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742. Appropriations for invalid pensions, 1922.

743. To create Bureau of Aeronautics in Navy Department.

744. Indian appropriation bill, 1922.

746. Relief of Indians of Nisqually Reservation, Wash.

747. Indians of Turtle Mountain Reservation.

748. Authorizing closing of upper Water street in District of Columbia.

749. Corporations organized in District of Columbia.

750. Bridge across Santee River, S. C.

751. Bridge across Peedee River, S. C.

752. Bridge across Wateree River, S. C.

753. Dam across Missouri River in Montana for irrigation purposes.

754. Amending law relative to health requirements on vessels.

755. Sundry civil appropriation bill, 1922.

756. Bridge across Hudson River.

757. Mariveles stone quarries, Philippine Islands.

758. To improve Red Lake and Red Lake River.

763. Transfer of military material to National Museum.

764. Claim of Massachusetts.

773. Diplomatic and consular appropriation bill, 1922.

774. Legislative, executive, and judicial appropriation bill, 1922.

776. River and harbor appropriation bill.*

777. Agriculture appropriation bill, 1922.

781. Bridge across Mississippi River, Minn.

782. Bridge across Hudson River between Troy and Cohoes, N. Y.

783. Bridge across Tug Fork.

784. Bridge across Little Calumet River, Cook County, Ill.

785. Relief of Stevens Institute of Technology, etc.

787. Nonnavigability of Bayou Cocodrie, La.

788. Passenger service season on Great Lakes.

789. Emergency immigration legislation.

802. Longevity pay for reserve and National Guard officers.

803. First deficiency appropriation bill, 1921.

804. Bridge across Detroit River near Detroit, Mich.

805. Allotment of lands within Fort Belknap Reservation.

806. Fortifications appropriation bill, 1922.

807. To close Cedar road, Washington, D. C.

808. Experiment vineyards near Fresno and Oakville, Calif.

809. Army appropriation bill, 1922.

1

3d

66TH CONGRESS, }

SENATE.

REPORT

{No. 664.

SEWER AT FORT DE RUSSY, HONOLULU, HAWAII.

DECEMBER 10, 1920.-Ordered to be printed.

BRAR

Mr. WADSWORTH, from the Committee on Military Affairs, submitted the following

REPORT.

[To accompany S. 4572.]

The Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 4572) "Granting to the city and county of Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, a right of way over and across the Fort De Russy Military Reservation for the purpose of extending its sewer system" having considered the same report favorably thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass without amendment.

The Secretary of War recommends the passage of this bill in a letter, dated December 4, 1920, to the chairman of the committee, in which he says:

The city and county of Honolulu have formulated plans to construct a new sewer system for the city of Honolulu, and it is proposed to lay the main sewer through the Fort De Russy Military Reservation, and to erect thereon a booster station. The sewer, as planned, will be of concrete and 20 inches in diameter; the grade 0.10 per cent; and capacity 3 M. G. in 24 hours. The land required for the booster station will be approximately 12 feet by 40 feet. Both the sewer pipe and booster station will be placed underground.

The Honolulu Chamber of Commerce has indorsed the proposed sewer project on the ground that it will be of public benefit and also necessary to take care of the increase in population in the district which will be served by the undertaking.

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Final plans and specifications for the sewer and booster station will be subject to the approval of the War Department.

The city and county of Honolulu originally requested a revocable license for the construction of the sewer and of the booster station. However, the matter was referred to the Judge Advocate General and he expressed the opinion that inasmuch as the request was not for mere temporary occupancy of the reservation, but was a request to construct and maintain on and across the reservation an improvement of a permanent character, the occupancy was of a character that was clearly inconsistent with the nature of a revocable license. He held, therefore, that inasmuch as the proposed right of way across the reservation is not properly subject to grant by revocable license, there is no law authorizing the Secretary of War to grant such a right of way, and that on that account the application would have to be denied.

It becomes necessary, then, for the War Department to request that appropriate legislation be enacted to authorize this grant. It is believed that the following bill will meet the requirements of the city and county of Honolulu and at the same time properly protect the interests of the Government.

о

3d Session.

66TH CONGRESS, }

SENATE.

REPORT

{ No. 665.

SALE OF REAL ESTATE AT FORT JACKSON, GA.

DECEMBER 10, 1920.-Ordered to be printed.

Mr. KIRBY, from the Committee on Military Affairs, submitted the

following

REPORT.

[To accompany S. J. Res. 172.]

The Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the joint resolution (S. J. Res. 172) "authorizing and directing the Secretary of War to sell a certain parcel of land known as Fort Jackson, at New Deptford, on the Savannah River, Ga.," having considered the same, report favorably thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass with an amendment.

In lines 4, 5, and 6, on page 1, strike out "or private sale, as in his judgment may best subserve the interests of the United States," and insert in lieu thereof "and public sale."

In the judgment of the committee this proposed legislation seems advisable, for the reasons given by the Secretary of War in a letter to the chairman dated May 29, 1920. This letter contains the following statement:

This parcel of land, occupied by Fort Jackson, was declared of no further military value for the defense of the city of Savannah, Ga., and under General Order No. 10, War Department, 1905, this post was turned over to the Engineer Department. This reservation is now of no use to the latter department. The War Department therefore recommends the enactment of the necessary legislation authorizing the sale of this reservation.

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RECONSTRUCTION AND PRODUCTION.

DECEMBER 14, 1920.-Ordered to be printed.

Mr. CALDER, from the Select Committee on Reconstruction and Production, submitted the following

PRELIMINARY REPORT.

[Pursuant to S. Res. 350.]

The committee authorized by Senate resolution No. 350, of April 17, 1920, was directed to inquire into the general building situation and to report to the Senate on or before December 1, 1920, such measures as may be deemed necessary to stimulate and foster the development of construction work in all its forms.

The committee has thus far devoted its attention to housing rather than industrial construction. Information as to conditions existing throughout the country has been obtained through correspondence, questionnaires, and field investigations. Information as to conditions existing throughout England and France has been obtained through field investigations by experts. The committee has held hearings in the principal cities of the United States, excepting the far West.

A HOUSING SHORTAGE.

There is no doubt that there exists a serious shortage of housing, not only in the great cities but in the smaller cities as well, even in the far West and South, and that this shortage has a material effect upon industrial growth and upon public health and morals. The total housing construction during the last four years is hardly equal to that of a normal year. Rentals have increased from 25 to 150 per cent. Four years ago a house for a workingman cost on an average about $3,000. To-day the same house costs $6,000. Houses produced at such cost are beyond the purchasing power of the workingmen of this country. To buy such a house or to rent it, a workingman would have to pay the equivalent of a rent of at least $60 a month instead of the $30 a month that he is accustomed to paying. Industrial development, together with increasing immigration, will add to the present urban congestion.

INTERFERENCE BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

The building industry was disrupted during the war by Federal intervention, and has been unable to get back on its feet since the armistice because of transportation, fuel, and labor difficulties, because of the diversion of credit to commercial purposes, and because of handicaps of taxation. The industry would naturally have revived, because of the great need of construction, if it had enjoyed prewar transportation conditions (both as to promptness of delivery and low cost), prewar fuel conditions, prewar labor efficiency, and if investment capital had not been diverted to other channels, especially through tax-exempt securities, and had not been driven from the building industry by high income and excess-profits taxes. now seems beyond the power of private individuals, municipalities, or States to overcome the present handicaps of transportation, fuel, finance, and taxation.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROVIDE FACILITIES RATHER THAN

SUBSIDIES.

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The actions of various States in regulatory rent laws, or toward subsidy or toward participation in the housing business, promises no permanent relief. The unfortunate results of the attempts of the English Government along such lines are warnings against similar attempts in this country. The Federal Government must assume the responsibility for its war-time acts in curtailing the industry as well as for its peace-time acts in diverting transportation and capital from the industry. While helpful Federal action is justified, such Federal action should be to provide facilities rather than to provide subsidies.

COSTS SHOULD BE REDUCED.

The committee well recognizes that building-including homesdepends upon the cost of transportation, fuel, and labor, and that by no possible artifice can buildings be produced at less than the cost of these basic elements; but the committee believes that there is yet much to be accomplished in the way of greater efficiency of labor; in the way of elimination of profiteering in coal; and in the way of transportation, through more equitable rates and through more regular deliveries.

TRANSPORTATION.

INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION SHOULD REGULATE RAILWAYS, NOT INDUSTRY.

The freight rates on building materials were increased some 50 per cent in June, 1918, and some 40 per cent in August, 1920, making a total cost of freight on building materials of nearly $2.10, as compared with $1 before the war; the total for other industries being about $1.75, compared with $1 before the war. Shortly after the appointment of this committee the transportation facilities of the country were allocated to coal movement through priority orders. of the Interstate Commerce Commission, and the subsequent irregularities of delivery of building materials have been instrumen

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