[CHAPTER 306-2D SESSION]

[S. 1634]

AN ACT

To provide for the management and operation of naval plantations outside the continental United States.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That hereafter the appropriations for the subsistence of naval personnel shall be available for any and all expenditures necessary in the management, operation, maintenance, and improvement of any plantation or farm, on land subject to naval jurisdiction outside of the continental United States, for the purpose of furnishing food and food products to the armed forces of the United States: Provided, That equipment, material, and supplies required therein may be purchased without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes, and other laws applicable to purchases by governmental agencies: Provided further, That only American nationals, employees of the United States, shall be entitled to benefits under the civil-service laws and other laws of the United States relating to the employment, work, compensation, rights, benefits, or obligations of civilian employees of the United States: Provided further, That surplus production over the amount furnished or sold to the armed forces of the United States and to civilians serving with the armed forces may only be sold outside the continental limits of the United States: And provided further, That no land shall be acquired under this authorization.

SEC. 2. This Act shall remain in effect until the termination of the present war and for six months thereafter.

Approved June 28, 1944.

[CHAPTER 307-2D SESSION]

[S. 1748]

AN ACT

To amend the Act entitled "An Act to authorize the President of the United States to requisition property required for the defense of the United States", approved October 16, 1941, as amended, to continue it in effect.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the first sentence of the first section of the Act entitled "An Act to authorize the President of the United States to requisition property required for the defense of the United States", approved October 16, 1941 (55 Stat. 742), as amended by the Acts of March 27, 1942 (56 Stat. 176, title VI, Public Law 507, Seventy-seventh Congress), and June 30, 1943 (Public Law 104, Seventy-eighth Congress), is hereby amended by striking out the date "June 30, 1944" and inserting in lieu thereof "June 30, 1945".

SEC. 2. Section 2 of the Act of October 16, 1941 (55 Stat. 742), as amended, is hereby amended by striking out the date "December 31, 1944" and inserting in lieu thereof "December 31, 1945”.

Approved June 28, 1944.

[CHAPTER 308-2D SESSION]

[S. 1749]

AN ACT

To amend section 3 of the Act entitled "An Act to authorize the President to requisition certain articles and materials for the use of the United States, and for other purposes", approved October 10, 1940, as amended, to continue it in effect.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 3 of the Act entitled "An Act to authorize the President to requisition certain articles and materials for the use of the United States, and for other purposes", approved October 10, 1940 (54 Stat. 1090), as amended by the Act of July 2, 1942 (Public Law 643, Seventy-seventh Congress), is amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 3. The authority granted in this Act shall remain in force until June 30, 1945, or until such earlier time as the Congress by concurrent resolution or the President by proclamation may designate."

Approved June 28, 1944.

(202)

[CHAPTER 322-2D SESSION]

[S. J. Res. 93]

JOINT RESOLUTION

Declaring the policy of the Congress with respect to the independence of the Philippine Islands, and for other purposes.

Whereas, on December 7, 1941, while the people of the Philippine Islands were peacefully engaged in achieving for themselves their complete political independence in the manner mutually agreed upon by the Government of the United States and the people of the Philippine Islands, which independence was to become fully effective July 4, 1946, the Japanese in a wholly unprovoked, wantonly treacherous, and surprise attack on the people of the Philippines and of the United States, did by military invasion interrupt these orderly and mutually agreeable processes for complete independence of the Philippines; and

Whereas the American and Filipino troops made a valiant and courageous defense to the aggression of the Japanese invader and were overwhelmed only by the surprise and superior numbers and equipment of the enemy; and

Whereas the Japanese are now in possession and control of the land, peoples, business, communication, and institutions of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, and because of these circumstances the Filipino people are denied the free use and employment of the processes and political institutions jointly established by the Government of the United States and the Commonwealth of the Philippines for the transaction of private and public business and for the maintenance of liberty, law and order, and justice in the Philippine Islands; and

Whereas by this possession and invasion the Japanese have attempted to frustrate the free processes to independence in the Philippines by substituting therefor their own puppet government which was conceived in intrigue, born in coercion, and reared primarily for the purpose of Japanese selfishness and aggrandizement and not to achieve the independence and freedom of the Filipino people; and Whereas the Government of the United States has solemnly guaranteed to the people of the Philippine Islands the right to be completely free and independent and to select by a free ballot, without any kind of inducement or coercion whatsoever, those who shall hold the elective offices in such government and exercise the power and authority thereof, which solemn guaranties have been temporarily made impossible of fulfillment due to the wantonly treacherous and surprise attack on the free people of the Philippine Islands; and

Whereas, because of the valiant resistance by the Philippine people, which is even now continuing while the invader occupies parts of the Philippines, and because of the long and unbroken record of loyalty of the Filipino people, both to the cause of complete inde

pendence for themselves and to the sovereignty of the United States while they have been under our flag, and because they have abundantly demonstrated their will to independence through the processes mutually agreed upon by the people of the Philippines and the Government of the United States, and their will to resist all outside invasion and encroachment, which seek to destroy or set aside their march to independence, and because they have abundantly proved their capacity to govern themselves in an enlightened, progressive, and democratic manner: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That it is hereby declared to be the policy of the Congress that the United States shall drive the treacherous, invading Japanese from the Philippine Islands, restore as quickly as possible the orderly and free democratic processes of government to the Filipino people, and thereupon establish the complete independence of the Philippine Islands as a separate and selfgoverning nation.

SEC. 2. After negotiation with the President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, or the President of the Filipino Republic, the President of the United States is hereby authorized by such means as he finds appropriate to withhold or to acquire and to retain such bases, necessary appurtenances to such bases, and the rights incident thereto, in addition to any provided for by the Act of March 24, 1934, as he may deem necessary for the mutual protection of the Philippine Islands and of the United States.

SEC. 3. In order speedily to effectuate the policy declared in section 1, the President of the United States is hereby authorized, after proclaiming that constitutional processes and normal functions of government have been restored in the Philippine Islands and after consultation with the President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, to advance the date of the independence of the Philippine Islands by proclaiming their independence as a separate and selfgoverning nation prior to July 4, 1946.

SEC. 4. Meanwhile the resources of the United States, both of men and materials, are pledged for continued use to redeem the Philippines from the invader and to speed the day of ultimate and complete independence for the people of the Philippine Islands.