Mr. THOMAS of Idaho, from the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 457] The Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, to whom was referred the bill (S. 457) authorizing an addition to the Cache National Forest, Idaho, having considered the legislation report thereon with the recommendation that it do pass. The Department of Agriculture believes that the legislation would be in the public interest and its position is indicated in the following letter from the Secretary of Agriculture: Hon. CHARLES L. McNARY, JANUARY 4, 1932. United States Senate. Chairman Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, DEAR SENATOR MCNARY: Receipt is acknowledged of your letter of December 21, inclosing copy of S. 457, a bill authorizing an addition to the Cache National Forest, Idaho, and asking for a report thereon. An examination of this bill discloses that it is identical with Senate bill 6130 in the Seventy-first Congress on which this department made a favorable report on February 30, 1931, to Senate Committee on Public Lands and Surveys. That report contained the following statements: "The proposed legislation would give a national-forest status to certain lands lying adjacent to one of the divisions of the Cache National Forest, in the State of Idaho. The area involved is approximately 19,520 acres. It lies on the eastern slope of Bannock Mountain and is composed of rather rough land which is unsuited to cultivation. A considerable part of it bears a stand of timber consisting of Douglas fir and Alpine fir. It is estimated that there are approximately 16,000,000 feet of this timber. The area is being used for the grazing of sheep and cattle during the spring, summer, and fall, and due to lack of management and heavy overgrazing a good deal of injury has resulted to the cover. "During the past 10 years several bills have been introduced in Congress having for their purpose the addition of these lands to the Cache National Forest. Data obtained by the Forest Service during the summer of 1930 for the use of the President's commission on the public domain indicate quite clearly that it would be in the public interest to give these lands a national-forest status, and a recommendation to that effect was made to the commission by the forester. "These lands could be administered by the Forest Service as a part of the Cache National Forest without adding to the cost of the administration of that forest." The department believes that legislation proposed by S. 457 would be in the public interest. Sincerely yours, ARTHUR M. HYDE, Secretary. Mr. WALCOTT, from the Special Committee on the Conservation of Wild Life Resources, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 2326] Your committee has reported to the Senate on previous occasions its finding that the wild-life resources of America are rapidly decreasing and that drastic measures are necessary for their preservation. It has been estimated that $650,000,000 are spent annually in outdoor recreation connected with hunting and fishing. Thirteen million men and women take out State licenses each year for the privilege of hunting and fishing. The contribution of the National Government to the great work of conserving wild-life resources is limited, but it can without additional expense aid in the general public movement which now finds approval from all classes of our people. Senate bill 2326 does not call for an appropriation nor for added personnel or additional Government expenditure. It requires the approval of the State legislatures of the respective States. Its object is to direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Commerce to designate and set aside, subject to the approval of the several States involved, certain areas in public parks and forests as game and fish sanctuaries. Within these sanctuaries of limited area game and fish are to be protected and kept inviolate from both hunting and fishing. The areas need not be large, but will afford a safe retreat and protected breeding grounds for all species of our wild life. We unanimously approve the bill and urge its passage. Chairman. HARRY B. HAWES. PETER NORBECK. CHAS. L. MCNARY. KEY PITTMAN. JANUARY 7 (calendar day, JANUARY 8), 1932.—Ordered to be printed, with an illustration Mr. NYE, from the Committee on Public Lands and Surveys, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 476] The Committee on Public Lands and Surveys, to whom was referred the bill (S. 476) for the relief of certain purchasers of lots in Harding town site, Florida, having carefully considered the same, report favorably thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass without amendment, as follows: A BILL For the relief of certain purchasers of lots in Harding town site, Florida Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represenatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed to issue a patent to any person (or the legal representatives of such person) who, as a result of an auction sale of lots in Harding town site, Florida, conducted during February, 1924, by a representative of the Department of the Interior, agreed to purchase a lot in such town site, and who (1) prior to the date of approval of this act, has paid to the United States 50 per centum or more of the agreed purchase price of such lot, or (2) within twelve months after the date of approval of this act, makes payments to the United States which, together with payments previously made, amount to 50 per centum of the agreed purchase price of such lot. In the event that any person entitled to a patent as herein provided has paid to the United States more than 50 per centum of the agreed purchase price of any such lot, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed to refund to such person an amount equal to the amount received by the United States in excess of such 50 per centum. SEC. 2. As used in this act, the term "person" includes an individual, partnership, corporation, or association. SEC. 3. There is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this act. |