[PUBLIC-No. 149-65TH CONGRESS.]

[H. R. 10265.]

[An act to authorize the President to provide housing for war needs.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President, for the purposes of providing housing, local transportation, and other general community utilities for such industrial workers as are engaged in arsenals and navy yards of the United States and in industries connected with and essential to the national defense, and their families, and also employees of the United States whose duties require them to reside in the District of Columbia, and whose services are essential to war needs, and their families, only during the continuation of the existing war, is hereby authorized and empowered, within the limits of the amounts herein authorized—

(a) To purchase, acquire by lease, construct, requisition, or acquire by condemnation or by gift such houses, buildings, furnishings, improvements, local transportation, and other general community utilities and parts thereof as he may determine to be necessary for the proper conduct of the existing war.

(b) To purchase, lease, requisition, or acquire by condemnation or by gift any improved or unimproved land, or any right, title, or interest therein on which such houses, buildings, improvements, local transportation, and other general community utilities and parts thereof have been or may be constructed: Provided, That colleges, museums, libraries, State or municipal buildings, and the furnishings in private dwellings shall not be acquired except by contract, nor shall any occupied dwelling or place of abode be taken under the powers in this Act given except by contract unless the necessity thereof shall be determined by a judge of the circuit or district court of the United States exercising jurisdiction in the locality on petition setting forth the reason and necessity for such taking; the hearing on such petition shall be upon notice to the owner and occupant of such dwelling, and the determination of such judge shall be final, but in no event shall any occupied private dwelling house be taken except by contract unless such dwelling be upon lands desired for the construction of a Government structure: Provided further, That no existing limitation upon the right of any person to make a contract with the United States shall apply to owners whose property the President determines is necessary for Government purposes and desires to either lease or purchase by contract under this or any other act authorizing the President to acquire property by lease or purchase.

(c) To equip, manage, maintain, alter, rent, lease, exchange, sell and convey such lands, or any right, title, or interest therein,

houses, buildings, improvements, local transportation and other general community utilities, parts thereof, and equipment upon such terms and conditions as he may determine: Provided, That no sale and conveyance shall be made hereunder on credit without reserving a first lien on such property for the unpaid purchase money: Provided further, That in no case shall any property hereby acquired be given away, nor shall rents be furnished free, but the rental charges shall be reasonable and just as between the employees and the Government.

(d) To aid in providing, equipping, managing, and maintaining houses, buildings, improvements, local transportation and other general community utilities by loan or otherwise to such person or persons and upon such terms and conditions as he may determine: Provided, That no loan shall be made at a less rate of interest than 5 per cent per annum, and such loan shall be properly secured by lien, mortgage, or otherwise: And provided further, That no loan shall be made and no house or money given under this Act to any person not an American citizen.

(e) To take possession of, alter, repair, improve, and suitably arrange for living purposes to be used under the terms of this Act all houses on square 633, except the Maltby Building, owned by the United States, together with any other houses in the District of Columbia owned by the Government and not now occupied. The President shall, in the construction of buildings in the District of Columbia, make use of any lands owned by the Government of the United States deemed by him to be suitable for the purpose and which have not heretofore been dedicated by act of Congress for specific buildings.

The President may exercise any power or discretion herein granted, and may enter into any arrangement or contract incidental thereto, through such agency or agencies as he may create or designate: Provided, That houses erected by the Government under the authority of this Act shall be of only a temporary character except where the interests of the Government will be best subserved by the erection of buildings of a permanent character: Provided further, That whenever it is practicable to use any part of the office or field force of the Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department in or about any of the work contemplated by this act, the President shall do so.

SEC. 2. That whenever the President shall purchase, lease, requisition, or acquire by condemnation or by gift such land or right, title, or interest therein, or such houses, buildings, furnishings, improvements, local transportation and other general community utilities, and parts thereof, he shall make just compensation therefor, to be determined by him, and if the amount thereof so deter

mined is unsatisfactory to the person entitled to receive the same, such person shall be paid 75 per cent of the amount so determined and shall be entitled to sue the United States to recover such further sum as, added to such 75 per cent, will make up such amount as will be just compensation therefor in the manner provided for by section 24, paragraph 20, and section 145 of the Judicial Code.

