Mr. NELSON, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany S. 2801.] The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill (S. 2801) to amend section 21 of an act entitled "An act making appropriations for the legislative, executive, and judicial expenses of the Government for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1897, and for other purposes," approved May 28, 1896, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass without amendment. This bill is recommended by the Attorney General of the United States in the following letter which fully explains the reasons why the amendment of the existing law is desired: Hon. KNUTE NELSON, Chairman Committee on the Judiciary, OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, United States Senate. MY DEAR SENATOR: The attention of the committee is respectfully invited to the fact that United States commissioners in many instances fail to render quarterly accounts against the Government covering fees earned. They sometimes wait until the close of a period of many years to submit an account requesting payment for their services. Such action is objectionable in many respects. It is difficult to properly audit such accounts because of many varied decisions affecting the charges therein made at various times during the period covered. It is also difficult to verify the facts underlying charges for services in prior years. Another objection to the above-mentioned delay is the inability of the department to show accurately the annual cost to the Government on account of fees of commissioners after the close of each fiscal year, and the necessity of submitting to Congress items pertaining to appropriations for prior years. Under existing law accounts of the character in question must be audited and paid, notwithstanding the delinquency of the claimant in presenting his account, provided the charges are in accordance with law. It is therefore earnestly recommended that careful consideration be given by the committee to the question of amending section 21 of the act approved May 28, 1896 (29 Stat. L., 184), by the following provision: "Provided, That the accounts of United States commissioners shall be rendered quarterly, under such regulations as the Attorney General may prescribe; and "Provided further, That no payment shall be made from the Treasury in settlement of any account of a United States commissioner for fees earned by any such commissioner subsequent to the date of the approval of this act which is not rendered by him within one year from the expiration of the quarter covered thereby. Respectfully, O GUY D. GOFF, Acting Attorney General. AMENDING SECTION 17 OF THE UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY LAW. DECEMBER 12, 1921.-Ordered to be printed. Mr. NELSON, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 6998) to amend section 17 of an act to establish a uniform system of bankruptcy throughout the United States, approved July 1, 1898, as amended by the acts of February 5, 1903, and March 2, 1917, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass with the following amend ments: The following are the amendments: 1. In line 6, page 1, after the word "be" insert a comma and the following words: and hereby is," and after the word "amended" in the same line insert the words " so as. 2. In line 1, page 2, after the word "representations" insert the following words: "or for willful and malicious injuries to the person or property of another." The second amendment is made to cure a mistake in the bill as it passed the House. The clause to be inserted is in the existing law, and it was not intended that the clause should be left out at this time. The bill reenacts the present law down to subsection "(fifth)." The two new subsections, (fifth) and (sixth), are needed to afford better protection to workmen, clerks, salesmen, and servants against bankrupt employers. O BRIDGE ACROSS COLUMBIA RIVER. DECEMBER 13, 1921.-Ordered to be printed. Mr. CALDER, from the Committee on Commerce, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany S. 2776.] The Committee on Commerce, to whom was referred the bil (S. 2776) to authorize the construction of a toll bridge over the Columbia River at a point approximately 5 miles upstream from Dalles City, Wasco County, in the State of Oregon, to a point on the opposite shore of the State of Washington, have considered the same and report thereon with amendments, and as so amended recommend that the bill do pass. The bill thus amended has the approval of the War Department, as will appear by the annexed communication, the amendment referred to therein having been incorporated in the bill as reported. War DepartmeNT, December 9, 1921. Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Commerce, United States Senate So far as the interests committed to this department are concerned, I do not know of any objection to the favorable consideration by Congress of the accompanying bill, S. 2776, Sixty-seventh Congress, present session, to authorize the construction of a bridge over the Columbia River at a point approximately 5 miles upstream from Dalles City, Wasco County, in the State of Oregon, to a point on the opposite shore of the State of Washington, if amended as indicated in red thereon. 67TH CONGRESS,} SENATE. { REPORT No. 355. BRIDGE ACROSS ESCAMBIA RIVER AT OR NEAR CENTURY, FLA. DECEMBER 13, 1921.-Ordered to be printed. Mr. CALDER, from the Committee on Commerce, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany S. 2790.] The Committee on Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (S 2790) to authorize the boards of county commissioners, Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, Fla., their successors and assigns, to construct a bridge across the Escambia River, Fla., at or near Century, Fla., approximately 38 miles from the mouth of this river, having considered the same, report it with amendments, and, as amended, recommend its passage. The bill thus amended has the approval of the War Department, as will appear from the annexed communication, the amendment referred to therein having been incorporated in the bill as reported. WAR DEPARTMENT, December 9, 1921. Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Commerce, United States Senate. So far as the interests committed to this department are concerned, I do not know of any objection to the favorable consideration by Congress of the accompanying bill, S. 2790, Sixty-seventh Congress, second session, to authorize the construction of a bridge across the Escambia River, at or near Century, Fla., if the bill be amended as indicated in red thereon. J. M. WAINWRIGHT, O |