Sec. 3. That hereafter appropriations for the incidental expenses of the Quartermaster Corps shall be available for paying the claims herein described. Sec. 4. That this statute does not supersede other modes of indemnity now in existence and does not diminish responsibility of any member of the military forces to the person injured or to the United States. Approved, April 18, 1918.1 19. WAR MATERIALS DESTRUCTION ACT [Public-No. 135-65th Congress. S. 383.] An Act to punish the willful injury or destruction of war material, or of war premises or utilities used in connection with war material, and for other purposes. [April 20, 1918.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the words "war material," as used herein, shall include arms, armament, ammunition, livestock, stores of clothing, food, foodstuffs, or fuel; and shall also include supplies, munitions, and all other articles of whatever description, and any part or ingredient thereof, intended for, adapted to, or suitable for the use of the United States, or any associate nation, in connection with the conduct of the war. The words "war premises," as used herein, shall include all buildings, grounds, mines, or other places wherein such war material is being produced, manufactured, repaired, stored, mined, extracted, distributed, loaded, unloaded, or transported, together with all machinery and appliances therein contained; and all forts, arsenals, navy yards, 1 Senate Bill 4945, to amend the "Act to give Indemnity," etc., approved April 18, 1918: "Be it enacted, etc., That an act entitled 'An Act to give indemnity for damages caused by American forces abroad,' approved April 18, 1918, be, and the same is hereby, amended by adding to the title thereof the words 'and for other purposes' and by adding a new section, as follows: "Sec. 5. That claims of inhabitants of France or of any other foreign country not an enemy or ally of an enemy of the United States against any officer, enlisted man, or other person in the United States Army, who has died, or hereafter shall die, during service overseas, for unpaid indebtedness incurred for current personal expenses of board, lodging, fuel, light, laundry, personal wearing apparel, or other items of ordinary current living expenses may be presented, approved, and paid as provided by Section 1 of this act in cases of claims for damages; and whenever any such claim shall have been paid as aforesaid the Government shall reimburse itself therefor by deducting the amount of such payment from any pay or allowance due the deceased at the time of his death: Provided, That the provisions of section 2 of this act shall not apply to the claims described in this section." From the Report of the Senate Committee on Military Affairs: "General Pershing states that it is highly desirable for the prestige of our forces abroad that provision should be made for the prompt settlement of debts of deceased members of our forces. The bill as drafted will cover cases that may arise in our expeditionary forces in any part of the world now or in future wars." [Congressional Record, Oct. 10, 1918, p. 12161. The bill was passed on that day in the Senate.] camps, prisons, or other military or naval stations of the United States, or any associate nation. The words "war utilities," as used herein, shall include all railroads, railways, electric lines, roads of whatever description, railroad or railway fixture, canal, lock, dam, wharf, pier, dock, bridge, building, structure, engine, machine, mechanical contrivance, car, vehicle, boat, or aircraft, or any other means of transportation whatsoever, whereon or whereby such war material or any troops of the United States, or of any associate nation, are being or may be transported either within the limits of the United States or upon the high seas; and all dams, reservoirs, aqueducts, water and gas mains and pipes, structures and buildings, whereby or in connection with which water or gas is being furnished, or may be furnished, to any war premises. or to the military or naval forces of the United States, or any associate nation, and all electric light and power, steam or pneumatic power, telephone and telegraph plants, poles, wires, and fixtures and wireless stations, and the buildings connected with the maintenance and operation thereof used to supply water, light, heat, power, or facilities of communication to any war premises or to the military or naval forces of the United States, or any associate nation. The words "United States" shall include the Canal Zone and all territory and waters, continental and insular, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. The words "associate nation," as used in this Act shall be deemed to mean any nation at war with any nation with which the United States is at war. Sec. 2. That when the United States is at war, whoever, with intent to injure, interfere with, or obstruct the United States or any associate nation in preparing for or carrying on the war, or whoever, with reason to believe that his act may injure, interfere with, or obstruct the United States or any associate nation in preparing for or carrying on the war, shall willfully injure or destroy, or shall attempt to so injure or destroy, any war material, war premises, or war utilities, as herein defined, shall, upon conviction thereof be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than thirty years, or both. Sec. 3. That when the United States is at war, whoever, with intent to injure, interfere with, or obstruct the United States or any associate nation in preparing for or carrying on the war, or whoever, with reason to believe that his act may injure, interfere with, or obstruct the United States or any associate nation in preparing for or carrying on the war, shall willfully make or cause to be made in a defective manner, or attempt to make or cause to be made in a defective manner, any war material, as herein defined, or any tool, implement, machine, utensil, or receptacle used or employed in making, producing, manufacturing or repairing any such war material, as herein defined, shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than thirty years, or both. Approved, April 20, 1918. 20. EXECUTIVE COORDINATION ACT [Public-No. 152-65th Congress. S. 3771.] An Act authorizing the President to coordinate or consolidate executive bureaus, agencies, and offices, and for other purposes, in the interest of economy and the more efficient concentration of the Government. [May 20, 1918.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That for the national security and defense, for the successful prosecution of the war, for the support and maintenance of the Army and Navy, for the better utilization of resources and industries, and for the more effective exercise and more efficient administration by the President of his powers as Commander in Chief of the land and naval forces the President is hereby authorized to make such redistribution of functions among executive agencies as he may deem necessary, including any functions, duties, and powers hitherto by law conferred upon any executive department, commission, bureau, agency, office, or officer, in such manner as in his judgment shall seem best fitted to carry out the purposes of this Act, and to this end is authorized to make such regulations and to issue such orders as he may deem necessary, which regulations and orders shall be in writing and shall be filed with the head of the department affected and constitute a public record: Provided, That this Act shall remain in force during the continuance of the present war and for six months after the termination of the