PROVIDING FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF NAVAL PLANTATIONS OUTSIDE THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES JUNE 1, 1944.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. HÉBERT, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 1634] The Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1634) to provide for the management and operation of naval plantations outside the continental United States, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that the bill, as amended, do pass. The amendment is as follows: Strike out all after the enacting clause and substitute in lieu thereof the following: "That hereafter the appropriations for the subsistence of naval personnel shall be available for any and all expenditures necessary in the management, operation, maintenance, and improvement of any plantation or farm, on land subject to naval jurisdiction outside of the continental United States, for the purpose of furnishing food and food products to the armed forces of the United States: Provided, That equipment, material, and supplies required therein may be purchased without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes, and other laws applicable to purchases by governmental agencies: Provided further, That only American nationals, employees of the United States, shall be entitled to benefits under the civil-service laws and other laws of the United States relating to the employment, work, compensation, rights, benefits, or obligations of civilian employees of the United States: Provided further, That surplus production over the amount furnished or sold to the armed forces of the United States and to civilians serving with the armed forces, may only be sold outside the continental limits of the United States: And provided further, That no land shall be acquired under this authorization. "SEC. 2. This Act shall remain in effect until the termination of the present war, and for six months thereafter." The purpose of the bill S. 1634, as amended by the committee, is to make available appropriations for the subsistence of naval personnel for expenditures necessary in the management, operation, maintenance, and improvement of any plantation or farm, on land subject to naval jurisdiction outside of the continental United States, for the purpose of furnishing food and food products to the armed forces of the United States. By section 2, the continuing authorization contained in the amended Senate bill is limited to the duration of the war and 6 months thereafter. Such limitation is consistent with the emergency nature of most of the projects contemplated. In view of this time limitation, it is believed that the provision inserted by the Senate Naval Affairs Committee requiring prior approval of the Naval Affairs Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives for the undertaking of any such project and annual approval thereafter is unnecessary and is therefore eliminated in the House committee amendment. Similarly the provision requiring annual statements of receipts and expenditures, data on production, and recommendations for continuance or abandonment is omitted. The proviso permitting purchases without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes has been retained as desirable in order to facilitate necessary small purchases without resort to bids. The proviso limiting benefits under the civil service and other laws of the United States to American nationals, while declaratory of existing administrative practice, is considered worthy of retention, inasmuch as it leaves no question as to the status of employees of such projects. Under the proviso American nationals employed by the Navy on any such plantation or farm have the same status as American nationals employed by other United States Government agencies under comparable conditions. The proviso limiting sale of surplus production to outside the continental limits of the United States has been retained and is designed to prevent competition with the American market. The proviso forbidding acquisition of land under the authorization of the proposed legislation has similarly been retained as desirable. The committee is of the opinion that enactment of this bill in its amended form would be of material assistance in promoting the welfare and health of members of the armed services serving outside the continental limits of the United States, and unanimously recommend enactment of this bill as amended. The following letter from the Secretary of the Navy addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and transmitted by him to the chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs of the House of Representatives set forth the views and recommendation of the Navy Department on this bill. Hon. SAM RAYBURN, NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, December 20, 1945. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. SPEAKER: There is transmitted herewith a draft of a proposed bill to provide for the management and operation of naval plantations outside the continental United States. The purpose of the proposed legislation is to authorize the Secretary of the Navy, under such regulations as he may prescribe, to manage, operate, maintain, and improve plantations and farms outside the continental limits of the United States for the purpose of furnishing food and food products to the armed forces of the United States and the personnel thereof, and to civilians serving with the armed forces. It is provided that no land shall be acquired for the purpose. The proposed legislation would provide authority for the management and operation of the plantation located on the naval operating base at Trinidad, British West Indies, and of such other farms and plantations as may be located upon establishments beyond the continental limits of the United States under the control of the Secretary of the Navy. The naval operating base at Trinidad includes a substantial plantation, from which large supplies of