Section 9 extends the times for commencing and completing the construction of a bridge across the Missouri River at Rulo, Nebr., and is identical with H. R. 8141, filed by Representative Morehead, of Nebraska, and favorably reported to the House on January 24, 1930. (House Calendar No. 91, Consent Calendar 126, Report No. 504.) Section 10 extends the times for commencing and completing the construction of a bridge across the Missouri River at Brownville, Nebr., and is identical with H. R. 8142, filed by Representative Morehead, of Nebraska, and favorably reported to the House on January 24, 1930. (House Calendar No. 92, Consent Calendar 127, Report No. 505.) Section 11 extends the times for commencing and completing the construction of a bridge across the Missouri River at Washington, Mo., and is identical with H. R. 8422, filed by Representative Cannon, of Missouri, and favorably reported to the House on January 24, 1930. (House Calendar No. 94, Consent Calendar No. 129, Report No. 507.) Section 12 extends the time for commencing and completing the construction of a bridge across the Mississippi River at New Orleans, La., and is identical with H. R. 8468, filed by Representative Spearing, of Louisiana, and favorably reported to the House on January 24, 1930. (House Calendar No. 96, Consent Calendar No. 131, Report No. 509.) Section 13 extends the times for commencing and completing the construction of a bridge across the Mississippi River at Baton Rouge, La., and is identical with H. R. 8575, filed by Representative Kemp, of Louisiana, and favorably reported to the House on January 24, 1930. (House Calendar 98, Consent Calendar 133, Report No. 511.) Section 14 extends the times for commencing and completing the construction of a bridge across the Missouri River at Decatur, Nebr., and is identical with H. R. 9299, filed by Representative Howard, of Nebraska, and favorably reported to the House on February 8, 1930. (House Calendar No. 128, Consent Calendar No. 194, Report No. 647.) Section 15 extends the times for commencing and completing the construction of a bridge across the Maumee River in Lucas County, Ohio, and is identical with H. R. 8524 filed by Representative Chalmers, of Ohio, and favorably reported to the House on February 13, 1930. (House Calendar No. 133, Consent Calendar No. 200, Report No. 677.) All bridges authorized by this bill are to be constructed by private individuals or companies and are to be operated as toll bridges. All of the bridges authorized as well as all of those for the construction of which the times for beginning and completing the same are extended by the provisions of this bill, have the approval of the Secretary of War, and all are disapproved by the Chief of the Bureau of Roads of the Department of Agriculture on the ground that they are to be constructed by private capital and to be used as toll bridges. With reference to those bridges the construction of which are authorized by sections 1 to 5, inclusive, the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce received evidence either from the Member introducing the bills or from other sources that public sentiment in the communities to be served by them were in favor of the construction of the bridges authorized; and that neither the States in which they were located, nor the counties nor cities with which they were connected, could or would within any reasonable time construct free highway bridges at the various locations. Provision is made in all cases for the regulation of tolls, for an accounting as to the cost of construction, and for recapture of the bridge by public authority in accordance with the forms for bridge bills approved by the committees of the House and Senate. With respect particularly to the two bridges authorized in sections 3 and 4 of the bill wherein Charles B. Morearty is authorized to construct bridges across the Missouri River at or near Omaha, Nebr., it is provided as soon as the costs of the bridges have been paid from the revenues received the bridges shall be conveyed to the public authorities and shall be thereafter operated as free bridges. Specific provisions are provided for the public supervision of expenditures and the collection of tolls and the application of the revenues from the bridge to the amortization of the cost of construction. With respect to the extensions of times for beginning and completing the construction of the bridges, as provided in sections 5 to 15, inclusive, the committee received information either from the Members filing the bill or from other sources that substantial progress had been made in each case in the preliminary work necessary for beginning the construction of the bridge; surveys had been made, and in some instances, soundings had been made, and plans and specifications prepared and, in some cases, approved by the Chief of Engineers; that on account of the unusual speculative conditions that prevailed in the markets of the country during the year 1929, it was was impossible to market bonds for the construction of bridges, which necessarily resulted in the failure to proceed with the construction of the bridges authorized by the bills and for which these applications for extensions of time were requested. The committee is given assurance that none of these franchises or extensions were asked for speculative purposes, but for the purpose of constructing the bridges in good faith. The original bills for which extensions of times are provided in this bill all contained the usual provisions for the regulation of tolls, the accounting of costs, and the recapture by public authority, and all were