with a dense growth of western juniper trees, fully matured, 24 to 36 inches in diameter, and from 30 to 50 feet high; and which is fit only for posts and fuel. It can not be used for lumber. The few settlers in that region are stockmen, and the cutting of these woods would be a benefit to their interests. If permitted by the department, fence posts from these woods could be delivered at Jordan Valley for 30 cents each, and fuel at $12 to $15 per cord. This juniper resists rot in this soil, and the posts would have a life of 15 to 20 years.

A Cary Act project is opening here this spring, which will greatly increase the demand for posts and fuel, and the problem of their supply has become so serious that we must beg the Department of the Interior for relief, is such be possible.

We therefore beg the department to grant to residents of Oregon in this neighborhood the privilege of securing supplies of these woods in Idaho under the same regulations which govern residents of Idaho.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. N. J. SINNOTT, M. C.,

Washington, D. C.

J. E. MCDONNELL, Recorder of the Town of Jordan Valley.

JORDAN VALLEY, OREG., April 16, 1918.

DEAR SIR: I beg to thank you for your prompt reply to my letter of April 1, asking your help in persuading the Department of the Interior to make it possible for residents of Oregon in this section to get fuel and posts near by in Idaho, together with the copy of the law which says it can not be done.

It seems probable that the next few years will find the railroads, especially the main lines, so occupied with the public service, and the coal mines so utterly unable, at least in the West, to supply the demands on them, that we shall be unable to get timber or coal at even the outrageous prices of the present day.

I assure you that in my letter to the commissioner, a copy of which was sent to you, the matter is not overdrawn.

We appreciate your interest in the matter, and hope it may be successful in relieving us.

Very truly, yours,

J. E. MCDONNELL.

Following is the report of Hon. Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of the Interior, on said bill:

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
Washington, July 12, 1918.

Hon. SCOTT FERRIS,

Chairman of Committee on the Public Lands,

House of Representatives.

DEAR MR. FERRIS: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your request of June 29, 1918, for a report upon H. R. 12579, introduced June 27, 1918, by Hon. Nicholas J. Sinnott, entitled "A bill to grant to citizens of Malheur County, Oreg., the right to cut timber in the State of Idaho for agricultural, mining, or other domestic purposes, and to remove such timber to Malheur County, Oreg." You submitted with your request a copy of a letter addressed to the Commissioner of the General Land Office under date of March 15, 1918, by one J. E. McDonnell, recorder of the town of Jordan Valley, Oreg., and a copy of the acting assistant commissioner's reply thereto of March 29, 1918.

It is obvious that the purpose of H. R. 12579 is to amend the act of March 3, 1891 (26 Stat., 1093, c. 559), which amended section 8 of the act of March 3, 1891 (26 Stat., 1095, 1099, c. 561), so that the residents of Jordan Valley, Oreg., may be authorized to procure timber from vacant unreserved nonmineral public land across the State line in Owyhee County, Idaho, and to transport said timber for their use and benefit into Malheur County, Oreg. According to the representations made by the recorder of the town of Jordan Valley, the valley which is known by that name is principally devoted to the production of forage crops and live stock. The valley extends along the State line into Owyhee County, Idaho, and the trade interests on both sides of the State line are identical. On the Oregon side, sagebrush constitutes the only source of fuel that may be procured from the land, and that is becoming scarce. Only a small amount of coal can be procured, and that comes from the States of Wyoming and Utah, and during the past year cost from $40 to $50 per ton. There is no timber

in that part of Oregon. Fir timber for posts must be imported at a cost of about $70 per thousand feet, and the life of such posts is only about five years. Across the State line in Idaho is a stretch of broken country from 50 to 60 miles long and about 30 miles wide which is covered with a dense growth of juniper trees, suitable only for posts and fuel. In that country juniper will not decay quickly and the life of juniper posts is from 15 to 20 years. A Carey Act project is now being opened which will greatly increase the demand for posts and fuel, and the problem of necessary supply is becoming a subject deserving of relief. The taking of the timber from the public lands in the State of Idaho will not be detrimental to the interests of that portion of the valley which is located in that State and it will afford relief to the residents of the valley on the Oregon side.

The act of March 3, 1891 (26 Stat., 1093, c. 559), authorizes the taking of timber on vacant unreserved nonmineral public lands of certain of the public-land States for the purposes mentioned in the act, but it is expressly provided in the act that the timber is not to be transported out of the State in which it is to be cut. Amendatory legislation is, therefore, necessary in order to provide authority to permit of the exportation of timber on vacant unreserved nonmineral public lands. In this respect the act has been twice amended, namely, on July 1, 1898 (30 Stat., 618), providing for the export of timber from a specified area in the State of Wyoming into the State of Idaho, and on March 3, 1901 (31 Stat., 1439), providing for the export of timber from a specified area in the State of Montana into the State of Wyoming.