tropical fruits and other products have been furnished to the armed forces in Trinidad and to civilians serving with them and to vessels of the Army, Navy, and Coast Guard calling at Trinidad. The naval operating base at Trinidad consists of about 10,696 acres, of which 7,196 acres were originally leased for 99 years under the London agreement of March 27, 1941, or April 22, 1941, and approximately 3,500 acres have since been leased under said agreement on December 24, 1942, for the remaining period of the basic 99-year lease. About 2,900 acres of this area was a producing plantation and farm at the time the United States acquired it. This operation has since been continued on a salvage basis under the general construction contract for the construction of military and naval facilities at the base. This method does not contemplate replanting, or necessary cultivation to keep the trees healthy and bearing. subjects the plantation to the hazard of becoming run down and unproductive within 2 to 5 years. It The plantation contains an extensive acreage of citrus fruit. Its products include grapefruit, organges, and limes, in considerable quantities. The plantation also produces Tonka beans, coffee, coconuts, nutmegs, mangoes, and other products. Other crops, such as fresh vegetables, could be grown. Livestock for local use and food supply could be raised. In order to preserve the plantation, and to assure the continuance of production, the plantation must be operated and cared for with that object in view, and provisión for adequate maintenance and improvement must be made. purpose legislation is required. For this The sale of surplus products to others is authorized by the proposed legislation, provided that such products may only be sold outside the continental United States. In the case of the plantation on the naval operating base at Trinidad, such sales would be made only with the approval of the authorities governing the island of Trinidad, in conformity to the basic London agreement pursuant to which the base was acquired. In view of the location of such farms and plantations beyond the continental United States, the proposed legislation provides that all persons employed directly by the United States, and their heirs, shall be governed as to compensation for disability or death from personal injury sustained while in the performance of duty, by the act approved September 7, 1916 (39 Stat. 742, 5 U. S. C. 751 ff.), as amended, provided that only American citizens, employees of the United States, shall be entitled to benefits under the civil-service laws and other laws of the United States relating to the employment, work, compensation, rights, and benefits of civilian employees of the United States. In order to facilitate and simplify the operation of such farms and plantations, it is provided that equipment, material, and supplies may be purchased without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes and other laws relating to purchases by governmental agencies, and that sales of produce may be made without regard to the provisions of other law relating to the sale of Government property. Appropriations for the subsistence of naval personnel are made available for expenditures in managing, operating, maintaining, and improving such farms or plantations. The proceeds of all sales are directed to be deposited in the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts. From the experience gained in the operation of the plantation on the naval operating base at Trinidad, it appears that the plantation is self-supporting financially, when the value of all its produce is taken into account. No cost to the Government would, therefore, be involved in the enactment of the proposed legislation insofar as that plantation is concerned, and no worth-while estimate can be made of the cost to the Government, if any, involved in the enactment of the proposed legislation, as respects such other farms and plantations as may hereafter be operated pursuant to the authority thereof. The Navy Department recommends that the proposed legislation be enacted into law. The Navy Department has been advised by the Bureau of the Budget that there would be no objection to the submission of the proposed legislation to the Congress. Sincerely yours, FRANK KNOX. O AUTHORIZING THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO PURCHASE IMPROVEMENTS ON THE ANDERSON RANCH RESERVOIR SITE, BOISE RECLAMATION PROJECT, IDAHO JUNE 1, 1944.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. MURDOCK, from the Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 3527] The Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 3527) authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to purchase improvements or pay damages for removal of improvements located on public lands of the United States in the Anderson Ranch Reservoir site, Boise reclamation project, Idaho, provided that amounts so paid shall not exceed the reasonable value, in the judgment of the Secretary of the Interior, of the improvements purchased or the actual damages sustained as a result of removal of said improvements, as the case may be, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill, H. R. 3527, do pass. The enactment of this proposed legislation has been recommended by the Secretary of the Interior who advises that the Bureau of the Budget has no objection to the presentation of this report. There appears to be ample justification for this legislation, and the bill is so drawn that the Government is adequately protected. The following letter from the Secretary of the Interior is thought to be sufficient explanation of the bill and the desirability of its enactment. Hon. COMPTON I. WHITE, THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, House of Representatives. Chairman, Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation, MY DEAR MR. WHITE: You have asked for an expression of my views on H. R. 3527, authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to |