GERMAN BOATS.

In accordance with a request of the Secretary of the Navy, concurred in by the United States Shipping Board, the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby directed to transfer the following German vessels to the Navy for use as colliers and cargo carriers:

It is hereby ordered that through the Secretary of the Navy there be taken over to the United States the immediate possession and title of and to the German vessel Staatssekretar Solf, now lying at Tutuila, Samoa, and until further directions the Secretary of the Navy is ordered to operate and equip such vessel in the service of the Navy of the United States.

This order shall take effect from date.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

WOODROW WILSON.

June 12, 1917.

[No. 2635.]

EXPORT LICENSES-EXPORTS COUNCIL.

By virtue of authority vested in me by Title VII of the act approved June 15, 1917, entitled, "An act to punish acts of interference with the foreign relations, the neutrality, and the foreign commerce of the United States, to punish espionage, and better to enforce the criminal laws of the United States, and for other purposes," I hereby vest in the Secretary of Commerce the executive administration of all instructions issued by the President under said Title VII and of the proclamations thereunder, and the said Secretary is hereby authorized and directed to take such measures as may be necessary to administer and execute the same and to grant or refuse export licenses thereunder, in accordance with those instructions.

I hereby establish an Exports Council, to be composed of the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Food Administrator, and I hereby authorize and direct

the said Exports Council thus constituted to formulate, for the consideration and approval of the President, policies and make the recommendations necessary to carry out the purposes of this act. WOODROW WILSON.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

June 22, 1917.

[No. 2645.]

GERMAN BOATS.

Whereas the following joint resolution adopted by Congress was approved by the President May 12, 1917:

Joint Resolution Authorizing the President to take over for the United States the possession and title of any vessel within its jurisdiction, which at the time of coming therein was owned in whole or in part by any corporation, citizen, or subject of any nation with which the United States may be at war, or was under register of any such nation, and for other purposes.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized to take over to the United States the immediate possession and title of any vessel within the jurisdiction thereof, including the Canal Zone and all territories and insular possessions of the United States except the American Virgin Islands, which at the time of coming into such jurisdiction was owned in whole or in part by any corporation, citizen, or subject of any nation with which the United States may be at war when such vessel shall be taken, or was flying the flag of or was under register of any such nation or any political subdivision or municipality thereof; and, through the United States Shipping Board, or any department or agency of the Government, to operate, lease, charter, and equip such vessel in any service of the United States, or in any commerce, foreign or coastwise.

SEC. 2. That the Secretary of the Navy be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to appoint, subject to the approval of the President, a board of survey, whose duty it shall be to ascertain the actual value of the vessel, its equipment, appurtenances, and all property contained therein, at the time of its taking, and to make a written report of their findings to the Secretary of the Navy, who shall preserve such report with the records of his department. These findings shall be considered as competent evidence in all proceedings on any claim for compensation.

And whereas the following vessels were, at the time of coming into the jurisdiction of the United States, owned in whole or in part by a corporation, citizen, or subject of the Empire of Germany, a nation with which the United States is now at war, or were flying the flag of or under the register of the Empire of Germany, or of a political subdivision or municipality thereof:

It is therefore ordered that through the United States Shipping Board there be taken over to the United States the possession and title of the aforementioned vessels. The United States Shipping Board is further hereby authorized to repair, equip, and man the said vessels; to operate, lease, or charter the same in any service of the United States, or in any commerce, foreign or coastwise; and to do and perform any and all things that may be necessary to accomplish the purposes of the joint resolution above set forth.

WOODROW WILSON.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

June 30, 1917.

No. 2651.

GERMAN BOATS.

