Hon. JAMES S. PARKER, TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Washington, December 17, 1929 Chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: I beg to transmit herewith, for your consideration, a draft of a joint resolution "To authorize the purchase of life-saving apparatus from foreign life-saving services.' With the view of improving the efficiency of the United States Coast Guard in the matter of lifeboats for use therein, this department desires to purchase one 451⁄2-foot Watson cabin motor lifeboat, with complete equipment and such spare parts as may be necessary, from the Royal National Life-Boat Institution of Great Britain. The boat is desired not only for actual use, but for observation and study, so that the Coast Guard may have the advantage of the institution's experience in designing and building lifeboats, to which matters the institution has given its close attention during its lifetime of more than 100 years. The institution, one of the foremost and oldest in the world, in its great work as a life-saving organization, deals especially with lifeboats and related equipment. In the construction of such boats it is believed that the institution speaks with peculiar authority. The institution does not build boats for sale, but is very agreeable to sell to the United States a lifeboat as a matter of international courtesy, good will, and comity. Under a ruling by the Comptroller General of the United States, this department is prevented from purchasing this lifeboat from the Royal National LifeBoat Institution of Great Britain on account of the requirements of section 3709 of the Revised Statutes, which are, in substance, that purchases on account of the United States shall be made after advertising for bids. As improved equipment for life-saving is devised by recognized foreign life-saving institutions, it is deemed advisable that this department be permitted to purchase such equipment for test purposes by the Coast Guard, with a view to the possible improvement of equipment used by the Coast Guard. The proposed joint resolution is intended solely to authorize the purchase of such articles without previous advertising for competitive bids. Should you find it consistent with your own ideas, I shall be grateful if you will introduce this proposed joint resolution, which neither carries nor authorizes any appropriation, and give to its favorable consideration by Congress your personal attention. Very truly yours, OGDEN L. MILLS, Acting Secretary of the Treasury. [Sec. 3709, Rev. Stats. (title 41, sec. 5. U. S. C.)] Advertisements for proposals for purchases and contracts for supplies or services for departments of Government.-Except as otherwise provided by law all purchases and contracts for supplies or services in any of the departments of the Government and purchases of Indian supplies, except for personal services, shall be made by advertising a sufficient time previously for proposals respecting the same, when the public exigencies do not require the immediate delivery of the articles, or performance of the service. When immediate delivery or performance is required by the public exigency, the articles or service required may be procured by open purchases or contract, at the places and in the manner in which such articles are usually bought and sold, or such services engaged, between individuals. (R. S. sec. 3709; June 25, 1910, c. 431, sec. 23, 36 Stat. 861.) О COAST GUARD STATION AT GRAND ISLAND, MICH. JANUARY 16, 1930.-Committeed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. GARBER of Oklahoma, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 1018] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 1018) to provide for the establishment of a Coast Guard station at or near Grand Island, Mich., having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass. The bill has the approval of the Treasury Department, as will appear by the letter attached and which is made a part of this report. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: I have to acknowledge the receipt of the letter of June 26, 1929, from the Clerk of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives, transmitting bill (H. R. 1018, 71st Cong., 1st sess.) to provide for the establishment of a Coast Guard station at or near Grand Island, Mich., and asking for a report thereon, and for such views as I may desire to communicate. An identical bill, H. R. 15323, was introduced in the Seventieth Congress, second session, and referred to me by the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce for report. In my report thereon I said: "There is no Coast Guard station between Marquette, Mich., and Grand Marais, Mich., a distance of about 70 miles. Grand Island lies approximately midway between these two points. Grand Island is about 7 miles in length, with high bluffs except on the south end, and makes Munising Harbor a natural harbor of refuge which is the only shelter for large vessels between Marquette, Mich., and Whitefish Point, Mich., about 116 miles apart. Every season vessels enter the harbor for shelter. A lighthouse is situated high up on the north end of the island. "In these considerations and in view of the nature and volume of marine commerce at Munising, including the fishing industry, and the fact that vessels seek Munising Harbor in stress of weather, the department is of the opinion that, in the interests of commerce and humanity, a station should be established as proposed by the bill. I, therefore, recommend the passage of the bill. "It may be added that the Director of the Bureau of the Budget advises that the proposed legislation is not in conflict with the financial program of the President." I beg that the foregoing may be accepted as my report at this time on the bill now under notice. It may be added that the Acting Director of the Bureau of the Budget advises that the expenditure contemplated by this proposed legislation is not in conflict with the financial program of the President. Very truly yours, Hon. JAMES S. PARKER, SEYMOUR LOWMAN, Acting Secretary of the Treasury. House of Representatives. Chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. COAST GUARD VESSEL FOR RESCUE WORK ON LAKE MICHIGAN JANUARY 16, 1930.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. CROSSER, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 4899] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 4899) to provide for the construction of a vessel for the Coast Guard for rescue and assistance work on Lake Michigan, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass. The bill has the approval of the Treasury Department, as will appear by the letter attached and which is made a part of this report. Hon. JAMES S. PARKER, TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Washington, December 12, 1929. Chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of November 9, 1929, submitting to me a copy of the bill (H. R. 4899) to provide for the construction of a vessel for the Coast Guard for rescue and assistance work on Lake Michigan, for a report thereon and for such views as I may desire to communicate. The purpose of the bill is to provide an able and suitable Coast Guard cutter to assist shipping on Lake Michigan. The recent marine disasters that have occurred on Lake Michigan, with serious loss of life, have served to call attention to the need for furnishing all practicable facilities for rendering aid to vessels that may get into trouble, particularly in the bad weather of the fall months. The Coast Guard has just one cruising cutter on the Great Lakes, the Seminole, a vessel 29 years old, with headquarters at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. There is a 125-foot patrol boat assigned to the duty of assisting fishermen on Lake Superior. What is needed for this rescue and assistance work on Lake Michigan is a specially designed vessel of the powerful seagoing tug type, such as the bill contemplates. In order that the vessel proposed may be available for service as the exigencies require anywhere on the Great Lakes, it is recommended that in place of the words "Lake Michigan" in the bill there be substituted the words "the Great Lakes," and that the title of the bill be changed in similar manner. This bill has my approval and I recommend its passage. I am advised by the Bureau of the Budget that the expenditure contemplated by the proposed legislation would not be in conflict with the financial program of the President. Very truly yours, A. W. MELLON, Secretary of the Treasury. Upon the showing made, the committee was impressed with the very great need for a vessel of the type proposed by this bill for use on Lake Michigan. The great size of Lake Michigan, the vast tonnage carried upon it, and the frequent and violent storms which occur there, make necessary a boat of sufficient strength and power to tow and otherwise assist large boats that become disabled. There have been many casualties, great loss of property, and recent loss of more than 100 lives in storms on Lake Michigan. The committee has not followed the suggestion of the Treasury Department in the amendment proposed, believing that the vast commerce and great need for such a boat on Lake Michigan call for a boat to be used primarily on that lake. It is not thought that the language of the bill would absolutely prevent the temporary use of the ship elsewhere to meet some special occasion, but does clearly indicate that the ship is for use on Lake Michigan. That is the understanding of the department. Some instances of assistance rendered by the Coast Guard on Lake Michigan during the past 10 years |