TO AUTHORIZE AN EXCHANGE OF LANDS BETWEEN THE RICHMOND, FREDERICKSBURG & POTOMAC RAILROAD CO. AND THE UNITED STATES AT QUANTICO, VA. APRIL 23, 1935.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. MCFARLANE, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 1611] The Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1611) authorizing an exchange of lands between the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad Co. and the United States at Quantico, Va., having considered the same, report it to the House with the recommendation that the bill do pass. The purpose of the bill is to authorize the transfer or exchange of land between the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad Co. and the United States certain property which forms part of the Marine Corps reservation at Quantico and certain other adjoining property owned by this railroad. The land to be transferred to the railroad company under this bill is not required for any immediate or prospective development of the Marine Corps reservation at this point, whereas the property to be transferred by the railroad company would be of great value to the further development of the reservation. This transfer would also give the Government riparian rights at this point which would permit the clearing up and policing of this area to great advantage of the Government. Further the area to be received by the Government is larger and more desirable to the Government than the land to be exchanged. This bill will involve no additional cost to the Government and is recommended by the Department as indicated by the letter from the Secretary of the Navy addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives which is hereby made a part of this report. NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, October 16, 1934. The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: There is transmitted herewith a draft of a proposed bill "To authorize an exchange of lands between the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad Co. and the United States at Quantico, Va." The purpose of this proposed legislation is to authorize the Secretary of the Navy to transfer to the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad Co., free from all encumbrances and without cost to said railroad company three small parcels of land forming part of the Marine Corps reservation at Quantico, Va., as shown on enclosures and shaded in yellow, two areas of which will permit the straightening out of the railroad right-of-way and the other will permit the railroad to render more efficient service at its railroad depot at Quantico. In exchange the bill authorizes the transfer from the railroad company to the United States of areas shown in red on the enclosures, all outside of and adjoining the Marine Corps reservation at Quantico, Va. The land to be transferred to the railroad company under this bill is not required for any immediate or prospective development of the Marine Corps reservation at that point, whereas the lands to be transferred by the railroad company to the United States would be of great value to the further development of the Marine Corps reservation. The area along Quantico Creek, now owned by the railroad company described in the proposed bill as lots 21, 22, 23, 38, 39, 51, and 58, east of the railroad right-of-way is occupied by squatters along the shore of the creek and is maintained in an unsightly and unsanitary condition. The transfer of this area to the United States will make the United States the owner of riparian rights at this point and permit the clearing up and policing of this grant to the advantage of the Government. Further the area to be received in exchange by the Government from the railroad company is larger than that to be transferred to the railroad company and is considered of greater benefit to the Government. The Navy Department recommends that the proposed legislation be enacted. о Acting. NATIONAL GUARD AMENDMENT APRIL 23, 1935.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed. Mr. MCSWAIN, from the Committee on Military Affairs, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 5720] The Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 5720) to amend the National Defense Act of June 3, 1916, as amended, having considered the same, submit the following report thereon, with the recommendation that it do pass with two amendments. This bill received very careful consideration. Hearings were held and the views of all interested parties were heard. At first there appeared to be some conflict between representatives of the National Guard Association of the United States and of the Reserve Officers Association of the United States. However, representatives of these two patriotic organizations finally agreed as to certain amendments which have been approved by the committee and herewith are submitted as a part of this report. Amendment 1: Page 1, line 10, after the word "duty", add the following words: "in an emergency". After the word "for" in line 10, strike out the two words "any period" and insert in lieu of those two words the words "the period thereof". This line would then read as follows: "to active duty in an emergency at any time and for the period thereof". Amendment 2: Strike out the entire proviso in section 2 and insert in lieu thereof the following language: "And provided further, That in the grades of first lieutenant and second lieutenant the number shall be unlimited." The letter of Maj. Gen. Milton A. Reckord, legislative representative of the National Guard Association, is as follows: Colonel Lowe, president of the Reserve Officers' Association, and I have had a very satisfactory conference today upon the National Guard bill (H. R. 5720) now before your committee. We have agreed to request you to amend this bill in two places in order that both the Reserve Officers' Association and the National Guard Association will be in accord and support this legislation, add The first amendment is as follows: Page 1, line 10, after the word "duty", the following words: "in an emergency". After the word "for" in line 10, strike out the two words "any period" and insert in lieu of those two words the words "the period thereof." This line would then read as follows: "to active duty in an emergency at any time and for the period thereof. The second amendment is to strike out the entire proviso in section 2 and insert in lieu thereof the following language: "And provided further, That in the grades of first lieutenant and second lieutenant the number shall be unlimited". With these two changes the Reserve Officers' Association are in accord with our bill, and Colonel Lowe will write you a letter to that effect. In the name of the National Guard Association, I respectfully request that your committee report H. R. 5720 favorable with the two amendments indicated above. The letter of Lt. Col. Frank E. Lowe, president of the Reserve Officers' Association of the United States, is as follows: This is to confirm to you, for the Reserve Officers' Association of the United States, the information and understandings contained in letter to you from Maj. Gen. Milton A. Reckord, Maryland National Guard bill (H. R. 5720) now before your committee. The Reserve Officers' Association and the National Guard Association are in accord and will support this legislation with the following amendments: Page 1, line 10, after the word "duty", add the following words: “in an emergency' After the word "for" on line 10, strike out the two words "any period" and insert in lieu of those two words the words "the period thereof". This line would then read as follows: "to active duty in an emergency at any time and for the period thereof". Strike out the entire proviso in section 2 and insert in lieu thereof the following language: "And provided further, That in the grades of first lieutenant and second lieutenant the number shall be unlimited". You will note that the second amendment provides for our other civil component in the matter of commissioning of first and second lieutenants in unlimited number, as is now provided by regulation for our own component, and we feel that both components should be on an equal basis. We feel that at least, part of the delay in expediting this bill was due to objection on our part and, for this reason, we especially endorse the final paragraph of General Reckord's letter and express the hope that this favorable endorsement may be secured at the earliest possible date. The report of the Secretary of War is as follows: Careful consideration has been given to the provisions of H. R. 5720, a bill to amend the National Defense Act. This bill, in fact, proposes to amend those provisions of the National Defense Act that appeared in the act of June 15, 1933, known as the "National Guard Act." This act established the National Guard of the United States. The provisions of this act were subjected to long and exhaustive study in the War Department over a period of years prior to its enactment. Officers of the National Guard contributed their knowledge and practical experience of the problems confronting the National Guard. The bill as introduced was in effect their bill. The effect of the change in status of the National Guard is to make of it a Federal force, subject to the orders of the President in an emergency declared by the Congress. This new status became effective on April 4, 1934, in accordance with the provisions of a general order published by the War Department on that date. It will be seen, therefore, that the National Guard of the United States has been in existence only 11 months, and the provisions of the act of June 15, 1933, have not had a thorough trial. No emergency exists nor can any be foreseen that justifies at this time amendments of the law respecting the National Guard of the United States. It is the view of the War Department that the time during which the law has been in effect is too short to have given its provisions a thorough test. Time and experience alone will determine what provisions need to be changed. For the foregoing reasons the War Department is of the opinion that the amendments proposed in H. R. 5720 are not warranted at this time. It is, therefore, recommended that the bill be not enacted into law. O |