Whereas the following joint resolution adopted by Congress was approved by the President May 12, 1917:

Joint resolution authorizing the President to take over for the United States the possession and title of any vessel within its jurisdiction, which at the time of coming therein was owned in whole or in part by any corporation, citizen, or subject of any nation with which the United States may be at war, or was under register of any such nation, and for other purposes.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized to take over to the United States the immediate possession and title of any vessel within the jurisdiction thereof, including the Canal Zone and all territories and insular possessions

of the United States except the American Virgin Islands, which at the time of coming into such jurisdiction was owned in whole or in part by any corporation, citizen, or subject of any nation with which the United States may be at war when such vessel shall be taken, or was flying the flag of or was under register of any such nation or any political subdivision or municipality thereof; and, through the United States Shipping Board, or any department or agency of the Government, to operate, lease, charter, and equip such vessel in any service of the United States, or in any commerce, foreign or coastwise.

SEC. 2. That the Secretary of the Navy be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to appoint, subject to the approval of the President, a board of survey, whose duty it shall be to ascertain the actual value of the vessel, its equipment, appurtenances, and all property contained therein, at the time of its taking, and to make a written report of their findings, to the Secretary of the Navy, who shall preserve such report with the records of his department. These findings shall be considered as competent evidence in all proceedings on any claim for compensation.

And whereas the following vessel was, at the time of coming into the jurisdiction of the United States owned in whole or in part by a corporation, citizen or subject of the Empire of Germany, a nation with which the United States is now at war, or was flying the flag of or under the register of the Empire of Germany, or of a political subdivision or municipality thereof: Cargo steamship Prinz Eitel Friedrich, now lying at Hoboken, New Jersey.

It is therefore ordered that through the United States Shipping Board there be taken over to the United States the possession and title of the aforementioned vessel. The United States Shipping Board is further hereby authorized to repair, equip and man said vessel; to operate, lease or charter the same in any service of the United States, or in any commerce, foreign or coastwise; and to do and perform any and all things that may be necessary to accomplish the purposes of the joint resolution above set forth.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

WOODROW WILSON.

July 3, 1917.

[No. 2653]

EXERCISE OF AUTHORITY UNDER THE EMERGENCY SHIPPING FUND ACT.

By virtue of authority vested in me in the section entitled "Emergency Shipping Fund" of an act of Congress entitled "An act making appropriations to supply urgent deficiencies in appropriations for the Military and Naval Establishments on account of war expenses for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and seventeen, and for other purposes," approved June 15, 1917, I hereby direct that the United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation shall have and exercise all power and authority vested in me in said section of said act, in so far as applicable to and

in furtherance of the construction of vessels, the purchase or requisitioning of vessels in process of construction, whether on the ways or already launched, or of contracts for the construction of such vessels, and the completion thereof, and all power and authority applicable to and in furtherance of the production, purchase, and requisitioning of materials for ship construction.

And I do further direct that the United States Shipping Board shall have and exercise all power and authority vested in me in said section of said act, in so far as applicable to and in furtherance of the taking over of title or possession, by purchase or requisition, of constructed vessels, or parts thereof, or charters therein; and the operation, management and disposition of such vessels, and of all other vessels heretofore or hereafter acquired by the United States. The powers herein delegated to the United States Shipping Board may, in the discretion of said board, be exercised directly by the said board or by it through the United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation, or through any other corporation organized by it for such purpose.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

WOODROW WILSON.

July 11, 1917.

[No. 2664]

AUTHORITY TO ORGANIZE FOOD ADMINISTRATION GRAIN CORPORATION.

Whereas, under and by virtue of an act of Congress entitled “An act to provide 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, it is provided among other things as follows:

That, by reason of the existence of a state of war, it is essential to the national security and defense, for the successful prosecution of the war, and for the 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, fertilizer and fertilizer ingredients, tools, utensils, implements, machinery and equipment required for the actual production of foods, feeds, and fuel hereafter in this act called necessaries; to prevent, locally or generally, scarcity, monopolization, hoarding, injurious speculation, manipulation, and private controls, affecting such supply, distribution, and movement; and to establish and maintain governmental control of such necessaries during the war. For such purposes the instrumentalities, means, methods, powers, authorities, duties, obligations, and prohibitions hereinafter set forth are created, established, conferred, and prescribed. The President is authorized to make such regulations and to issue such orders as are essential effectively to carry out the provisions of this act.

That in carrying out the purposes of this act the President is authorized to create and use any agency or agencies *

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