SEC. 3. That upon the requisition of or the filing of a petition for the condemnation hereunder of such land, or any right, title, or interest therein, or such houses, buildings, furnishings, improvements, local transportation, and other general community utilities, and parts thereof, immediate possession thereof may be taken to the extent of the interest to be acquired and the same may be occupied, occupant being given 10 days' notice in which to vacate, and used, and the provisions of section 355 of the Revised Statutes, providing that no public money shall be expended upon such land until the written opinion of the Attorney General shall be had in favor of the validity of the title, nor until the consent of the legislature of the State in which the land is located has been given, shall be, and the same are hereby, suspended as to all real estate acquired hereunder.

SEC. 4. That the word "person" used herein shall include any person, trustee, firm, or corporation.

SEC. 5. That the power and authority granted herein shall cease with the termination of the present war, except the power and authority to care for, sell, or rent such property as remains undisposed of and to conclude and execute contracts for the sale of property made during the war. Such property shall be sold as soon after the conclusion of the war as it can be advantageously done: Provided, That before any sale is consummated the same must be authorized by Congress.

SEC. 6. That at the beginning of each session of Congress the President shall make to Congress a full and detailed report covering all of the transactions with relation to the subject matter of this Act, describing each parcel of land purchased, leased, or otherwise acquired, the improvements made thereon, together with the amount of money spent in connection therewith and the disposition of the same; descriptions of all parcels of property sold, to whom, the terms of sale, and the status of the title at the time of the making of such report; description of each piece of property purchased under the terms of this Act and still owned by the Government and the estimated value; a list showing the names of all persons who have been employed in any capacity to aid in carrying out the provisions of this Act, the service rendered by each and the amount of compensation, including fees, commissions, allowances, and traveling expenses paid to each, and a full, detailed, itemized statement showing each and every transaction in the execution of the trust herein created, and immediately after the declaration of peace the President shall make a final report to Congress covering n detail all the operations and transactions, under and by virtue of the terms of this act.

SEC. 7. That no work to be done or contract to be made under or by authority of any provision of this Act shall be done or made on or under a percentage or cost-plus percentage basis, nor shall any contract be let until at least three responsible competing contractors shall have been notified and considered in connection with such contract, and all contracts to be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, the Government reserving the right to reject any and all bids.

SEC. 8. That for carrying out the provisions of this Act and for the administration thereof the sum of $60,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized: Provided, That $10,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, of the amount hereby authorized shall be used only to build or acquire, as herein provided, housing accommodations within the District of Columbia

for such Government employees as can not be used as advantageous ly in other cities in the service of the Government, of which the sum of $75,000, or so much thereof as shall be necessary therefor, shall be used by the Superintendent of the United States Capitol Buildings and Grounds to convert the building known as the Maltby Building into an apartment house or for office purposes: Provided further, That the expenditure in the District of Columbia shall be made with a view to caring for the alley population of the District when the war is over, so far as it can be done without interfering with war housing purposes.

Approved, May 16, 1918.

[PUBLIC NO. 164-65TH CONGRESS.]

[H. R. 12280.]

[An Act making appropriations to supply additional urgent deficiencies in appro priations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1918, on account of war expenses and for other purposes.]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to supply additional urgent deficiencies in appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1918, on account of war expenses and for other purposes, namely:

EXECUTIVE.

HOUSING FOR WAR NEEDS.

For carrying out the provisions of the Act entitled "An Act to authorize the President to provide housing for war needs, approved May 16, 1918, including rental of offices in the District of Columbia, contingent and miscellaneous expenses, printing and binding, and personal services in the District of Columbia and elsewhere, $60,000,000, to continue available during the fiscal year 1919. Section 7 of the Act entitled "An Act to authorize the President to provide housing for war needs," approved May 16, 1918, is amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 7. That no work to be done or contract to be made under or by authority of any provision of this Act shall be done or made on or under a percentage or cost-plus percentage basis, nor shall any contract be let involving more than $1,000 until at least three responsible competing contractors shall have been notified and considered in connection with such contract, and all contracts to be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, the Government reserving the right to reject any and all bids."

The President, if in his judgment such action is deemed necessary or advantageous, may authorize the creation of a corporation or corporations for the purpose of carrying out the Act entitled "An Act to authorize the President to provide housing for war needs," approved May 16, 1918, such corporation or corporations to have or obtain all powers necessary or appropriate therefor. The total capital stock of the corporation or corporations authorized hereunder shall not exceed $60,000,000: Provided, That where such corporation or corporations are created by authority of the President, representatives appointed by the President, or by such agency as he may designate to carry out the purposes of the said Act, shall subscribe to, own, and vote the capital stock thereof for and on behalf of the United States, and shall do all other things in regard thereto necessary to protect the interests of the United States and to carry out the provisions of the said Act: Provided further, That section 605 of the Code of the District of Columbia prohibiting a corporation from buying, selling or dealing in real estate shall not apply to such corporation or corporations so created or designated, with respect to buying, selling or dealing in real estate in furtherance of the provisions of the said Act: Provided further,

That the Act entitled "An Act to amend section 552 of the Code of Laws for the District of Columbia, relating to incorporations, approved February 4, 1905, shall not apply to any corporation or corporations created under the authority contained in this paragraph.

