ator, a citizen of the United States (including a corporation, partnership, or association, only if it is a citizen of the United States within the meaning of section 2 of the Shipping Act, 1916, as amended), or to any department or agency of the United States Government, without regard to the provisions of title VII of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, on time-charter or bare-boat basis, for use in any foreign trade or service or as otherwise hereinafter provided, upon such terms and conditions, for such period or períods, and subject to such restrictions as the Commission may deem necessary or desirable for the protection of the public interest, and at such rate of hire as it may deem to be fair and reasonable. Any department or agency of the United States Government is authorized to enter into such charters. All moneys received by the Commission under the provisions of this subsection shall be deposited in the construction fund of the Commission, and all disbursements made by the Commission in carrying out the provisions of this subsection shall be paid from such fund.

(b) The Commission is authorized to provide such insurance and reinsurance with respect to vessels (including any interest of the owner or charterer) chartered, purchased, requisitioned, or the title to which or the possession of which is taken over, under this Act, as it may deem necessary in connection with the operation, use, or disposition thereof under this Act, whenever it appears to the Commission that adequate and satisfactory insurance is not otherwise obtainable at reasonable rates and upon reasonable terms and conditions. The fund established pursuant to Public Resolution Numbered 94, Seventy-sixth Congress, approved July 18, 1940 (54 Stat. 766), shall be available for all purposes of this subsection; and all moneys received from premiums and from salvage or other recoveries and all receipts in connection with such insurance shall be deposited to the credit of such fund, and all disbursements made by the Commission in carrying out the provisions of this subsection, including the payment of return premiums and all liabilities incurred hereunder, shall be paid from such fund. The provisions of sections 225 and 226 (a) to (e), inclusive, of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended, shall be applicable in the administration of this subsection.

(c) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to modify or affect any provision of the Neutrality Act of 1939, as amended.

SEC. 4. Whenever the United States Maritime Commission is authorized to charter vessels under section 3 hereof, it is further authorized, notwithstanding any other provision of law, to purchase any vessel, whether undocumented or documented under the laws of the United States or of a foreign country, deemed by the Commission to be suitable for transportation of foreign commerce of the United States or of commodities essential to the national defense, without regard to the provisions of section 3709 of the Revised Statutes, at such price and upon such terms and conditions as it may deem fair and reasonable and in the public interest. Such vessels and vessels otherwise acquired by or made available to the Commission may be chartered as provided in section 3 of this Act, or operated by the Commission upon such terms and conditions as it may deem desirable and in the public interest, giving primary consideration to the needs of national

defense; but no vessel constructed under the provisions of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended, may be chartered to a private operator hereunder. All moneys received by the Commission under the provisions of this section shall be deposited in the construction fund of the Commission, and all disbursements made by the Commission in carrying out the provisions of this section or section 5 (f) (except as provided in section 2) shall be paid from such fund.

SEC. 5. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, during the effective period of section 3 of this Act, any vessel (except a vessel constructed under the provisions of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended), not documented under the laws of the United States, acquired by or made available to the Commission under this Act or otherwise, may (1) in the discretion of the Secretary of Commerce be documented as a vessel of the United States under such rules and regulations or orders, and with such limitations, as the Secretary of Commerce may prescribe or issue as necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes and provisions of this Act; and (2) in accordance with the provisions of subsection (c) hereof engage in the coastwise trade when so documented. Any document issued to a vessel under the provisions of this Act shall be surrendered at any time that such surrender may be ordered by the Secretary of Commerce. No vessel, the surrender of the documents of which has been so ordered, shall, after the effective date of such order, have the status of a vessel of the United States unless documented anew.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, the President may, by rules and regulations or orders, waive compliance with any provision of law relating to masters, officers, members of the crew, or crew accommodations on any vessel documented under authority of this Act to such extent and upon such terms as he finds necessary because of the lack of physical facilities on said ships, and because of the need to employ aliens for their operation. No vessel shall cease to enjoy the benefits and privileges of a vessel of the United States by reason of the employment of any person in accordance with the provisions of this subsection.

(c) Any vessel while documented under the provisions of this Act, when chartered hereunder by the Commission to other Government agencies or departments or to private operators, may engage in the coast wise trade under permits issued by the Commission, which is hereby authorized to issue permits for such purpose pursuant to such rules and regulations as it may prescribe. The Commission is hereby authorized to prescribe such rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes and provisions of this Act.

(d) The second paragraph of section 9 of the Shipping Act, 1916, as amended, shall not apply with respect to vessels chartered to other Government agencies or departments or to private operators under section 3 or section 4 of this Act.

(e) Existing laws covering the inspection of steam vessels are hereby made applicable to vessels documented under this Act only to such extent and upon such conditions as may be required by the regulations of the Board of Supervising Inspectors with the approval of the Secretary of Commerce: Provided, That in determining to

shall be given to the primary purpose of transporting commodities essential to the national defense.

(f) The Commission without regard to the provisions of section 3709 of the Revised Statutes may repair, reconstruct, or recondition any vessels to be utilized under this Act. Any other Government department or agency by which any vessel is acquired or chartered, or to which any vessel is transferred or made available under this Act may, with the aid of any funds available, and without regard to the provisions of said section 3709, repair, reconstruct, or recondition any such vessels to meet the needs of the services intended, or provide facilities for such repair, reconstruction, or reconditioning. (g) In case of voyage of a vessel documented under the provisions of this Act is begun before the date of termination of the effective period of section 3, but is completed after such date, the provisions of this section shall continue in effect with respect to such vessel until such voyage is completed.

(h) When used in this Act, the term "documented" means "registered" and "enrolled and licensed".

Approved, June 6, 1941, 11 a. m., E. S. T.

[CHAPTER 228-1ST SESSION]

[H. R. 4107]

AN ACT

To extend certain provisions of title X of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 1012 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended, is amended by striking out "three years" and inserting in lieu thereof "four years”.

SEC. 2. Section 1004 of such Act is amended by striking out the words "the Board to encourage" in the opening lines of said section. SEC. 3. Sections 1006, 1008, and 1009, and the last sentence of section 1010 of such Act are hereby repealed: Provided, however, That the Maritime Labor Board may continue to act as mediator in any disputes wherein its mediation services have been requested and the mediation of which the Board has actively undertaken prior to the date of the enactment of this Act.

Approved, June 23, 1941.

(455)

[CHAPTER 255-1ST SESSION]

[S. J. Res. 65]

JOINT RESOLUTION

To permit travel by a ship of Canadian registry between American ports.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That notwithstanding the provisions of any of the coastwise laws of the United States, one passenger ship of Canadian registry shall be permitted to travel between Cleveland, Ohio, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for the purpose of transporting members of the American Legion and their guests to and from that organization's twenty-third annual national convention to be held at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, September 15-18, 1941, inclusive; and such passenger ship shall be further permitted to remain at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the period of such national convention of the American Legion: Provided, That notwithstanding any provision of section 4488, Revised Statutes, or regulations issued thereunder, any passenger vessels, American or Canadian, which transport members of the American Legion and their guests to and from that organization's twenty-third annual national convention, to be held at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, September 15-18, 1941, inclusive, shall not be required to carry accommodation for more than 50 per centum of persons on board in lifeboats and pontoon life rafts: Provided further, That not less than twofifths of such accommodation shall be in lifeboats and three-fifths may be in collapsible boats or rafts, under regulations of the Board of Supervising Inspectors, approved by the Secretary of Commerce, applicable to such vessels during the interval May 15 to September 15, inclusive.

Approved, June 26, 1941.