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CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. No.

BRIDGE ACROSS TUG RIVER, KY.

AUGUST 20, 1919.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

Mr. BARKLEY, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following

REPORT.

[To accompany S. 2700.]

The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (S. 2700), having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass.

The bill has the approval of the War Department, as will appear by the letter attached and which is made a part of this report.

[Second indorsement.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, August 12, 1919.

Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Commerce, United States Senate.

So far as the interests committed to this department are concerned, I know of no objection to the favorable consideration by Congress of the accompanying bill, S. 2700, present session, to authorize the construction of a bridge across the Tug River, connecting Martin County, Ky., and Mingo County, W. Va., if the bill be amended as indicated in red thereon.

NEWTON D. BAKER,
Secretary of War.

O

CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

HOMESTEAD CREDIT TO WIDOWS.

AUGUST 20, 1919.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed.

Mr. SMITH of Idaho, from the Committee on the Public Lands, submitted the following

REPORT.

[To accompany H. R. 5000.]

The Committee on the Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 5000) entitled "A bill to allow credit for husbands' military service in case of homestead entries by widows, and for other purposes," having had the same under consideration, report the bill back with certain amendments and recommend that the bill as amended do pass.

Page 2, line 6, by inserting the word "minor" after the word "or." Page 2, line 7, by striking out the word "minor."

Page 2, line 8, by striking out the words, "and of the minority of the child or children."

For many years, soldiers and the widows of veterans of the Civil War and the Spanish-American War have had the right to apply, on homestead entry, the period of military service of the husband in lieu of residence, subject to the requirements that in all cases at least one year of residence would be required. On February 25, 1919, Congress passed an act extending the same rights to those engaged in military and naval service in connection with the Mexican border operations or the war with Germany and its allies. The act of February 25, 1919, carried this provision by referring to sections 2304 and 2305 of the Revised Statutes of the United States. The same privileges have belonged to the widows of the Civil War and Spanish War veterans, but the widows' rights were provided for in section 2307. This section was not referred to in the act of February 25, 1919, and it seems that the rights granted to the widows of the Civil and Spanish War veterans should be granted to the widows of the veterans of the

recent wars.

The measure is recommended by the Secretary of the Interior, and for the information of the House a letter addressed by the Secretary of the Interior to the Hon. N. J. Sinnott, chairman of the Commitee on the Public Lands, is attached hereto.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
Washington, July 1, 1919.

Hon. N. J. SINNOTT,

Chairman Committee on the Public Lands,

House of Representatives.

MY DEAR MR. SINNOTT: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your request for a report on H. R. 5000, to allow credit for husbands' military service in case of homestead entries by widows, and for other purposes.

The act of February 25, 1919 (40 Stat., 1161), provided that the provisions of sections 2304 and 2305 of the Revised Statutes of the United States should be applicable in all cases of military and naval service rendered in connection with the Mexican border operations or during the war with Germany and its allies. However, it did not make applicable in such cases section 2307, which extends special privileges with regard to homestead entries to be made by the widows or minor orphan children of the soldiers.

The present bill would extend such privileges to the soldiers' widows, as is done by said section 2307, and in that regard makes said section applicable in cases of the military service referred to in the act of February 25, 1919. It does not permit entries to be made by minor orphan children of these soldiers, but provides that where the widow has made entry and dies leaving only a minor child or children patent shall issue to them upon proof of her death and of the minority of the child or children, without further showing or compliance with the law.

I believe that this legislation is proper, and, therefore, recommend that the bill be enacted into law.

Cordially, yours,

FRANKLIN K. LANE, Secretary.

[H. R. 5000, Sixty-sixth Congress, first session.]

A BILL To allow credit for husbands' military service in case of homestead entries by widows, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in the case of the death of any person who would be entitled to a homestead under the provisions of the act of Congress approved February 25, 1919 (Public Numbered 273), entitled "An act to extend the provisions of the homestead laws touching credit for period of enlistment to the soldiers, nurses, and officers of the Army and the seamen, marines, nurses, and officers of the Navy and the Marine Corps of the United States, who have served or will have served with the Mexican border operations or during the war between the United States and Germany and their allies," his widow. if unmarried and otherwise qualified, may make entry of public lands under the provisions of the homestead laws of the United States and shall be entitled to all the benefits enumerated in said act subject to the provisions and requirements as to settlement, residence, and improvement therein contained: Provided, That in the event of the death of such entrywoman prior to perfection of title, leaving only a minor child or minor children, patent shall issue to the said child or children upon proof of death without further showing or compliance with law.

RURAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, LAPWAI, IDAHO.

AUGUST 20, 1919.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House and ordered to be printed.

Mr. SMITH of Idaho, from the Committee on the Public Lands, submitted the following

REPORT.

[To accompany H. R. 6772.]

The Committee on the Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 6772) entitled "A bill authorizing and directing the transfer of ten acres of land to Rural High School District Numbered One, Lapwai, Idaho," having had the same under consideration, report the bill back with an amendment and recommend that the bill, as amended, do

pass.

Page 1, line 6, strike out all of line 6 following the colon and all the language down to the colon on page 2, line 12, and insert in lieu thereof, the following:

Beginning at a point which is thirty feet west, one hundred thirteen and six-tenths feet south, and six hundred ninety-six feet south, eighty-six degrees six minutes west of the northeast corner of lot twenty-seven, section two, township thirty-five north, range four, West Boise meridian, which is the northwest corner of the present Lapwai School grounds; thence south eighty-six degrees six minutes, west four hundred eighty-three feet; thence south forty degrees twenty minutes, east eleven hundred seventy-four feet; thence north forty-three degrees fifty-four minutes, east five hundred ninety-eight feet; thence north two hundred sixty-four feet to southeast corner present school grounds; thence south eighty-six degrees six minutes, west six hundred ninetysix feet to southwest corner present school grounds; thence north three hundred feet to place of beginning, excepting eighty-nine one-thousandths acres as shown on plat "Reserved cemetery," containing ten and seven hundred forty-seven one-thousandths

acres.

The bill proposes to transfer ten and seven hundred forty-seven one-thousandths acres of land from a farm of approximately one thousand three hundred and fifty acres belonging to the Nez Perce tribe of Indians and used for tribal experimental purposes, to Rural High School District Numbered One, Lapwai, Idaho.

Rural high school district No. 1, Nez Perce County, Idaho, is a corporation created under the laws of Idaho for the purpose of maintaining and conducting an accredited high school in said district.

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