The Navy Department recommends that the proposed legislation be enacted. The proposed legislation is in accord with the program of the President. Sincerely yours, CLAUDE A. SWANSON. О AUTHORIZING THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY TO ACCEPT GIFTS AND BEQUESTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE OFFICE OF NAVAL RECORDS AND LIBRARY, NAVY DEPARTMENT (H. R. 3598). MR. VINSON OF GEORGIA NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, January 19, 1937. The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. SPEAKER: There is transmitted here with a draft of 1 proposed bill "Authorizing the Secretary of the Navy to accept s and bequests for the benefit of the Office of Naval Records and brary, Navy Department." The purpose of this proposed legislation is to authorize the Secreay of the Navy to accept, receive, hold, and administer gifts and ests of personal property and loans of personal property other money, from individuals or others for the benefit of the Office of Naval Records and Library, Navy Department, its collection or its es, such gifts or bequests of money to be deposited in the Treasof the United States as trust funds under the title "Office of Naval Gerds and Library Fund." The draft of bill further provides that gifts and bequests for the it of the Office of Naval Records and Library, Navy Departat, its collection or its services, shall be exempt from all Federal The bill also authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury, upon the st of the Secretary of the Navy, to invest, or reinvest, the trust , or any part thereof, deposited in the Treasury pursuant to the t section of this act, in securities of the United States Government in securities guaranteed by the United States Government, the Letest accruing from such securities to be deposited to the credit of Office of Naval Records and Library Fund. In order to extend the usefulness of the Navy Department Library its services, the Navy Department desires to secure the necessary Lonization to accept gifts, loans and bequests. Congress has ated similar legislation in connection with gifts for use in providing Deation for enlisted men (act of June 30, 1932, 47 Stat., 424; C., title 5, sec. 419a) and in connection with gifts for the Library Congress (act of Mar. 3, 1925, 43 Stat., 1107; U. S. C., title 2, ch. 5). There is not cost to the Government in connection with this prolegislation. On the other hand the Government would be ted to the extent of the value of gifts other than money and by e of money for the use of the Office of Naval Records and Library. The Navy Department recommends that the proposed legislation **acted. proposed legislation is in accord with the program of the Pent. Sincerely yours, CLAUDE A. SWANSON. TO PROVIDE FOR THE BETTER ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IN THE NAVY (H. R. 3599). MR. VINSON OF GEORGIA NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, January 19, 1937. The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. SPEAKER: There is transmitted herewith a draft of proposed bill "To provide for the better administration of justice in the Navy." The purpose of the proposed legislation is to confer authority upon the Navy Department similar to that conferred upon the War DepartDent with respect to military prisoners (arts. 2, 12, 13, and 14, act June 4, 1920, 41 Stat., 787, 789; U. S. C., title 10, secs. 1473, 1483, 144, and 1485), whereby all naval prisoners undergoing confinement all remain subject to the articles for the government of the Navy and all other laws for the administration of justice in the Navy, and stall be liable to trial by court martial for the offenses committed The under any sentence imposed pursuant to the first or subsequent urt-martial. The status of naval prisoners undergoing confinement in naval psons is threefold and as follows: 1) Former officers, tried by courts martial, found guilty, dismissed from the service, and held to the execution of the sentences imposed. 2) Former enlisted men tried by courts martial, found guilty, and to the execution of the sentences imposed, after the expiration of eir terms of enlistment. 3 Enlisted men undergoing confinement where enlistments have to expired. Authority exists under the present laws to bring to trial naval prisoners whose enlistments have not expired; also to bring to trial persons who have been discharged or whose enlistments have expired to have committed certain offenses prior to their separation from Le service. The Navy Department is without jurisdiction in the sence of legislation on the subject, to court martial naval prisoners To have been dismissed from the naval service or whose terms of estment have expired and who committed offenses subsequent to 5h discharge or expiration of enlistment while yet in confinement. It thus happens that an anomaly exists in that the Navy Department ale to punish one group of naval prisoners for offenses committed e undergoing confinement and not able to punish other naval soners. This anomaly increases the difficulties of administration aval prisons. The proposed legislation would not result in any additional cost to e Government. The Navy Department recommends the enactment of the proposed. sation. The proposed legislation is in accord with the program of the Present. Sincerely yours, 91216-37-No. 3 CLAUDE A. SWANSON. (5) |