war by the proclamation of the treaty of peace, or at such earlier time as the President may designate: Provided further, That the termination of this Act shall not affect any act done or any right or obligation accruing or accrued pursuant to this act and during the time that this Act is in force: Provided further, That the authority by this Act granted shall be exercised only in matters relating to the conduct of the present war. Sec. 2. That in carrying out the purposes of this Act the President is authorized to utilize, coordinate, or consolidate any executive. or administrative commissions, bureaus, agencies, offices, or officers now existing by law, to transfer any duties or powers from one existing department, commission, bureau, agency, office, or officer to another, to transfer the personnel thereof or any part of it either by detail or assignment, together with the whole or any part of the records and public property belonging thereto. Sec. 3. That the President is further authorized to establish an executive agency which may exercise such jurisdiction and control over the production of aeroplanes, aeroplane engines, and aircraft equipment as in his judgment may be advantageous; and, further, to transfer to such agency, for its use, all or any moneys heretofore appropriated for the production of aeroplanes, aeroplane engines, and aircraft equipment. Sec. 4. That for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act, any moneys heretofore and hereafter appropriated for the use of any executive department, commission, bureau, agency, office, or officer shall be expended only for the purposes for which it was appropriated under the direction of such other agency as may be directed by the President hereunder to perform and execute said function. Sec. 5. That should the President, in redistributing the functions among the executive agencies as provided in this Act, conclude that any bureau should be abolished and it or their duties and functions conferred upon some other department or bureau or eliminated entirely, he shall report his conclusions to Congress with such recommendations as he may deem proper. Sec. 6. That all laws or parts of laws conflicting with the provisions of this Act are to the extent of such conflict suspended while this Act is in force. Upon the termination of this Act all executive or administrative agencies, departments, commissions, bureaus, offices, or officers shall exercise the same functions, duties, and powers as heretofore or as hereafter by law may be provided, any authorization of the President under this Act to the contrary notwithstanding. Approved, May 20, 1918. 21. ARMY APPROPRIATIONS ACT [Public-No. 193-65th Congress. H. R. 12281.] An Act making appropriations for the support of the Army for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and nineteen. [July 9, 1918.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sums be, and they are hereby, appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the support of the Army for the year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and nineteen : Vocational training: For the employment of the necessary civilian instructors in the most important trades, for the purchase of carpenter's, machinist's, plumber's, mason's, electrician's, and such other tools and equipment as may be required, including machines used in connection with the trades for the purchase of material and other supplies necessary for instruction and training purposes and the construction of such buildings needed for vocational training in agriculture for shops, storage, and shelter of machinery as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of section twenty-seven of the Act approved June third, nineteen hundred and sixteen, authorizing, in addition to the military training of soldiers while in the active service, means for securing an opportunity to study and receive instruction upon educational lines of such character as to increase their military efficiency and enable them to return to civil life better equipped for industrial, commercial, and general business occupations, part of this instruction to consist of vocational education either in agriculture or the mechanic arts, $75,000. Increase in Medical Department: That the Medical Department of the Regular Army be, and is hereby, increased by one Assistant Surgeon General, for service abroad during the present war, who shall have the rank of major general, and two Assistant Surgeons General, who shall have the rank of brigadier general, all of whom shall be appointed from the Medical Corps of the Regular Army. That the President may nominate and appoint in the Medical Department of the National Army, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, from the Medical Reserve Corps of the Regular Army not to exceed two major generals and four brigadier generals. That the commissioned officers of the Medical Corps of the Regular Army, none of whom shall have rank above that of colonel, shall be proportionately distributed in the several grades as now provided by law. That the commissioned officers of the Medical Reserve Corps of the Regular Army, none of whom shall have rank above that of colonel, shall be proportionately distributed in the several grades as now provided by law for the Medical Corps of the Regular Army: Provided, That nothing in this Act shall be held or construed so as to discharge any officer of the Regular Army or deprive him of a commission which he now holds therein. Slavic Legion: That under such regulations as the President may prescribe, a force of volunteer troops in such unit or units as he may direct may be raised to be composed of Jugo-Slavs, Czecho Slovaks, and Ruthenians (Ukranians) belonging to the oppressed races of the Austro-Hungarian or German Empire resident in the United States but not citizens thereof nor subject to the draft. Such force shall be known as the Slavic Legion or by such other description as the President may prescribe. No man shall be enlisted in it until he has furnished satisfactory evidence that he will faithfully and loyally serve the cause of the United States and that he desires to fight the Imperial governments of Germany and Austria-Hungary, and the allies thereof. The force so raised and duly sworn into the service may be equipped, maintained, and trained with our own troops or separately as the President may direct and thereafter may be transported to such field of action as the President may direct to be used against the common enemy in connection with our own troops or with those of any nation associated with the United States in the present war; and the several items of expense involved in the equipment, maintenance, training, and transportation of such force may be paid from the respective appropriations herein made or from any subsequent appropriations for the same: Provided, That American citizens of Austrian or German birth, or who were born in alien enemy territory, who have passed the necessary examination and whose loyalty is unquestioned, may, in the discretion of the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, be commissioned in the United States Army or Navy. Medals of honor, distinguished-service crosses, and distinguishedscrzice medals: That the provisions of existing law relating to the award of medals of honor to officers, roncommissioned officers, and privates of the Army be, and they hereby are, amended so that the President is authorized to present, in the name of the Congress, a medal of honor only to each person who, while an officer or enlisted man of the Army, shall hereafter, in action involving actual conflict |