FEBRUARY 5 (calendar day, FEBRUARY 11), 1932.-Ordered to be printed Mr. COPELAND, from the Committee on Commerce, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. J. Res. 41] The Committee on Commerce, to whom was referred the joint resolution (S. J. Res. 41) granting consent of Congress to a compact or agreement between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey creating the Delaware River Joint Commission and specifying the powers and duties thereof, having considered the same, report favorably thereon and recommend that the bill do pass without amendment. The bill has the approval of the Department of War, as will appear by the annexed communication, which is made a part of this report. WAR DEPARTMENT, December 24, 1981. Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Commerce, United States Senate. So far as the interests committed to this department are concerned, I know of no objection to the favorable consideration of the accompanying joint resolution (S. J. Res. 41, 72d Cong., 1st sess.) granting the consent of Congress to a compact or agreement between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey creating the Delaware River Joint Commission and specifying the powers and duties thereof. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Memorandum for the Acting Secretary of Commerce. I return herewith S. 2883 a bill "Prescribing regulations for carrying on the business of lighter service from any of the ports of the United States to stationary ships or barges located off shore, and for the purpose of promoting the safety of navigation" submitted to the department by the committee, with request for report as to the merits of the bill and propriety of its passage. As early as 1926 The bureau is in sympathy with this proposed legislation. it was proposed to anchor barges off the coast near San Francisco, such barges Passengers were carried to to be used for "fishing, recreation, and pleasure. and from these anchored barges in small motor vessels. Similar conditions later The reports in the Bureau developed at Los Angeles and off the Florida coast. of Navigation show that gambling and other practices are extensively indulged in on these vessels. As the barges are permanently anchored and are not used in any way for transportation of passengers or cargo, they do not come within the provisions of the navigation laws. It is claimed that the small vessels carrying the passengers to and from the anchored barges do so without compensation; it is also claimed that these small vessels are not owned by the owners of the barges. Under these circumstances it so far has been impossible to prove a transportation of passengers for hire. Means for preventing this practice were considered at great length with the customs officers and the Department of Justice but without success. We are satisfied that additional legislation is required. The bill S. 2883 will make it impossible for any vessel to proceed from our shores to a vessel on the high seas without a permit issued by this department and authority is placed in the Secretary of the Department to refuse such permits if he finds that the operation of such vessel may endanger human life or is to be operated for the purpose of transporting passengers to or from any stationary or anchored vessels engaged in any business or occupation prohibitied by law at the place of landing by such small vessels. The proposed legislation should place in the hands of the Government an effective means of preventing a practice growing up along our coasts which is meeting with the condemnation of citizens generally, in the localities where such vessels are anchored. In order that the bill may not be construed to apply to pilot vessels which meet incoming and leave outgoing ships, it is suggested that there be inserted after the word "transported" in line 5 of section 1 of the bill, the words "pilot boats excepted". It is understood that it is not the purpose of Congress to require these pilot boats to have this permit to engage in the pilotage business. Commissioner of Navigation. FEBRUARY 5 (calendar day, FEBRUARY 11), 1932.—Ordered to be printed Mr. COPELAND, from the Committee on Commerce, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. J. Res. 41] The Committee on Commerce, to whom was referred the joint resolution (S. J. Res. 41) granting consent of Congress to a compact or agreement between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey creating the Delaware River Joint Commission and specifying the powers and duties thereof, having considered the same, report favorably thereon and recommend that the bill do pass without amendment. The bill has the approval of the Department of War, as will appear by the annexed communication, which is made a part of this report. WAR DEPARTMENT, December 24, 1931. Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Commerce, United States Senate. So far as the interests committed to this department are concerned, I know of no objection to the favorable consideration of the accompanying joint resolution (S. J. Res. 41, 72d Cong., 1st sess.) granting the consent of Congress to a compact or agreement between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey creating the Delaware River Joint Commission and specifying the powers and duties thereof. PATRICK J. HURLEY, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Memorandum for the Acting Secretary of Commerce. I return herewith S. 2883 a bill "Prescribing regulations for carrying on the business of lighter service from any of the ports of the United States to stationary ships or barges located off shore, and for the purpose of promoting the safety of navigation" submitted to the department by the committee, with request for report as to the merits of the bill and propriety of its passage. The bureau is in sympathy with this proposed legislation. As early as 1926 it was proposed to anchor barges off the coast near San Francisco, such barges to be used for "fishing, recreation, and pleasure. Passengers were carried to and from these anchored barges in small motor vessels. Similar conditions later developed at Los Angeles and off the Florida coast. The reports in the Bureau of Navigation show that gambling and other practices are extensively indulged in on these vessels. As the barges are permanently anchored and are not used in any way for transportation of passengers or cargo, they do not come within the provisions of the navigation laws. It is claimed that the small vessels carrying the passengers to and from the anchored barges do so without compensation; it is also claimed that these small vessels are not owned by the owners of the barges. Under these circumstances it so far has been impossible to prove a transportation of passengers for hire. Means for preventing this practice were considered at great length with the customs officers and the Department of Justice but without success. We are satisfied that additional legislation is required. The bill S. 2883 will make it impossible for any vessel to proceed from our shores to a vessel on the high seas without a permit issued by this department and authority is placed in the Secretary of the Department to refuse such permits if he finds that the operation of such vessel may endanger human life or is to be operated for the purpose of transporting passengers to or from any stationary or anchored vessels engaged in any business or occupation prohibited by law at the place of landing by such small vessels. The proposed legislation should place in the hands of the Government an effective means of preventing a practice growing up along our coasts which is meeting with the condemnation of citizens generally, in the localities where such vessels are anchored. In order that the bill may not be construed to apply to pilot vessels which meet incoming and leave outgoing ships, it is suggested that there be inserted after the word "transported" in line 5 of section 1 of the bill, the words "pilot boats excepted". It is understood that it is not the purpose of Congress to require these pilot buats to have this permit to engage in the pilotage business. FEBRUARY 5 (calendar day, FEBRUARY 11), 1932.—Ordered to be printed Mr. COPELAND, from the Committee on Commerce, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. J. Res. 41] The Committee on Commerce, to whom was referred the joint resolution (S. J. Res. 41) granting consent of Congress to a compact or agreement between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey creating the Delaware River Joint Commission and specifying the powers and duties thereof, having considered the same, report favorably thereon and recommend that the bill do pass without amendment. The bill has the approval of the Department of War, as will appear by the annexed communication, which is made a part of this report. WAR DEPARTMENT, December 24, 1981. Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Commerce, United States Senate. So far as the interests committed to this department are concerned, I know of no objection to the favorable consideration of the accompanying joint resolution (S. J. Res. 41, 72d Cong., 1st sess.) granting the consent of Congress to a compact or agreement between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey creating the Delaware River Joint Commission and specifying the powers and duties thereof. O PATRICK J. HURLEY, |