Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 45 Part 1.djvu/1119

 a 1068 Porto Rican Hurri- ca ne Relief Commis- sion. Creation and compo- sition of. To assist the rehabili- tation of agriculture, etc ., on the island. Personnel authoriz- ed. Expenses. Cooperation of de- partments, etc ., may be utilized. Sum for administra- tiv e expenses. Post, p. 1609 . Loans to agricul- turists. Interest, etc. SEVENTIETH CONGRESS. SEss. II. Cn. 46. 1928 . Whereas the total number of people affected by the hurricane was one mill ion four hun dred and fif ty-f our thou sand and for ty-s even , of whom, according to the report of the American Red Cross, more than one-third, or five hundred and ten thousand one hundred and sixty-one, were absolutely destitute and without food ; and Whereas the coffee and fruit crops were almost totally destroyed, and the coffee plantations so injured that it will be at least five years before they can be restored to normal conditions ; and Whereas a very large part of the shade trees which are essential for the successful functioning of a coffee plantation were destroyed and more than five years will be required for their replacement or recovery ; and Whereas more than one hundred and forty thousand, or about one- third, of the trees in the coconut plantations were destroyed and it will be at least seven years before the new trees to be planted in their place will be beari ng frui t ; and Whereas the damage to all the insular industries has been so great as to make it impossible for the insular government to give ade- quate relief in the emergency : Therefore be it Re solved b y the Se nate and House o f Repre sentativ es of th e United States of America in Congress assembled, That there is hereby created a commission, to be known as The Porto Rican Hurricane Relief Com miss ion (her eina fter ref erre d to as the comm issi on), and to con- sist of the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of War, and the Secretary of Agriculture, of whom the Secretary of War shall be the chairman. It shall be the duty of the commission to assist in the re- habilitation of agriculture in the Island of Porto Rico, particularly on the coffee plantations and on the coconut plantations, to encourage a more general planting of food crops needed by laborers on the planta tions, especi ally of root c rops, to aid in the repair and re stora- tion of schools and roads, and to assist in providing employment for unemployed and destitute laborers. The commissioners shall receive no compensation for their services under this resolution. SEC. 2 . (a) The commission is authorized (1) without regard to the civil service laws to appoint and, without regard to the Classi- fication Act of 1923, as amended, to fix the compensation of a secre- tary and such clerical and other assistants ; and (2) to make such expenditures (including expenditures for ersonal services and rent at the seat of government and elsewhere)) as may be necessary in carrying out the provisions of this resolution . The commission may, to the extent deemed advisable by it, utilize the facilities and the clerical and other personnel of the Department of the Treasury, the Depar tment of War, and the D epartm ent of Agri cultur e, and may request and accept the cooperation of the insular and municipal gov- ernments of Porto Rico in carrying out the provisions of this resolu- tion . (b) There is hereby authorized to be appropriated the sum of $50,000 for administrative expenses incurred in carrying out the provisi ons of this re soluti on . Sec. 3 . For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this resolution the commission shall have power to make loans to any individual coffee planter, coconut planter, fruit grower, or other agriculturist in the island of Porto Rico in such amounts and upon such terms and conditions as the commission shall by regulation prescribe, including an agreement by the borrowers to use the loan ,for the purposes specified by the commission ; except that no such loan shall be made for a period of more than ten years or in an amount in excess of $25,000 to any one individual. The rate of interest upon each such loa n beginning w ith the fourth year shall

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