889q. Same-Increased pay and allowances authorized in Act of March second, nineteen hundred and thirteen, repealed.—The provisions of the Act of March second, nineteen hundred and thirteen,1 allowing increase of pay and allowances to officers detailed by the Secretary of War on aviation duty, are hereby repealed. Id.

889r. Married officers of line of Army eligible for detail to aviation duty-Enlisted men of aviation section to be instructed in art of flying.-Hereafter married officers of the line of the Army shall be eligible equally with unmarried officers and subject to the same conditions for detail to aviation duty; and the Secretary of War shall have authority to cause as many enlisted men of the aviation section to be instructed in the art of flying as he may deem necessary. Id.

889s. Age of officers not a bar to original detail, and neither age nor rank a bar to subsequent details.-Hereafter the age of officers shall not be a bar to their first detail in the aviation section of the Signal Corps, and neither their age nor their rank shall be a bar to their subsequent details in said section. Id.

889t. Aviator, Signal Corps, appointment of qualified civilians as. When it shall be impracticable to obtain from the Army officers suitable for the aviation section of the Signal Corps in the number allowed by law, the difference between that number and the number of suitable officers actually available for duty in said section may be made up by appointments in the grade of aviator, Signal Corps, and that grade is hereby created. The personnel for said grade shall be obtained from especially qualified civilians who shall be appointed and commissioned in said grade. Id.

889u. Same-Pay and provision for discharge of.-Whenever any aviator shall have become unsatisfactory he shall be discharged from the Army as such aviator. The base pay of an aviator, Signal Corps, shall be $150 per month, and he shall have the allowances of a master signal electrician and the same percentage of increase in pay for length of service as is allowed to a master signal electrician. Id.

(For the ensuing provision of this section see paragraph 890a.)

section and prescribing the duties of the same expressly charged that section with the duty "of operating or supervising the operation of all military aircraft, including balloons and aeroplanes"; that in authorizing the increase of pay to officers on duty requiring them "to participate regularly and frequently in aerial flights," the act made no distinction as to the kind of aerial craft; and that the national defense act, while dealing with the organization, compensation, etc., of the aviation section, leaves in force the provision of the act of July 18, 1914, prescribing the duties of that section, and, like the act of July 18, 1914, makes no distinction with respect to the character of aerial eraft; but the law requires that the officer, while receiving this pay, shall be on duty requiring him to participate regularly and frequently in aerial flights, having regard to the nature of the craft in which such flights are taken; and this must be the real duty of the officer under his assignment. (War Dept. Bull. 26, May 7, 1917.)

graph

'Paragraph 889, ante, or 37 Stat. 705.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR AERONAUTICS.

889v. Composition of.-An Advisory Committee for Aeronautics is hereby established, and the President is authorized to appoint not to exceed twelve members, to consist of two members from the War Department, from the office in charge of military aeronautics; two members from the Navy Department, from the office in charge of naval aeronautics; a representative each of the Smithsonian Institution, of the United States Weather Bureau, and of the United States Bureau of Standards; together with not more than five additional persons who shall be acquainted with the needs of aeronautical science, either civil or military, or skilled in aeronautical engineering or its allied sciences. Act of Mar. 3 1915 (38 Stat. 930).

889w. Same-No compensation for members.-The members of the Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, as such, shall serve without compensation. Id.

889x. Same-Duty to supervise research, etc.-It shall be the duty of the Advisory Committee for Aeronautics to supervise and direct the scientific study of the problems of flight, with a view to their practical solution, and to determine the problems which should be experimentally attacked, and to discuss their solution and their application to practical questions. In the event of a laboratory or laboratories, either in whole or in part, being placed under the direction of the committee, the committee may direct and conduct research and experiment in aeronautics in such laboratory or laboratories. Id.

889y. Same-Rules of conduct for.-Rules and regulations for the conduct of the work of the committee shall be formulated by the committee and approved by the President. Id.

889z. Same-Appropriation for experimental work, etc.-The sum of $5,000 a year, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for five years is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be immediately available, for experimental work and investigations undertaken by the committee, clerical expenses and supplies, and necessary expenses of members of the committee in going to, returning from, and while attending, meetings of the committee. Id.

889aa. Same-Annual report to include itemized statement of expenditures.-An annual report to the Congress shall be submitted through the President, including an itemized statement of expenditures. Id.

889bb. Appropriation for purchase, manufacture, etc., of airships and other aerial machines for the Aviation Section.-Not more than $13,281,666 of the foregoing appropriation1 shall be used for the

1

The appropriation referred to is one of $14,281,766 for the Signal Service of the Army.

purchase, manufacture, maintenance, operation, and repair of airships and other aerial machines and accessories necessary in the Aviation Section; and for the purchase, maintenance, repair, and operation of motor-propelled, passenger-carrying vehicles which may be necessary for the Aviation Section. Act of Aug. 29, 1916 (39 Stat. 622).

889cc. Appropriation for payment of officers and enlisted men of the Aviation Section, Officers' Reserve Corps and Enlisted Reserve Corps, when called into active service.-Of the sum last above mentioned $900,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, will be available for paying and otherwise providing for such officers of the Officers' Reserve Corps of the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps and such enlisted men of the Enlisted Reserve Corps of the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps as may be called into active service. Id.

889dd. Appropriation for development of suitable type of aviation motor. Not to exceed $50,000 of the above sum will be available for the payment of all expenses in connection with the development of a suitable type of aviation motor, under such regulations as the Secretary of War may prescribe. Id.

