House Report No. 1651 on H.J.Res. 341 follows: The Committee on Military Affairs to whom was referred House Joint Resolu tion 341, a joint resolution authorizing an appropriation for the participation of the United States in the International Celebration at Fort Niagara, N. Y., having considered the same, submit the following report thereon, with the unanimous recommendation that it do pass. Old Fort Niagara, a part of the present military reservation at Fort Niagara, Niagara County, N.Y., dates from 1615, being one of the oldest fortifications of the early history of the United States. It was originally built by La Salle and became the western stronghold of France until the French and Indian War in 1759, when it was taken possession of by the British under Sir William Johnson. The British finally evacuated August 11, 1796, recapturing the fort during the War of 1812; following the Treaty of Ghent in 1815 it became the permanent property of the United States and over a period of 100 years was allowed to deteriorate and fall into a state of ruins. Shortly following the World War an association of public-spirited citizens known as the "Old Fort Niagara Association, Inc.", was formed in cooperation with the War Department to effect the restoration and maintenance of Old Fort Niagara. This association represents practically all of the patriotic organizations within our country, and under its leadership the entire old fort has been completely restored this year. In this connection funds amounting to $70,000 have in the past been appropriated by the Government, the State of New York and the county of Niagara, N. Y., toward the restoration and in addition several hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised by the Old Fort Niagara Association, Inc., through private and public subscription, all of which have been expended in restoring the old fort in its original condition. During the summer season as high as 8,000 people visit this historic shrine daily and many persons from the entire country have contributed to the fund for its restoration. The Dominion of Canada, during the months of August and September, is celebrating the four-hundredth anniversary of its discovery in an international celebration commemorating the fourth centenary of Jacques Cartier. Included in this celebration is the ratification of the Rush-Bagot Treaty of 1818, and by their invitation the completion of restoration of Old Fort Niagara as a historic and patriotic shrine symbolizing the history of the common interest of France, Great Britain, Canada, and the United States in the evolution of the early American struggle and strife to a lasting peace of vast international significance has been included as a part of this international celebration. The governments of these nations have taken official cognizance of this event and official delegations of state and church from these nations will be present at the ceremonies to be held at Old Fort Niagara during the dates September 3-6, 1934. Military units, together with official representatives of governments, will be present from Great Britain, France, and Canada; invitations to attend have been extended to representatives of these foreign nations in the United States, while our own Government and the War Department will also be represented. The War Department desiring to cooperate in the ceremonies incident to this celebration at Fort Niagara, the Military Affairs Committee unanimously recommends that the sum of $6,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be appropriated to defray the expenses of the participation of certain units of the Army of the United States in this celebration under such regulations as the Secretary of War may prescribe. O = 73D CONGRESS 2d Session } SENATE REPORT No. 1179 CONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC HIGHWAYS MAY 10 (calendar day, MAY 25), 1934.-Ordered to be printed Mr. HAYDEN, from the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H.R. 8781] The Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads, to whom was referred the bill (H.R. 8781) to increase employment by authorizing an appropriation for emergency construction of public highways and related projects, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report the bill back with amendments and, as so amended, recommend that the bill do pass. There are over 3,000,000 miles of roads in the United States, of which 206,277 miles are within the present 7-percent Federal-aid highway system. Of the mileage now eligible to Federal aid, 107,868 miles have been improved with the following types of construction: On the basis of the foregoing figures, it will be seen that only 52.3 percent of the 7-percent Federal-aid system has been improved with Federal aid. Of the remaining 98,408.2 miles a small mileage has been 8. Repts., 73–2, vol. 2—50 improved by the States directly with State funds, but a great mileage has not received any improvement whatever, or in some cases has been merely graded and drained and awaits the next stage of improvement. The mileage of the designated Federal-aid highway system in each State and mileage improved with Federal aid to June 30, 1933, is as follows: The above tables are included to demonstrate the necessity for advance planning of a 3-year highway-construction program as proposed in the amendments which your committee recommends to the bill H.R. 8781. There will always be a legitimate demand for new construction on the American road system. Highway construction is a dynamic and continuing responsibility. Highways either grow worse or better. They cannot stand still with 25,000,000 vehicles in daily operation. At present, the greatest need in a majority of the States is the completion of through routes. In some States the pressing problem is the widening and straightening of trunk-line highways between large centers of population. With over 30,000 deaths and three-quarters of a million injuries each year from automobile accidents, the elimination of traffic hazards must receive not only continuous but better attention. The bill as passed by the House of Representatives authorized an appropriation of $400,000,000 for Federal aid which need not be matched by the States. Your committee recommends that this authorization be reduced to $200,000,000. As shown by the attached letter from the Bureau of Public Roads (exhibit A) it will not be necessary to appropriate more than $100,000,000 to meet the payments which will accrue under such an authorization during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1935. The President has transmitted an estimate for $100,000,000 as an unmatched grant of Federal aid to the States during the next fiscal year. The recommendation made by your committee therefore does not exceed the Budget estimate for the 1935 fiscal year as submitted by the President. Your committee recommends that the remaining $200,000,000 for highway construction, instead of being made immediately available for expenditure as proposed by the House of Representatives, be deferred as an authorization for Federal aid to be matched by the States during the fiscal years ending June 30, 1936, and June 30, 1937. This will provide for a construction program over a period of 3 fiscal years from 1935 to 1937 in the following manner: Section 2 of the bill authorizes an appropriation of $50,000,000 for expenditure on roads in national forests, national parks, Indian reservations, and public lands in the same manner as was provided in the 1933 appropriation. The apportionment of that sum as made last year is shown in the following tabulation: 830, 000, 000 330, 000, 000 200, 000, 000 Summary P.W.A. allotments to Forest, National Park, and Indian Services and public land roads 3. Physical improvement allotments to Forest, Park, and Indian Services for other than roads.. 4. Grand total P.W.A. allotments to Forest, Park, and Indian Services and public-land roads.. $50, 000, 000 9, 149, 994 59,149,994 37,938, 751 97,088,745 Your committee recommends that for each of the fiscal years 1936 and 1937 the following expenditures be authorized: National forest highways, roads, and trails.. Public lands roads... Total expenditures each year_____ $10, 000, 000 10, 000, 000 6, 000, 000 2,500,000 26, 500, 000 In reporting favorably, with amendments, H.R. 8781, your committee recognizes that for the past 18 years it has been a policy of the Federal Government to cooperate with the States in the improvement of highways. That this policy has met with general approval throughout the country is evident from the universal satisfaction of the people with this activity. During recent years, due to the great unemployment situation, it has been deemed wise to increase the Federal appropriations for highways in order that larger groups of people could be employed. It is a well-known fact that large mileages of roads are without adequate improvement and that the construction of roads adds to the economic wealth of the Nation. In providing for another emergency authorization your committee feels that, due to the fact that much of the large appropriations made at the last session of Congress has yet to be expended, a sizable program can be carried on for the coming fiscal year with an amount less than that provided for by the House of Representatives. However it is the judgment of your committee that the time has arrived when the Federal Government should give notice of its intention to return to the well-established policy of making Federal appropriations to be expended under the Federal Highway Act, and to be matched by the States with State funds. In view of the fact that 44 of the 48 State legislatures will be in regular session early in 1935 and some of the remaining four may hold special sessions, now is the time for the Congress to map out a program that will enable the States in their legislative action to provide |