approved by the Secretary of War and disapproved by the Chief of the Bureau of Roads of the Department of Agriculture because of the fact that the bridges were to be constructed by private capital and to be operated as toll bridges. The general bridge act of March 23, 1906, provides that unless otherwise specifically provided by Congress, all bridge franchises shall expire by law unless construction of the bridge authorized by the act of Congress shall be commenced within one year and completed within three years from the date the consent of Congress is granted. It has not been the policy of the committee to grant a longer time for beginning and completing the construction of bridges than is provided by the general bridge act of March 23, 1906, the committee believing that it is better policy to let the provisions of the general law control and the franchise expires before actual construction can be begun, bills granting additional time for beginning and completing the construction of the bridges can readily be passed by Congress, as is done in this bill. REFORESTATION PURCHASE PROGRAM FEBRUARY 15, 1930.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. CLARKE of New York, from the Committee on Agriculture, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 5694] The Committee on Agriculture, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 5694) authorizing appropriations to be expended under the provisions of section 7 of the act of March 1, 1911, entitled "An act to enable any State to cooperate with any other State or States or with the United States, for the protection of the watersheds of navigable streams, and to appoint a commission for the acquisition of lands for the purpose of conserving the navigability of navigable rivers," as amended, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it do pass with the following amendment: On page 1, line 7, after the word "section" strike out "516" and insert "513-521". STATEMENT OF FACTS Objective: A definite declaration by Congress of a fiscal policy and plan for carrying out the purposes and provisions of the Weeks law, act of March 1, 1911 (U. S. C., title 16, secs. 513-521), and the ClarkeMcNary law, act of June 7, 1924 (U. S. C., title 16, sec. 570), by authorizing appropriations of $5,000,000 per year during a 10-year period beginning with the fiscal year 1932; a 10-year program with a definite yearly authorization for each year. Necessity: Present authorization expires with the end of the fiscal year 1931. Begins: With the fiscal year 1932 (July 1, 1931). Plan: 1. The acquisition, as rapidly as circumstances and appropriations will permit of the at present unacquired land chiefly valuable for forest purposes within the system of 32 purchase areas heretofore established under the provisions of said acts, amounting to approximately 6,173,581 acres, contingent upon presentation of options at satisfactory rates, and approval by the National Forest Reservation Commission. 2. The establishment, as rapidly as circumstances and appropriations will permit, of additional purchase areas, tentatively but not definitely selected, and the acquisition therein of approximately 3,300,000 acres of land. Approval of each purchase unit to be contingent upon concurrence of the State and presentation to the National Forest Reservation Commission of detailed reports justifying proposals. Approved by: National Forest Reservation Commission, composed of Secretary of War, Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Agriculture, two United States Senators, and two Representatives in Congress. The last fiscal year the Government has acquired title to 190,251 acres of land at an average price of $4.70 per acre, or a total price of $891,996.87. Total acreage approved for purchase to date, 3,720,806 acres at an average price of $4.83, or a total price of $17,970,147. O AMENDMENTS TO THE WORLD WAR ADJUSTED FEBRUARY 15, 1930.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. HAWLEY, from the Committee on Ways and Means, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 9804] The Committee on Ways and Means, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 9804) to amend the World War adjusted compensation act, as amended, by extending the time within which applications for benefits thereunder may be filed, and for other purposes, having had the same under consideration, report it back to the House without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. The legislation herein recommended has three principal objects: 1. To extend for a period of five years from January 2, 1930, the time within which veterans or their dependents may file application for adjusted compensation benefits; 2. In presumption of death cases, to permit the filing of an application by the dependent of the veteran at any time during the 7-year absence of the veteran, or within one year after such period, provided such 7-year period began on or before January 2, 1935; 3. To validate certain certificates already issued by the United States Veterans' Bureau where certification of an application without signature but bearing the identified fingerprints of the veteran has been inadvertently made by the War or Navy Department, in cases where the veteran is now dead. EXTENSION OF TIME FOR FILING APPLICATIONS When the World War adjusted compensation act was enacted it was intended that the benefits thereunder should be availed of by all eligible veterans of the World War or their dependents. For the purpose of expediting the filing of applications so that Congress would know with some degree of exactitude the expenditures required |