JANUARY 15 (calendar day, JANUARY 16), 1917.-Ordered to be printed. Mr. TILLMAN, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany S. 7257.] The Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 7257) providing a fine for whoever shall forge, counterfeit, or falsely alter any certificate of discharge from the military or naval service of the United States, having considered the same, report thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass. The bill has the approval of the Secretary of the Navy, as will appear by the letter appended hereto: DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: In reply to the committee's memorandum inclosing the bill (S. 7257) “Providing a fine for whoever shall forge, counterfeit, or falsely alter any certificate of discharge from the military or naval service of the United States," and requesting the views of the department thereon, there is inclosed herewith a copy of the department's letter to your committee under date of December 6, 1916, setting forth its views and recommending the enactment of such legislation. Sincerely, yours, JOSEPHUS DANIELS, United States Senate. The CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: A case recently arose in New York City where a mana civilian-had in his possession copies of discharge certificates such as those furnished to enlisted men of the Navy on discharge from the service. These certificates must have been either forged or obtained in some surreptitious manner, since they could not have been obtained otherwise. It was discovered that the man having these false discharge certificates sold them to men who had been discharged from the service other than by way of an honorable discharge. The purchasers made forged vouchers on the certificates and afterwards used the same in an effort to obtain employment in civil life, the false certificates of discharge being put forth to show that the man's service in the Navy had been honest and faithful, whereas the contrary was the fact. The department has noted with pleasure that honorable discharge certificates are being considered as high recommendations by various employers throughout the country, and this is as it should be, since a man who completes an enlistment and receives an honorable discharge has thoroughly demonstrated that he is possessed of a good degree of intelligence and a high character for honesty, faithful performance of duty, and reliability. If, however, this practice of counterfeiting honorable discharges should grow, it is apparent that the honorable discharges which the men honestly possess will soon lose their value. I am informed that the Department of Justice contemplated prosecuting the man in New York who sold these fraudulent discharge certificates, but that there is no Federal law which appears to apply to his case, and it is doubtful whether a conviction could be obtained in the courts. It is believed that this situation calls for remedial action by the Congress, and the department accordingly recommends to your consideration, and that of your committee, the advisability of introducing, either as a separate bill or as an amendment to some bill, a provision to make acts of the character of those above mentioned punishable offenses under the laws of the United States. It is believed that the following language would, if enacted into law, accomplish the desired result: "Whoever shall forge, counterfeit, or falsely alter any certificate of discharge from the military or naval service of the United States, or shall in any manner aid or assist in forging, counterfeiting, or falsely altering any such certificate, or shall use, unlawfully have in his possession, exhibit, or cause to be used or exhibited, any such forged, counterfeited, or falsely altered certificates, knowing the same to be forged, counterfeited, or falsely altered, shall be fined not more than $1,000 and imprisoned not more than one year. Sincerely, yours, JOSEPHUS DANIELS, Secretary of the Navy. United States Senate. The CHAIRMAN Committee ON NAVAL AFFAIRS, SENATE. 64TH CONGRESS, 2d Session. { REPORT AUTHORIZING NAVY AND MARINE CORPS OFFICERS TO ADMINISTER OATHS. JANUARY 15 (calendar day, JANUARY 16), 1917.-Ordered to be printed. Mr. TILLMAN, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany S. 7258.] The Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 7258) to further amend an act entitled "An act authorizing certain officers of the Navy and Marine Corps to administer oaths, approved January 25, 1895, as amended by the act of March 3, 1901, having considered the same, report thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass. The bill has the approval of the Secretary of the Navy, as will be seen by the letter appended here to: DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The naval appropriation act of August 29, 1916, established, under the Department of the Navy, a naval reserve force to consist of six classes. There was also established by the same act a Marine Corps Reserve under the same provisions, so far as practicable, as those providing for the naval reserve force; and, further, to provide a force for use in a national emergency there was created the National Naval Volunteers. The forces thus provided for are distinctly Federal forces. To organize and build up these forces it is necessary to enlist, enroll, transfer, warrant, and commission men therein either from civil life or from the various branches of the military service of the United States. Many of the members for these organizations must necessarily be recruited from the interior and portions of the United States where there are no available Federal officers who are at present authorized to administer the oaths which it is necessary that these men take, and for the administration of which there is no provision in the act above referred to. This results in considerable inconvience and is a handicap in the building up of the forces. It is necessary, in many instances, that the men desiring to enroll or enlist take their oaths before a notary public or other civil officer authorized to administer oaths, paying the necessary fees therefor, whereas such enrollment or enlistment is for the benefit of the Government and is a matter of naval administration. The Division of Naval Militia Affairs of this department just recently requested that the inspector-instructors and the Federal inspectors of the Naval Militia be authorized to administer oaths to those persons desiring to enroll in the National Naval Volunteers. The Bureau of Navigation has also requested to be advised as to whether or not there was authority of law for officers of the Naval Auxiliary Reserve, who were masters of vessels of the merchant marine, to administer oaths of office to their subordinates and enroll men in the Naval Auxiliary Reserve. In neither case could the officers referred to be authorized to administer oaths. As a matter of expediency and in order that the forces created as above referred to may be organized and built up so that they will be strong factors in the military strength of the Nation, it is essential that certain officers, in addition to those at present authorized, be empowered to administer oaths. Because of the varying natures and classes of these forces, it is impracticable to designate specifically what particular officers should be authorized to administer oaths. There is inclosed herewith a draft of a proposed bill to amend the present law relative to the administration of oaths, which, it is believed, will remedy the situation above referred to and facilitate the accomplishment of the ends which it is believed were in the view of the Congress when the organization of the forces above referred to was authorized. At the time the act of March 3, 1901, was approved, there was but one assistant adjutant and inspector in the Marine Corps, but since that time the number has been increased. The letter "s" has therefore been added to the word "assistant" in the proposed bill. Sincerely, yours, The CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS, 64TH CONGRESS,} SENATE. { REPORT No. 936. ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO SEAMEN, ETC. JANUARY 15 (calendar day, JANUARY 16), 1917.-Ordered to be printed. Mr. TILLMAN, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany S. 7720.] The Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 7720) to amend section 1570 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, relative to additional compensation to seamen, landsmen, and marines, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it do pass. The bill has the approval of the Secretary of the Navy as will appear from the letter appended hereto: NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, December 15, 1916. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: It is frequently necessary, especially in tropical waters, on account of the intense heat in the firerooms, requiring unusually short and frequent shifts, that marines on board ship be detailed for duty in the firerooms to assist the regular firemen. The performance of such duty by marines is not, of course, within the ordinary routine of their duties. It is, however, military duty of a character which may be required of all persons in the military service of the United States in cases of necessity. On account of the unusual nature of the work in the cases of marines, and the additional wear and tear of clothing which it involves, it would appear that they should receive extra compensation therefor. Section 1570 of the Revised Statutes of the United States provides as follows: "Every seaman, ordinary seaman, or landsman who performs the duty of a fireman or coal heaver on board of any vessel of war shall be entitled to receive, in addition to his compensation as seaman, ordinary seaman, or landsman, a compensation at the rate of 33 cents a day for the time he is employed as fireman or coal heaver." Section 1765 of the Revised Statutes reads as follows: "No officer in any branch of the public service, or any other person whose salary, pay, or emoluments are fixed by law or regulations, shall receive any additional pay, extra allowance, or compensation, in any form whatever, for the disbursement of public money, or for any other service or duty whatever, unless the same is authorized by law and the appropriation therefor explicitly states that it is for such additional pay, extra allowance, or compensation." |