SEC. 4. The Secretary is hereby authorized to establish and promulgate grades and standards for the classification of peanuts, whenever in his discretion he may see fit. SEC. 5. That the information furnished under the provisions of this Act shall be used only for the statistical purposes for which it is supplied. No publication shall be made by the Secretary whereby the data furnished by any person can be identified, nor shall the Secretary permit anyone other than the sworn employees of the Department of Agriculture to examine the individual reports. SEC. 6. The Secretary may make rules and regulations as may be necessary in the administration of this Act and may cooperate with any department or agency of the Government, any State, Territory, District, or possession, or department, agency, or political subdivision thereof, or any person; and shall have the power to appoint, remove, and fix the compensation of such officers and employees not in conflict with existing law, and make such expenditures for rent outside the District of Columbia, printing, binding, telegrams, telephones, law books, books of reference, publications, furniture, stationery, office equipment, travel, and other supplies and expenses, including reporting services, as shall be necessary to the administration of this Act in the District of Columbia and elsewhere, and as may be appropriated for by Congress; and there is hereby authorized to be appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such sums as may be necessary for such purpose. SEC. 7. That when used in this Act (1) The term "person" includes individuals, partnerships, corporations, and associations; (2) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture. As a report on this bill the committee deems the report of the Secretary of Agriculture as sufficient which is as follows: This bill would authorize this Department to collect and publish statistics showing the quantities of peanuts in the United States in the possession of dealers, manufacturers, growers' cooperative associations, warehousemen, brokers, holders, or owners, other than the original growers of peanuts. The Department would be authorized to collect such statistics in such detail as to kinds, types, and grades, as may be necessary to provide a fairly comprehensive report of the peanut supply situation. In order that a more comprehensive report could be issued, I believe the bill should provide also that the Department have authority to collect and publish statistics showing the quantities of peanuts picked or threshed. The desirability of securing this latter information was the subject of much favorable comment at the time of the public hearing on the peanut marketing agreement, when it was generally agreed that publication of this information would be exceedingly helpful in connection with any acreage adjustment activities of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration. The bill would make it the duty of dealers, manufacturers, growers' cooperative associations, warehousemen, brokers, etc., to furnish reports and provides a penalty for failure to comply. The Department would be authorized to establish and promulgate grades for peanuts. The Bureau of Agricultural Economics of this Department has formulated grades for peanuts under authority contained in the appropriation act, but it is desirable that continuing authority be available as contemplated by this bill. The production of peanuts is of great importance to several of the southern States. Statistics available in the Department, both with respect to quantities produced and stocks on hand during the marketing and storage seasons, are inadequate to provide a correct understanding of the market situation at any time. When the peanut marketing agreement was in effect last year, several monthly tabulations were prepared of the stocks of peanuts in the hands of shellers, cleaners, and warehousemen in southern producing areas, which were of value to the industry. They were inadequate, however, in that they did not include stocks in the hands of warehousemen or the trade in consuming centers, which are covered by this bill. On December 9, 1931, Senator George introduced S. 498 in the Seventy-second Congress. That bill was similar to S. 81. However, it had one additional feature which we believe to be very desirable, namely, a requirement for the collection of statistics of the quantities of peanuts picked or threshed by owners or operators of peanut-picking or threshing machines. S. 498 also provides for monthly reports instead of four each year. It is my opinion that S. 498 was preferable to S. 81. One of the important ways this Department can serve agriculture in connection with its economic marketing problems is to provide reliable data regarding production and market supplies. The importance of having accurate statistics upon which to base a dependable analysis of the production and market outlook as well as acreage reductions, seems to warrant the necessary legislative authorization for requiring the submission of the required data. The Department believes, therefore, that the purposes of this bill are sound and that, if changed to read like S. 498 and enacted, it will result to the advantage of the peanut producer. The changes suggested by the Secretary of Agriculture have been made in the bill as will be noted by the amendment. TRANSFER CERTAIN LANDS FROM THE VETERANS' ADMINISTRATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FOR THE BENEFIT OF YAVAPAI NDIANS, ARIZONA MARCH 13 (calendar day, APRIL 1), 1935.