In view of the representations made relative to the necessity of extending relief to the residents of Jordan Valley, Oreg., as proposed by the above referred to bill, I will interpose no objection to the enactment of an amendment authorizing the residents of Malheur County, Oreg., to procure for their use in that county, timber on the vacant unreserved nonmineral public lands in Owyhee County, Idaho. I also desire to call your attention to the fact that there were enacted two separate acts of March 3, 1891, namely, section 8 of the act of that date, chapter 561 (26 Stat., 1095, 1099), entitled "An act to repeal timber-culture laws, and for other purposes,' and the act contained in chapter 559 (26 Stat., 1093), entitled "An act to amend section 8 of an act approved March 3, 1891, entitled 'An act to repeal timber-culture laws, and for other purposes." The latter-mentioned act amended the formermentioned act. It is the latter-mentioned act that authorizes the taking of timber from vacant unreserved nonmineral public lands, and that is the act which H. R. 12579 proposes to amend, not section 8 of the act of March 3, 1891, chapter 561. I therefore suggest that section 1 of the bill be corrected by inserting, after the words "eighteen hundred and ninety-one," in line 5, page 1, the following: "chapter five hundred and sixty-one, as amended by an act approved March third, eighteen hundred and ninety-one, chapter five hundred and fifty-nine, page one thousand and ninety-three, volume twenty-six, United States Statutes at Large."

In compliance with your request I am returning herewith the copies of the letters submitted by you.

Cordially, yours,

FRANKLIN K. LANE, Secretary.

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HR-65-2-vol 2-63

INCORPORATION OF WAR MOTHERS OF AMERICA.

OCTOBER 14, 1918.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

Mr. JOHNSON of Kentucky, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following

REPORT.

[To accompany H. R. 13072.]

The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 13072) entitled "A bill to incorporate the War Mothers of America," having considered the same, reports it back with the recommendation that the bill do pass.

The history and nature of this organization is as follows:

In the summer of 1917 some of the mothers of the boys in the Army banded together at Evansville, Ind., for the purpose of mutual help and sympathy, and with a view to doing what they could for the boys in the cantonments. The plan was so helpful that many other mothers at Evansville joined, and soon there was a large organization. The first mother to lose a son fighting in the American Army in France was Mrs. Alice Gresham Dodd, of Evansville, Ind., whose son, James Bethel Gresham, was killed on the 3d day of November, 1917, and she was a member of this organization, and was made the honorary president.

Later on similar organizations sprang up throughout the country, and they proved so helpful that the Evansville association conceived the idea of uniting all of these. Accordingly a convention was called to meet at that city on the 18th, 19th, and 20th days of September, 1918. At this convention 31 States were represented, and more than 1,000,000 war mothers. The meeting was a great success and the proceedings were published throughout the entire country. President Wilson took an interest and sent a telegram as follows:

The PRESIDENT OF THE CONVENTION OF WAR MOTHERS OF AMERICA,

Evansville, Ind.

To the War Mothers of America the heart of the whole Nation goes out in pride and deep sympathy; in sympathy because of the supreme sacrifice they have made; in pride because of the superb courage with which those sacrifices have been accepted. Their sons are making America loved and honored wherever men love freedom and respect justice. Their heroism and their sacrifice will make the whole world a happier and safer home for the wives and mothers and brave men of the days to come. Future generations will rise up and call them blessed. Please accept my personal homage of respect and gratitude.

WOODROW WILSON.

.

The spirit that animates these mothers is evidenced by a telegram sent by the convention to President Wilson, as follows:

Millions of War Mothers of America represented in national convention in Evansville stand loyally behind you in your desire to make no peace until Germany and her allies surrender unconditionally.

The value of this spirit from a military point of view is shown by a telegram sent by Gen. Pershing, as follows:

The splendid example of patience and bravery which American mothers have set for us, their sons, is a tremendous inspiration to the American Expeditionary Forces. In the name of these troops I thank you for a message which assures us of this courageous spirit.

PERSHING.

Mrs. Alice Gresham Dodd was made honorary president and her name appears first in the articles of incorporation, as a tribute to her sacrifice, as stated hereinabove. Mrs. Robert Carlton Morris, of Toledo, Ohio, was elected president; Mrs. James J. Storrow, of Boston, Mass., was elected vice president; and Mrs. Blanche J. Mitchell, of Evansville, Ind., was elected secretary. By-laws were adopted in harmony with the provisions of the bill for incorporation of the organi

zation.

The objects and purposes of the organization are stated in section 3 of the bill, as follows:

That the object of the corporation shall be to promote, encourage, increase, and coordinate the war work of mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters of American soldiers and sailors; to make more effective by united action all war work, including food conservation, war financing and war charities, and for the further purpose of extending mutual aid, comfort, and sympathy to each other while their sons, husbands, brothers, and fathers are in the military and naval service of the United States.

The by-laws adopted by the convention provide that wives, sisters, or daughters may become associate members, but can not hold office. Provision for the admission of these classes to the association in accordance with the by-laws is contained in section 4 of the act.

In view of the fact that no one is making greater sacrifices in this great war than the mothers of the boys who are fighting our battles, it has seemed to the committee especially fitting that their request for a national charter should be granted.

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