and survey, for commemorative purposes, of the Bull Run and Second Manassas battle fields in the State of Virginia, introduced by Mr. Moore of Virginia, having considered the same, report thereon with the recommendation that it do pass. This is a measure that will enable the War Department to classify, following a proper inspection and survey, the Bull Run and Second Manassas battle fields in the State of Virginia. The act of June 11, 1928, to provide for the study and investigation of battle fields in the United States for commemorative purposes resulted in the general classification of these battle fields by the War Department. No funds have been available for a study of each battle field, however, and the classification adopted by the department has not been approved by act of Congress. The present bill is considered necessary to authorize the expenditure, which in this instance is estimated at $2,600, necessary to carry into effect the purpose of the law. The letter from the War Department explains the matter and is therefore made a part of this report as follows: Hon. W. FRANK JAMES, WAR DEPARTMENT, Acting Chairman Committee on Military Affairs, DEAR MR. JAMES: In compliance with your request of June 21, 1929, I am pleased to submit the following report on H. R. 1408, Seventy-first Congress, first session. The subject of the proposed legislation is a bill to provide for the study, investigation, and survey, for commemorative purposes, of the Bull Run and Second Manassas battle fields in the State of Virginia, The applicable provision of existing law on this subject appears in Public No. 372, Sixty-ninth Congress, "An act to provide for the study and investigation of battle fields in the United States for commemorative purposes," approved June 11, 1926. In my report of progress made in the study and investigation of battle fields, submitted to Congress on December 6, 1928, and published in Senate Document No. 187, Seventieth Congress, second session, I recommended that Congress approve the general classification of battle fields as set forth in House Report No. 1071, Sixty-ninth Congress, first session; that it indicate which battle fields if any, it desires to commemorate or survey; and that it authorize the necessary appropriation to carry its wishes into effect. The classification of these battles has never been approved by Congress. The classification of this battle field as set forth in the bill is in accordance with the recommendation of the War Department. The amount authorized to be appropriated will be sufficient to defray the expense of the study, investigation, and survey of the Bull Run and Second Manassas Battle Fields, in the State of Virginia, for the purpose of preparing and submitting to Congress a general plan and such detailed project as may be required for properly commemorating such battle fields and other adjacent points of historical and military interest. The propriety of authorizing an appropriation for the purpose stated in the bill is believed to be a matter of public policy upon which Congress in its wisdom must express the final decision, and I, therefore, refrain from making any recommendation with regard thereto. However, I do wish to renew my recommendations as contained in Senate Document No. 187, Seventieth Congress, second session, and trust that whatever action Congress may take will be as indicated therein. If any additional information from the War Department is desired, I shall be pleased to furnish it. If the Committee on Military Affairs wishes to have hearings upon the proposed legislation, suitable witnesses will be designated to appear before your committee. The proposed legislation has been submitted to the Director of the Bureau of the Budget, who advises that the expenditures contemplated by this proposed legislation would not be in conflict with the financial program of the President. Sincerely yours, JAMES W. GOOD, Secretary of War. O |