The situation which the act is designed to meet is as follows:

A part of the eastern boundary of the San Juan National Forest is coterminous with a part of the western boundary of the grant. The correctness of these boundaries as now defined is disputed by the present owners of that part of the grant which is involved. The same owners also own a considerable acreage of land inside of the national-forest boundary and intermingled with national-forest land. In consequence, questions have arisen not only as to land lines but also as to road rights-of-way and rights of access to national-forest land which are dependent upon passage over the lands in private ownership. Thus far, these differences of opinion have been more or less good natured, nevertheless they greatly hamper proper administration and use of the national-forest lands and may ultimately lead to expensive and long-continued litigation.

However, the owners of the private lands contiguous to and within the San Juan National Forest also own the grant lands described in this bill. The eastern half of this grant is contiguous to and integrally related with the Rio Grande National Forest, and its value for national forest and other public purposes, if in Federal ownership, would equal or exceed the value of the national-forest lands adjacent to the western boundary of the grant. Accordingly there is local agreement between the field officers of the Forest Service and the owners of the grant and related private lands that the most effective way in which to adjust the existing complications would be an exchange of lands under which the private owners would acquire the intermingled and related national-forest lands along the Navajo River in the San Juan National Forest, while the United States would acquire lands of equal or greater value along the Chama River contiguous to the Rio Grande National Forest, the value of both the offered and selected lands to be determined by appraisals by officers of this Department.

The grant lands which would be subject to the provisions of H. R. 8356, if enacted, are classified approximately as follows:

The legislation is permissive and were it enacted each consequent exchange would be considered on its own merits and would not be approved unless there was adequate proof that it would be in the public interest. There is no intention

to acquire the entire area of the grant within the State of Colorado but only that part thereof which is found to be suitable for national forest purposes.

Preliminary studies made by representatives of this Department indicate that the lands which the United States would receive through the tentatively proposed exchanges would be fully as valuable as those which it would give. The watershed importance of the Chama River is as great as that of the Navajo River, its suitability for fishing and other recreational purposes is as great, its accessibility to the public is greater.

The contemplated exchanges would not increase the cost of national forest administration, since the costs incident to the administration of the acquired lands would be offset by the reduction of costs now incident to the administration of the lands to be granted.

In the opinion of this Department the bill H. R. 8356 would be in the public interest and its approval by your committee is recommended.

Pursuant to the provisions of Budget Bureau Circular 344, this matter was referred to the Bureau of the Budget, and under date of March 20, 1940, the Assistant Director thereof informed the Department of Agriculture that there would be no objection on the part of that office to the submission of this report to the Congress.

MY DEAR MR. DEROUEN: I have received your request of February 9 for a report on H. R. 8356, a bill "For the exchange of lands adjacent to the San Juan

National Forest and the Rio Grande National Forest in Colorado." The bill if enacted would authorize the acquisition by the Government of privately owned land within the Tierra Amarilla grant in Colorado by exchange and the inclusion of the acquired land in the nearest national forest.

I will interpose no objection to the enactment of the bill.

The Tierra Amarilla grant was patented February 21, 1881, to Francisco Martinez, heir of Manuel Martinez, the original grantee. That part of the grant lying in the State of Colorado adjoins the San Juan and Rio Grande National Forests and also Colorado grazing district No. 4. The enactment of the bill will

in no way affect the orderly administration of the grazing district or of the public lands. The lands within the portion of the grant in Colorado are largely forested lands of type similar to those already included in the adjoining forest reservations. In response to a request by this Department, the Bureau of the Budget advises that it has no objection to the presentation of this report.

Sincerely yours,

76TH CONGRESS 3d Session

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SENATE

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REPORT No. 1774

ATTENDANCE OF THE MARINE BAND AT CONVENTION

OF THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC

JUNE 6 (legislative day, MAY 28), 1940.-Ordered to be printed

Mr. WALSH, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, submitted the

following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 9296]

. The Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 9296) to authorize the attendance of the Marine Band at the convention of the Grand Army of the Republic to be held at Springfield, Ill., September 8 to 13, inclusive, 1940, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.

The purpose of the bill is to authorize the Marine Band to attend the national convention of the Grand Army of the Republic at Springfield, Ill., from September 8 to 13, inclusive, 1940.

It has been the policy of past Congresses to authorize either the Marine Band or the Navy Band to attend the reunions of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the Confederate veterans.

Due to the rapid depletion in the ranks of these two organizations and to the age of those remaining, there cannot be many more reunions. The committee, therefore, considers that this practice should be continued.

If the band should attend this reunion without the legislation proposed in this bill, it would have to be done at the individual expense of the members. The committee feel that the members of the band should not be requested to attend affairs of this or any other kind at a personal sacrifice and therefore report this bill favorably.

The Navy Department interposes no objection to the passage of this legislation, as indicated in the letter from the Acting Secretary of the Navy to the chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs, House of Representatives, which is hereby made a part of this report.

NAVY DEPARTMENT,

The CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS,

Washington, May 15, 1940.

House of Representatives,. Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Further reference is made to your letter of April 10, 1940, relative to the bill (H. R. 9296) to authorize the attendance of the Marine Band at the convention of the Grand Army of the Republic to be held at Springfield, Ill., September 8 to 13, inclusive, 1940, and to your request to be furnished with the comment and recommendation of the Navy Department thereon.

The purpose of the bill (H. R. 9296) is to authorize the President to permit the Marine Band to attend and give concerts at the convention of the Grand Army of the Republic to be held at Springfield, Ill., September 8 to 13, inclusive, 1940, and to authorize an appropriation to cover the expenses of the trip.

The cost that would be involved for transportation and Pullman accommodations, and a per diem of $5 to members of the band while on this duty is estimated at $7,000.

If the Congress should desire the attendance of the Marine Band at this convention, and would appropriate the necessary funds, the Navy Department would have no objection to the enactment of the bill H. R. 9296.

The Navy Department has been advised by the Bureau of the Budget that there would be no objection to the submission of this report.

Sincerely yours,

о

LEWIS COMPTON, Acting.