-Ordered to be printed Mr. SHEPPARD, from the Committee on Military Affairs, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 1469] The Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1469), to transfer certain lands from the Veterans' Administration to the Department of the Interior for the benefit of Yavapai Indians, Arizona, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with a recommendation that it do pass. The purpose of S. 1469 is to authorize the transfer of certain lands from the Veterans' Administration to the Interior Department for the benefit of the Yavapai Indians, Arizona. The land involved is situated in T. 14, R. 2 W., of the G. & S. R. M., Arizona, within the former Whipple Barracks Military Reserve, Ariz., originally under the War Department's jurisdiction. By the act of March 4, 1931 (Public, No. 868, 71st Cong.), the military post was transferred to the Veterans' Administration. For the past 40 years, a tract of about 75 acres in the northwestern corner of the reserve has been occupied by this particular group of Yavapai Indians, now consisting of 11 families, totaling 43 individuals. Some relief work has been done for their benefit, but assistance through the Indian Service relief units has been limited because the land they occupy has not been officially designated as Indian reserve. The Secretary of the Interior points out in his report of March 2, 1935, on this measure, that if transfer of this land is made which is contemplated by S. 1469, it will also protect the Indians' homes, water supply, stock, and other group privileges and benefits from encroachment. The Interior Department recommends favorable action on S. 1469, the Veterans' Administration interposes no objection to its enactment, and the War Department interposes no objection to the favorable consideration of this measure, pointing out in its report of March 22, 1935, that the Department has no further use for or interest in this former military reservation. Reports of the War Department, Interior Department, and Veterans' Administration on S. 1469 follow: Hon. MORRIS SHEPPARD, Chairman Committee on Military Affairs, United States Senate. MARCH 22, 1935. DEAR SENATOR SHEPPARD: Careful consideration has been given to the bill, S. 1469, Seventy-fourth_Congress, to transfer certain lands from the Veterans' Administration to the Department of the Interior for the benefit of Yavapai Indians, Arizona, which was referred to the War Department under date of January 29, 1935, with request for information and the views of the Department relative thereto. You are informed that the Whipple Barracks Military Reservation, Ariz., was permanently transferred to the jurisdiction of the Veterans' Administration by section 6 of the act of Congress approved March 4, 1931 (Public, No. 868, 71st Cong.). The War Department has no further use for or interest in this former military reservation and therefore interposes no objection to the proposed transfer. Sincerely yours, HARRY H. WOODRING, MARCH 2, 1935. Hon. MORRIS SHEPPARD, Chairman Committee on Military Affairs, United States Senate. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Further reference is made to your request of January 29 for a report on S. 1469, a bill to transfer certain lands from the Veterans' Administration to the Department of the Interior for the benefit of the Yavapai Indians. The purpose of this legislation is to set apart as a permanent reservation for certain Yavapai Indians Government-owned lands that have been occupied and used by these Indians over a long period of years. The land is situated in township 14 north, range 2 west, of the Gila and Salt River Meridian, Arizona, within the former Whipple Barracks Military Reserve Ariz., originally under the War Department. By act of March 4, 1931 (46 Stat. 1551). the military post was transferred to the Veterans' Administration. For the past 40 years a tract of about 75 acres in the northwestern corner of the reserve has been occupied by this particular group of Yavapai Indians, now consisting of 11 families totaling 43 individuals. Some relief work has been done for their benefit; however, assistance through the Indian Service relief units has been limited because the land they occupy has not been officially designated an Indian reservation. If transfer is made as proposed it will also protect their homes, water supply, stock, and other group privileges and benefits from encroachment. The Veterans' Administration is favorable to the transfer and so informed this Department under date of May 19, 1934. In view of the foregoing, I recommend that S. 1469 receive favorable consideration. Sincerely yours, HAROLD L. ICKES, FEBRUARY 7, 1935. Hon. MORRIS SHEPPARD, Chairman Committee on Military Affairs, United States Senate. MY DEAR SENATOR SHEPPARD: Reference is made to your letter dated January 29, 1935, forwarding a copy of S. 1469, a bill to transfer certain lands from the Veterans' Administration to the Department of the Interior for the benefit of Yavapai Indians, Arizona. Please be advised that the Veterans' Administration interposes no objection to the transfer of the tract of land situated on the Fort Whipple Military Reserve, Ariz., as described in S. 1469 (74th Cong., 1st sess.), from the jurisdiction of the Veterans' Administration to the Department of the Interior for the benefit of the Yavapai Indians. Very truly yours, FRANK T. HINES, Administrator. |