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TO PROVIDE FOR THE INCORPORATION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COMMISSION. GEORGE WASHINGTON BICENTENNIAL

JANUARY 4, 1932.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mrs. NORTON of New Jersey, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 5341]

The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 5341) to provide for the incorporation of the District of Columbia Commission, George Washington Bicentennial, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon, with the recommendation that the bill do pass with the following amendment:

Page 2, line 11, after the word "prescribed" insert the words: "subject to the supervision of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, or subject to the supervision of the Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, as the case may be".

The purpose of this bill is to authorize the District Bicentennial Commission to construct or contract for the construction of stands and the sale of seats for certain of the pageants and parades that will be sponsored by the commission, also to give the commission the authority to grant concessions such as may be desirable in connection with the bicentennial celebration. The bill provides that any structure, platform, or stand to be erected upon public space shall first be approved by the commissioners of the District of Columbia or by the Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks where the same are intended to be erected on public space coming under the jurisdiction of that office. The principal concessions that the commission has in mind at this time are for the sale of seats and the publication and sale of the official program.

The program to be issued by the District of Columbia Commission will include not only the activities coming under the immediate jurisdiction of that commission but all of the activities that will come under the jurisdiction of the United States Commission and will bear the approval of the United States Commission. The United States and the District of Columbia Commissions are working in hearty cooper

ation in the development of a program suitable to the dignity of the occasion and worthy of the national city which bears the name of its founder, George Washington.

This measure was introduced at the request of the commissioners of the District of Columbia, and the proposed legislation is urgently needed.

A similar measure passed the Senate (S. 1306) on December 21, 1931.

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CEDED LANDS OF THE FORT HALL INDIAN RESERVATION

JANUARY 5, 1932.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. SMITH of Idaho, from the Committee on the Public Lands, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 5484]

The Committee on the Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 5484) extending the provisions of the act entitled "An act to provide for the sale of desert lands in certain States and Territories," approved March 3, 1877 (19 Stat. 377), and acts amendatory thereof, to ceded lands of the Fort Hall Indian Reservation, have carefully considered the same and recommend its passage with the following amendments:

Line 7, after the word "Reservation", insert the words "opened to entry by the act of June 6, 1900 (31 Stat. 672)".

Line 8, after the words "ceded lands on", strike out the word "the", and insert in lieu thereof the word "that".

Line 9, strike out all after the word "Act".

The pending legislation simply provides for the application of the desert land law to ceded lands on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in Idaho, which have been restored to the public domain. The bill was submitted to the Secretary of the Interior, whose report is hereto attached.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
Washington, December 30, 1931.

Hon. JOHN M. EVANS,

Chairman Committee on the Public Lands,

House of Representatives.

DEAR Mr. CHAIRMAN: In response to your request of December 18, for a report on H. R. 5484, which would extend the provisions of the act of March 3, 1877, and acts amendatory thereof, to ceded lands of the Fort Hall Indian Reservation, there is transmitted herewith a memorandum on the subject that has been submitted by the Commissioner of the General Land Office, in whose views I concur.

Sincerely yours,

RAY LYMAN WILBUR.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,

GENERAL LAND OFFICE, Washington, December 24, 1981. Reference is had to the request of Hon. John M. Evans, chairman Committee on the Public Lands, House of Representatives, for a report on H. R. 5484, entitled "A bill extending the provisions of the act entitled 'an act to provide for the sale of desert lands in certain States and Territories,' approved March 3 1877 (19 Stat. 377), and acts amendatory thereof, to ceded lands of the Fort Hall Indian Reservation."

The bill provides that the desert land law shall be made applicable to the ceded lands on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation and that no land shall be disposed of at less than the price fixed by the act of June 6, 1900 (31 Stat. 672).

That part of the former Fort Hall Indian Reservation ceded by the act of February 23, 1889 (25 Stat. 687), was restored to the public domain without an appraised price and is subject to disposition as other public lands. The lands opened to entry under authority of the act of June 6, 1900, supra, were classified and appraised prior to the opening, and were disposed of at the appraised prices. As the bill now reads it would require the prices fixed by the act of June 6, 1900, to be paid for land opened under the act of February 23, 1889. It is therefore suggested that the bill be amended by adding after the word "Reservation" in line 7, "opened to entry by the act of June 6, 1900 (31 Stat. 672),” and by striking out the word "the" at the end of line 8, and substituting therefor the word "that' and striking out everything after the word "act" in line 9.

As amended the bill would read:

"That the provisions of the act entitled 'An act to provide for the sale of desert lands in certain States and Territories,' approved March 3, 1877 (19 Stat. 377), and Acts amendatory thereof, are made applicable to the ceded lands on the former Fort Hall Indian Reservation opened to entry by the act of June 6, 1900 (31 Stat. 672): Provided, That no land shall be disposed of at less than the price fixed by that act."

If amended as suggested I know of no objection to the passage of the proposed bill. C. C. MOORE, Commissioner.

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ADDITION TO SKULL VALLEY INDIAN RESERVATION, UTAH

JANUARY 6, 1932.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. LOOFBOUROW, from the Committee on Indian Affairs, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 6663]

The Committee on Indian Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 6663) to reserve certain land on the public domain in Utah for addition to the Skull Valley Indian Reservation, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it do pass without amendment.

This measure provides for withdrawal from homestead entry of 320 acres of public land in the State of Utah for the use of Indians on the Skull Valley Indian Reservation. It is now under temporary withdrawal pending action by Congress and is being used by the Indians. It is necessary for proper administration of the reservation. After consideration of the proposal your committee believes the bill should be enacted into law.

The favorable report of the Secretary of the Interior, which gives added details, is as follows:

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
Washington, December 30, 1931.

CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS,

House of Representatives.

MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Submitted herewith is the draft of a proposed bill to withdraw the south half of section 14, township 5 south, range 8 west, of the Salt Lake meridian, Utah, containing 320 acres, from the public domain for addition to the Skull Valley Indian Reservation.

By Executive orders of January 17, 1912, September 7, 1917, and February 15, 1918, a total of 18,640 acres of land in Utah was reserved for the benefit of the Indians of Skull Valley and such other Indians as the Secretary of the Interior may place thereon. The 320-acre tract recommended for withdrawal at this time adjoins other land included in the present reservation, is being utilized by the Indians in connection with their reservation activities, and its continued availability for use by them is necessary for the furtherance of their interests. In view of the provisions of the act of March 3, 1927 (Supp. U. S. C., title 25, sec. 398d),

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