Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 50 Part 1.djvu/925

 900 75 T13 CONGRESS, l s'r SESSION-CH. 8 97-SEPTEMBER, 1, 19 37 AN ACT September 1 1937 [s.1722i To provide subsistence for the Eskimos and other natives of Alaska by establishing [Public, No . 4131 for them a pe rma nent and self-sustaining economy ; to encourage and develop native activity in all branches of the reindeer industry ; and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the United States of America in Congress assembled, That a necessity for providing means of subsistence for the Eskimos and other na- tives of Alaska is hereby declared to exist. It is also declared to be the policy of Congress, and the purpose of this Act, to establish and maintai n for the said nativ es of Alas ka a self- sustaining economy by acquiring and organizing for and on behalf of said natives a reindeer industry or business, by encouraging and developing native activity and resp onsibility in all bra nches of t he said in dustry or business, and by p reserving t he native character of the sai d industry or busi- ness thus established. SEo. 2. The Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized and directed, to acquire, in the name of the United States, by purchase or oth er lawf ul mean s, incl uding exercis e of th e power of emi nent domain, for and on behalf of the Eskimos and other natives of Alaska, reindeer, reindeer-range equipment, abattoirs, cold-storage plants, warehouses, and other property, real or personal the acquisi- tion of which he determines to be necessary to the effectuation of the purposes of this Act. Any condemnation proceedings under- taken by virtue of the authority granted in this section shall con- form, as nearly as may be, to the procedure provided for the con- demnatio n of real e state by t he Act of August 1, 1888 (Chap ter 728), or to that provided by the Act of February 26, 1931 (Chapter 307) Provided, That nothing herein contained shall authorize the Secre- tary of the Interior to consolidate native-owned herds of reindeer with herds owned by others than natives prior to the purchase or acquisition of such herds of others than natives. SEC. 3 . All persons, other than natives of Alaska, who upon the date of this enactment claim title to any Alaskan reindeer shall, within one year after the date of this enactment, file in Alaska, with the duly authorized agent or agents of the Secretary of the Interior, declarations of their ownership. Similar declarations concerning Alaskan reinde er acqu ired by any p erson n ot a na tive of Alaska by purchase or by gift at any time after the date of this enactment shall be filed as afores aid within thirty da ys after the date o f such acquisi- tion. Records of all declarations thus filed shall be made and kept open to public inspection in Alaska. If any owner of Alaskan reindeer, to whom the foregoing provisions of this section are ap- plicable, shall fail to file the required declaration within the stated period, he shall b e barred thereafter from asserting his claim of title. SEC. 4. The Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized to receive, i n the name of the Un ited State s, for and on behalf of said natives of Alaska, g ifts made for the pu rposes of this Act. SEC. 5 . The Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized to receive and expend, for the purposes of this Act, properly authorized loans, grants, or allocations made to him for said purposes by Federal agencies. SEC. 6. Except as herein oth erwise spe cially pro vided, non e of the moneys col lected or received b y the Secr etary of t he Interior in his administration of this Act shall be paid into the Treasury, but all such moneys shall constitute a revolving fund to be administered by the Secretary of the Interior for the purposes of this Act. SEC. 7. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed to organize and manage the reindeer industry or business provided for by this Act in such manner as to establish and maintain for said Alaska. Reindeer industry, establishment, etc. Policy and purpose declared. G ove rnm ent acq ui- sition of reindeer, range equipment, etc. Condemnation pro- eeedings. 40U.S.C. °1 257, 268x. Proviso. Consolidation of native-owned with nonnative-owned herds. Declarations of own- ership by nonnatives to be filed. Re cords ; open to inspection. Fa ilure to file dec- laration. A cceptance of gifts. F ederal lo ans, allo - cations, etc. Receipts to consti- tute a re volving f und. Establishment of permanent, self-sus- taining economy an- thorized. [CHAPTER 89 7]