All moneys received by the United States in carrying out the Act entitled "An Act to authorize the President to provide housing for war needs," approved May 16, 1918, may be used as a revolving fund until June 30, 1919, for further carrying out the purposes of the said Act.

[An Act making appropriations to supply deficiencies in appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1918, and prior fiscal years, on account of war expenses, and for other purposes.]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to supply deficiencies in appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1918, and prior fiscal years, on account of war expenses, and for other purposes, namely:

EXECUTIVE.

HOUSING FOR WAR NEEDS.

The authorization fixed by section 8 of the Act entitled "An Act to authorize the President to provide housing for war needs," approved May 16, 1918, is increased from $60,000,000 to $100,000,000, and there is appropriated for the purposes thereof, including rental of offices in the District of Columbia, contingent and miscellaneous expenses, printing and binding, and personal services in the District of Columbia and elsewhere, $40,000,000, to be expended in accordance with the authority and under the conditions prescribed in the said Act as amended by the Deficiency Appropriation act approved June 4, 1918, and to continue available during the fiscal year 1919.

Authority is granted to make the necessary connections and to supply current from the Capitol Power Plant to the Union Station group of temporary housing. Payment for current shall be at the rates determined by the Superintendent of the Capitol Building and Grounds and the proceeds therefrom shall be credited to the proper appropriations for the Capitol Power Plant and be available for the purposes of such appropriations during the fiscal year 1919.

entitled "An Act to authorize the President to provide housing for war needs," approved May 16, 1918, shall be covered into the Treasury immediately upon the passage of this act: Provided, That all revenues on hand June 30, 1919, and all revenues derived thereafter from the exercise of the authority contained in the act entitled "An Act to authorize the President to provide housing for war needs," approved May 16, 1918, as amended by the Deficiency Appropriation Act approved June 4, 1918, including revenues from rentals, the operation of properties, the disposal of properties, the repayments of loans, and the interest on loans, shall be covered into the Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous receipts. And the proper authority shall submit to Congress detailed estimates of appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1920, and for each fiscal year thereafter so long as the said Act remains in effect, for personal services and all other expenses required in the District of Columbia and elsewhere to provide for the care, rental, maintenance and operation of properties as authorized by law.

UNITED STATES HOUSING CORPORATION.

Salaries: For officers, attorneys, clerks, and other employees in the District of Columbia necessary to carry out the provisions of the acts of May 16, 1918 (Public No. 149, 65th Congress), and of June 4, 1918 (Public No. 164, 65th Congress), $250,000;

Contingent expenses: For contingent and miscellaneous expenses of the offices at Washington, D. C., including purchase of blank books, maps, stationery, file cases, towels, ice, brooms, and soap; maintenance, repair, and operation of motor-propelled passengercarrying vehicles to be used only for official purposes; freight and express charges; telegraph and telephone service; printing and binding; and all other miscellaneous items and necessary expenses not included in the foregoing, and necessary to collect loans made to corporations and associations, $60,000;

Rent: For buildings and part of buildings in the District of Columbia for the use of the Bureau of Industrial Housing and Transportation, $22,000;

For dwellings commandeered under the act of May 16, 1918, (Public No. 149, 65th Congress), $24,620;

In all, rent, $46,620.

Valuation of property: For compensation and expenses of independent expert boards to appraise the buildings and lands owned by the corporation for the purpose of establishing a basis for rental rates and for fixing sales basis, $75,000;

Operation of projects: To manage, maintain, alter, rent, lease lands, houses, buildings, improvements, local transportation, and other general community utilities, including the maintenance and operation of hotels owned by or leased to the United States or the United States Housing Corporation, and commandeered by the United States, as provided by the acts of May 16, 1918 (Public) No. 149, 65th Congress), and June 4, 1918 (Public No. 164, 65th Congress), including the cost of premiums on fire insurance policies, fidelity bonds, public and employers' liabilities as follows: