"AGRICULTURAL ACT.” 1917. [273] CHAP. 52.-An Act To provide further for the national August 10, security and defense by stimulating agriculture and facilitating [H. R. 4188.] the distribution of agricultural products. [Approved, August 10, 1917. 40 Stats. 273.] [Public, No. 40.1 etc. Agricultural ferred to gath tion increase Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- food products, tives of the United States of America in Congress as- Powers consembled, That, for the purpose of more effectually pro- r informaviding for the national security and defense and carry- supply, etc. ing on the war with Germany by gathering authoritative information concerning the food supply, by increasing production, by preventing waste of the food supply, by regulating the distribution thereof, and by such other means and methods as are hereinafter provided, the powers, authorities, duties, obligations, and prohibitions hereinafter set forth are conferred and prescribed. Investigation production, dis of designated Compulsory SEC. 2. That the Secretary of Agriculture, with the of demand. approval of the President, is authorized to investigate tribution, etc., and ascertain the demand for, the supply, consumption, articles. costs, and prices of, and the basic facts relating to the ownership, production, transportation, manufacture, storage, and distribution of, foods, food materials, feeds, seeds, fertilizers, agricultural implements and machinery, and any article required in connection with the production, distribution, or utilization of food. It shall testimony, etc. be the duty of any person, when requested by the Secretary of Agriculture, or any agent acting under his instructions, to answer correctly, to the best of his knowledge, under oath or otherwise, all questions touching his knowledge of any matter authorized to be investigated under this section, or to produce all books, letters, papers, or documents in his possesion, or under his [274] control, relating to such matter. Any person who shall,, Punishment within a reasonable time to be prescribed by the Secre- false ments, etc. tary of Agriculture, not exceeding thirty days from the date of the receipt of the request, willfully fail or refuse to answer such questions or to produce such books, letters, papers, or documents, or who shall wilfully give any answer that is false or misleading, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $1,000 or by imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both. refusals, state Seeds for SEC. 3. That whenever the Secretary of Agriculture seeding may be shall find that there is or may be a special need in any to farmers. bought to sell Cooperation with States, etc. Two addi tional Assist of Agriculture Duties, pay, restricted area for seeds suitable for the production of food or feed crops, he is authorized to purchase, or contract with persons to grow such seeds, to store them, and to furnish them to farmers for cash, at cost, including the expense of packing and transportation. SEC. 4. That the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to cooperate with such State and local officials, and with such public and private agencies, or persons, as he finds necessary, and to make such rules and regulations as are necessary effectively to carry out the preceding sections of this Act. SEC. 5. That the President, by and with the advice and ant Secretaries consent of the Senate, may appoint two additional Asauthorized. sistant Secretaries of Agriculture, who shall perform such duties as may be required by law or prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture, and who shall each be paid a salary of $5.000 per annum. etc. Vol. 25. 659, amended. of other agen Cooperation SET. 6. That the President is authorized to direct any cies, etc. to agency or organization of the Government to cooperate avoid duplication. with the Secretary of Agriculture in carrying out the purposes of this Act and to coordinate their activities so as to avoid any preventable loss or duplication of work. Meaning terms used. of Appropriations for specified objects. live-stock dis SEC. 7. That words used in this Act shall be construed to import the plural or the singular as the case demands, and the word "person," wherever used in this Act, shall include individuals, partnerships, associations, and corporations. SEC. 8. That for the purposes of this Act, the following sums are hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, available Eradicating immediately and until June thirtieth, nineteen hundred eases, etc. and eighteen: For the prevention, control, and eradication of the the diseases and pesis of live stock; the enanimal prod largement of live-stock production; and the conservation and utilization of meat, poultry, dairy, and other animal products, $885,000. Conserving ucts. Procuring sale. seeds, etc., for For procuring, storing, and furnishing seeds, as authorized by section three of this Act, $2,500,000, and this fund may be used as a revolving fund until June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and eighteen. Eradicating insects. plant diseases, etc. For the prevention, control, and eradication of insects and plant diseases injurious to agriculture, and the conservation and utilization of plant products, $441,000. Food conser For increasing food production and eliminating waste vation demonand promoting conservation of food by educational and strations, etc. demonstrational methods, through county, district, and urban agents and others, $4,348,400. formation, preventing condition of central mar For gathering authoritative information in connection, Gathering inwith the demand for, and the production, supply, dis- market news, tribution, and utilization of food, and otherwise carry- waste, etc. ing out the purpose of section two of this Act; extending and enlarging the market news service; and preventing waste of food in storage, in transit, or held for sale; advise concerning the market movement or distribution of Certifying perishable products; for enabling the Secretary of Agri- fruits, etc., at culture to investigate and certify to shippers the condi- kets. tion as to soundness of fruits, vegetables, and other food products, when received at such important central markets as the Secretary of Agriculture may from time to time designate and under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe: [275] Provided, That certificates issued by the authorized agents of the department shall tificates. be received in all courts as prima facie evidence of the truth of the statements therein contained; and otherwise carrying out the purpose of this Act, $2,522,000: Provided further, That the Secretary of Agriculture shall, so far as practicable, engage the services of women for the work herein provided for. Provisos. Women to be employed. items. For miscellaneous items, including the salaries of As- Miscellaneous sistant Secretaries appointed under this Act; special work in crop estimating; aiding agencies in the various States in supplying farm labor; enlarging the informational work of the Department of Agriculture; and printing and distributing emergency leaflets, posters, and other publications requiring quick issue or large editions, $650,000. Proviso. Employees from military Provided, That the employment of any person under the provisions of this Act shall not exempt any such not exempt person from military service under the provisions of draft. the selective draft law approved May eighteenth, rineteen hundred and seventeen. Ante, p. 76. penditures. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of Agriculture Report of exto submit to Congress at its regular session in December of each year a detailed report of the expenditure of all moneys herein appropriated. antine, etc. SEC. 9. That the Act of August thirtieth, eighteen Cattle quar hundred and ninety, entitled "An Act providing for an modified. inspection of meats for exportation, prohibiting the im- 414, amended. Vol. 26. p cattle for im ter may be im designated. 416, 417. portation of adulterated articles of food or drink, and authorizing the President to make proclamation in certain cases, and for other purposes" (Twenty-sixth Statutes at Large, page four hundred and fourteen), is Tick infested hereby amended so as to authorize the Secretary of Agmediate slaugh riculture, within his discretion and under such joint ported. regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Treasury, to permit the admission for immediate slaughter at ports of entry of tick-infested cattle which are otherwise free from disease and which have not been exposed to the infection of any other disease within sixty days next before their exportation from Mexico, South and CenPorts to be tral America, the islands of the Gulf of Mexico and the Vol. 26, pp. Caribbean Sea into those parts of the United States below the southern cattle quarantine line at such ports of entry as may be designed by said joint regulations and also subject to the provisions of sections seven, eight, nine, and ten of said Act of August thirtieth, eighteen hundred and ninety: Provided, That the importation of tick-infested cattle from any country referred to in this section in which foot-and-mouth disease exists, which existence shall be determined by the SecMeat inspecretary of Agriculture, is prohibited: Provided, further, ments to gov- That all cattle imported under the provisions of this section shall be slaughtered in accordance with the provisions of the Act of June thirtieth, nineteen hundred. Vol. 34. PP and six (Thirty-fourth Statutes at Large, page six hundred and seventy-four), commonly called the meat inspection amendment, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the Secretary of Agriculture, Disposition and that their hides shall be disposed of under rules and regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Provisos. Countries excluded. tion ern. 674, 1260. of hides. homesteads in Idaho, Vol. 36, p. out water for Enlarged SEC. 10. That section six of the Act of Congress approved June seventeenth, nineteen hundred and ten, 532, amended. “An Act to provide for an enlarged homestead," be, and the same is hereby, amended to read as follows: Lands with- "SEC. 6. That whenever the Secretary of the Interior domestic se shall find any tracts of land in the State of Idaho, subject to entry under this Act, do not have upon them such a sufficient supply of water suitable for domestic purposes as would make continuous residence upon the lands possible he may, in his discretion, designate such tracts. of land, not to exceed in the aggregate one million acres, to be designated. Area creased. in Residence not required. and thereafter they shall be subject to entry under this Act without the necessity of residence upon the land entered: Provided, That the entryman shall in good faith cultivate not less than one-sixteenth of the entire Amount to be cultivated area of [276] the entry which is susceptible of cultiva- reduced. tion during the first year of the entry, not less than one- Provisos. eighth during the second year, and not less than onefourth during the third year of the entry and until final State proof: Provided, further, That after six months from the date of entry and until final proof the entryman shall be a resident of the State of Idaho." resi dence required. Suspension authorized. 389. p. SEC. 11. That the Secretary of the Interior is hereby act Reclamation authorized, in his discretion, to suspend during the con- of residence retinuance of this Act that provision of the Act known as quirement, etc., the "Reclamation Act" requiring residence upon landsgol. 32, in private ownership or within the neighborhood for securing water for the irrigation of the same, and he is authorized to permit the use of available water thereon upon such terms and conditions as he may deem proper. SEC. 12. That the provisions of this Act shall cease after war to be in effect when the national emergency resulting minates. from the existing state of war shall have passed, the date of which shall be ascertained and proclaimed by the President; but the date when this Act shall cease to be in effect shall not be later than the beginning of the next fiscal year after the termination, as ascertained by the President, of the present war between the United States and Germany. "FOOD CONTROL ACT." Act to cease ter Date. August 10, 1917. [H. R. 4961.J [Public, No. 41.1 ucts, fuel, etc. Measures for conserving sup of desig nated necessi [276] CHAP. 53.--An Act To provide further for the national security and defense by encouraging the production, conserving the supply, and controlling the distribution of food products and fuel. [Approved, August 10, 1917. 40 Stats. 276.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- Food prodtives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That by reason of the existence of a state of ply war, it is essential to the national security and defense, ties during for the successful prosecution of the war, and for the authorized. support and maintenance of the Army and Navy, to assure an adequate supply and equitable distribution, and to facilitate the movement, of foods, feeds, fuel including fuel oil and natural gas, and fertilizer and fertilizer ingredients, tools, utensils, implements, machinery, and 37639-18- 4 present war, |