889ee. Secretary of War to receive officers and enlisted men of Coast Guard for instruction in aviation at aviation schools.-At the request of the Secretary of the Treasury the Secretaries of War and Navy are authorized to receive officers and enlisted men of the Coast Guard for instruction in aviation at any aviation school maintained by the Army and Navy, and such officers and enlisted men shall be subject to the regulations governing such schools. Id., 601. 889ff. Obtaining basic patents for manufacture and development of aircraft.—To enable the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy to secure by purchase, condemnation, donation, or otherwise, such basic patent or patents as they may consider necessary to the manufacture and development of aircraft in the United States and its dependencies, for governmental and civil purposes, under such regulations as the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy may prescribe, $1,000,000. Act of Mar. 4, 1917 (39 Stat. 1169). 899gg. Same-Purchase arrangements advantageous to Government may be entered into.-Such arrangements may be made in relation to the purchase of any basic patent connected with the manufacture and development of aircraft in the United States as in the judgment of the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy will be of the greatest advantage to the Government and to the development of the industry. Id.

889hh. Same-Bond to be required where validity of patents is in litigation. In the event there shall be pending in court litigation

involving the validity of said patent or patents, bond, with good and approved security in an amount sufficient to indemnify the United States, shall be required, payable to the United States, conditioned to repay to the United States the amount paid for said patent or patents in the event said patent or patents are finally adjudged invalid. Id., 1170.

889ii. Consolidation of balances of appropriation for National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.-The balances under the several items of the appropriation "National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics," carried in the Act making appropriations for the naval service for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and seventeen, approved August twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred and sixteen, are hereby consolidated into a single fund and may be expended by the committee for its purposes as stated in the paragraph of Public Act Numbered Two hundred and seventy-one, Sixty-third Congress, approved March third, nineteen hundred and fifteen, establishing the committee. Id.

889jj. Increase in Aviation Section, ratings of aviation officers.— Officers detailed in or attached to the aviation section of the Signal Corps may, when qualified therefor, be rated as junior military aviators, military aviators, junior military aeronauts, and military neronauts, but no person shall be so rated until there shall have been issued to him a certificate to the effect that he is qualified for the rating, and no certificate shall be issued to any person until an examining board, which shall be composed of two officers of experience of the aviation section of the Signal Corps and one medical officer, shall have examined him under general regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of War and published to the Army by the War Department, and shall have reported to him to be qualified for the rating.1 Sec, 6, Act of July 24, 1917 (40 Stat. 244).

(For sections 1 and 2 of this act see paragraphs 879b-879e, ante, and for sections 3 and 4 see paragraphs 890d-890j, post.)

889kk. Same-length of service for ratings of military aviator and military aeronaut; exception.-No person shall receive the rating of military aviator or military aeronaut until he shall have served creditably for three years as an aviation officer with the rating of a

1Members of the Signal Officers' Reserve Corps promoted, appointed, detailed, or attached to the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps are, if they have the required experience, "officers of experience of the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps" qualified to be members of boards authorized to examine and certify to the qualifications of persons seeking the rating of aviators under section 6 of the act of July 24, 1917. (War Dept. Bull. 72, Dec. 24, 1917.)

An officer of the Regular Army, rated as a junior military aviator, resigned from the Army and was thereafter commissioned temporary captain in the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps. Held, that his rating before his resignation can not be continued, his appointment as temporary captain being from civil life. He must qualify as a junior military aviator under Section 6 of the Act of July 24, 1917. (Dig. Opin. J. A. G., January, 1918.)

junior military aviator or the rating of a junior military aeronaut, except that in time of war any officer or enlisted man who specially distinguishes himself in active service may, upon recommendation of the Chief Signal Officer of the Army, be rated as a junior military aviator, military aviator, junior military aeronaut, or military aeronaut without regard to examination or to length of service. Id. 88911. Same-Increase in rank and pay of aviation officers.-Junior military aeronauts and military aeronauts shall be entitled to the same increase in rank and pay as are now authorized by law for junior military aviators and military aviators, respectively. Id. 889mm. Same-Increased pay while on duty requiring aerial flights. Any officer attached to the aviation section of the Signal Corps for any military duty requiring him to make regular and frequent flights shall receive an increase of twenty-five per centum of the pay of his grade and length of service under his commission. Id., 2.45.

889nn. Rating of enlisted men in Aviation Section.-The Secretary of War is authorized from time to time to cause such number of the enlisted men of the aviation section of the Signal Corps above the grade of corporal as he may deem necessary to be rated as aviation mechanicians or as balloon mechanicians in the manner now prescribed by law. Sec. 7, id.

88900. Same-Increase of pay.-Balloon mechanicians shall receive the same increase of pay as now prescribed by law for aviation mechanicians. Id.

(For section 8 of this act see paragraphs 879h, 879i, ante.)

889pp. Purchase, manufacture, etc., of airships, guns, equipment, buildings, etc.-During the existing emergency authority is hereby given to the President, through the War Department, for the purchase, manufacture, maintenance, repair, and operation of airships and other aerial machines, including instruments and appliances of every sort and description necessary for the operation, construction, or equipment of all types of aircraft, including guns, armament, ammunition, and all necessary spare parts and equipment connected therewith; and all necessary buildings for equipment and personnel in the Aviation Section and for the purchase, maintenance, repair, and operation, through the Chief Signal Officer of the Army, of all motor-propelled passenger and equipment carrying vehicles which may be necessary for the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps. Sec. 9, id.

889qq. Same-Establishment of aviation stations, etc.-During the existing emergency authority is hereby further given for the establishment, equipment, maintenance, and operation of aviation sta