nection with a project, and the Secretary decides not to utilize the donation, he is authorized without charge to reconvey such property or any part thereof to the donating grantor, or to the heirs, suc cessors, or assigns of such grantor. (43 Stat. 704.)

Subsec. R. [Swamp and cut-over timberlands-Appropriation from General Treasury.]-That there is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the General Treasury, the sum of $100,000 for investigations to be made by the Secretary through the Bureau of Reclamation to obtain necessary information to determine how arid and semiarid, swamp, and cut-over timberlands may best be developed. (43 Stat. 704.)

Sec. 5. [Title of act.]-That this act hereafter may be referred to as the "Second deficiency act, fiscal year 1924."

ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR CIVILIAN FIELD SERVICE EMPLOYEES, FISCAL YEAR 1925

[Extract from] An act making additional appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1925, to enable the heads of the several departments and independent establishments to adjust the rates of compensation of civilian employees in certain of the field: services. (Act December 6, 1924, ch. 5, 43 Stat. 704)

[Adjustment of compensation to classification act.]-That to enable the heads of the several departments and independent establishments to adjust the compensation of civilian employees in certain field services to correspond, so far as may be practicable, to the rates established by the classification act of 1923 for positions in the departmental services in the District of Columbia the following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the service of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1925, namely:

[Reclamation Service. ]-For the Reclamation Service, $365,400; for general investigations, $7,620; in all $373,020, payable from the reclamation fund. (43 Stat. 708.)

[Use of amounts irrespective of salary restrictions.]-The appropriations herein made may be utilized by the heads of the several departments and independent establishments to accomplish the purposes of this act notwithstanding the specific rates of compensation and the salary restrictions contained in the regular annual appropriation acts for the fiscal year 1925 or the salary restrictions in other acts which limit salaries to rates in conflict with the rates fixed by the classification act of 1923 for the departmental service. (43 Stat. 712.)

NOTES

Regulations.-For instructions see C. L. 1397, April 18, 1925. See also C. L. 1411, May 18, 1925.

C. L. 1418, June 10, 1925, gives a list of field positions excepted from allocation.

Provisions of act applicable to all field employees. The provisions of the act of December 6, 1924 (43 Stat. 704), authorizing the adjustment of compensation of field employees to correspond to the rates fixed by the classification act of March 4, 1923 (42 Stat. 1488), are applicable to all civilian field employees, whether presidential appointees or otherwise. (4 Comp. Gen. 625.) Manner of determination of maximum per diem rate.-Under the provisions of act of December 6, 1924 (43 Stat. 704), providing appropriations to enable adjustment of the rates of compensation in certain field services for fiscal year 1925 to correspond to rates fixed by the classification act of 1923, the maximum per diem rate authorized to be paid for personal services in the Reclamation Service (Bureau of Reclamation), one of the field services mentioned in the appropriation act, after December 6, 1924, is to be determined in accordance with the decision in 3 Comptroller General 877; i. e., by dividing by 360 the annual rate authorized by the classification act for a corresponding position. Payments made to field employees for services rendered on and prior to December 6, 1924, at rates authorized under laws in effect prior to said date, will not be disturbed. (4 Comp. Gen. 755.)

Adjustment of pay when employees are furnished quarters, maintenance, etc.— When field employees whose compensation is subject to adjustment under the classification act of 1923, as extended to the field by the acts of December 6, 1924 (43 Stat. 704), and January 22, 1925 (43 Stat. 764), are furnished in kind any item of quarters, maintenance, or equipment for their personal use, their cash compensation must be reduced to an amount which, together with the cash value of the items of quarters, maintenance, or equipment furnished, equals the rate of compensation for the position corresponding to the rate fixed by the classification act for a similar position in the departmental service in the District of Columbia. In the absence of express statutory authority, the practice of contracting for personal services in the field party on the basis of quarters, maintenance, or equipment furnished in kind by the Government must cease on June 30, 1926, and thereafter compensation paid solely on a cash basis. (5 Comp. Gen. 37.)

On and after July 1, 1926, in the absence of statutory provision otherwise, all employees under the Reclamation Service (Bureau of Reclamation) must be charged a reasonable rental for living quarters furnished by the Government. (5 Comp. Gen. 236.)

Maximum rate of compensation for field employees.-Field employees of the Reclamation Service (Bureau of Reclamation) may not be paid compensation at a rate in excess of $20.83% per diem, which is the equivalent of the rate of $7,500 per annum, the maximum rate fixed by the classification act of 1923 for positions in the District of Columbia. (5 Comp. Gen. 73.)

COLUMBIA BASIN INVESTIGATION

Joint resolution extending appropriation in connection with Columbia Basin investigation. (Pub. Res. No. 40, December 22, 1924, ch. 16, 43 Stat. 721)

[Reappropriation for investigation.]-That the unexpended balance of the appropriation contained in the act of March 4, 1923 (Fortysecond Statutes at Large, page 1540), making appropriations for investigation of the feasibility of irrigation by gravity or pumping, water sources, water storage, and related problems in connection with the Columbia Basin project, is hereby reappropriated and made available immediately and to continue available until the fifteenth day of February, 1925. (43 Stat. 721.)

REFUNDS TO WORLD WAR VETERANS

An act to provide for refunds to veterans of the World War of certain amounts paid by them under Federal irrigation projects. (Act February 21, 1925, ch. 277, 43 Stat. 956)

[Sec. 1. Definitions.]—That as used in this act

(a) The term "veteran "" includes any individual a member of the military or naval forces of the United States at any time after April 5, 1917, and before November 12, 1918; but does not include (1) any individual at any time during such period or thereafter separated from such forces under other than honorable conditions, (2) any conscientious objector who performed no military duty whatever or refused to wear the uniform, or (3) any alien at any time during such period or thereafter discharged from the military or naval forces on account of his alienage; and

(b) The term "reclamation law" means the act entitled "An act appropriating the receipts from the sale and disposal of public lands in certain States and Territories to the construction of irrigation works for the reclamation of arid lands," approved June 17, 1902, and all acts amendatory thereof or supplementary thereto. (43 Stat. 956.)

Sec. 2. [Veterans entitled to refund-Investigation and approval of applications for refunds and payment thereof.]—(a) Any veteranwho at any time since April 6, 1917, has made entry upon a farm unit within a Federal irrigation project under the reclamation law and (1) who no longer retains such entry because of cancellation by, or relinquishment to, the United States after or (2) who, prior to receipt by him of a final certificate in respect of such entry, but in no case more than one year after the date of passage of this act, desires to relinquish such entry-may, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior, file application for the refund provided in subdivision (b). A veteran who has been compensated, in cash or otherwise, for any such relinquishment shall not be entitled to the benefits of this act, and before payment of such refund the Secretary of the Interior, under such regulations as he may prescribe, shall require proof that the veteran has not been so compensated.

(b) Upon receipt of such application the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to investigate the facts and, in his discretion, to pay as a refund to any such veteran entitled thereto a sum equal to all amounts paid to the United States by such veteran, or for his account, as construction charges and as interest and penalties on such charges in respect of such unit. Every such refund so approved by the Secretary of the Interior shall be paid from the appropriation for the project on which the entry in question was made. (43 Stat. 956.)

NOTES

Refund on canceled entry.-The right of a veteran to refund under the act of February 21, 1925, of charges paid by him on a reclamation homestead entry which he relinquishes prior to receipt of final certificate and within one year

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