Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 60 Part 1.djvu/565

 PUBLIC LAWS-CH. 579-JULY 16, 1946 any appropriate legal proceedings, and to take such steps therein or in connection therewith as in his discretion may be desirable and Erpese., appropriate to reduce said property to possession. He may incur such expenses incident to such proceedings as he deems necessary or appro- priate, which shall be paid as other administrative expenses of the Deposit offtmd Veterans' Administration. All funds received by devise, bequest, or gift, or otherwise, for the purposes in this Act contemplated, includ- ing net proceeds of sales by this Act authorized, shall be deposited with the Treasurer of the United States to the credit of the general post fund, a trust fund provided by Public Law Numbered 473 of the . . .,B Seventy-third Congress, approved June 26, 1934, being section 20 (b) v,U a (45) thereof (31 U.S. C. 725s; 48 Stat. 1233). Dbi entfrom SEF. 3. (a) Disbursements from the general post fund shall be made on orders by and within the discretion of the Administrator of U.s. ,s Veterans' Affairs and in the manner prescribed in section 4 of the Act v 7.S. a npp- of December 26, 1941 (Public Law Numbered 382, Seventy-seventh wepttn Congress, 55 Stat. 868); except that (1) if the testator or donor has directed or shall direct that his devise, bequest, or gift be devoted to a particular use authorized by this Act, the same, less expenses incurred, or the net proceeds thereof, shall be used or disbursed as directed, except that a precatory direction shall be fulfilled only insofar as may be proper or practicable; and (2) if the testator or donor shall have indicated his desire that his devise, bequest, or gift shall be for the benefit of persons in hospitals or homes, or other institutions operated by the United States but under the jurisdiction of an official other than the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs, the same, less expenses incurred, or the net proceeds thereof which may come into possession of the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs shall be disbursed by trans- fer to the governing authorities of such institution, or otherwise, in such manner as the Administrator may determine, for the benefit of the persons in the institution indicated by the testator or donor, for proper purposes, as nearly as practicable in conformity with such desire of the testator or donor. oerotrynser, etc., SEC. 4. If the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs shall receive any property other than moneys as contemplated by this Act, he is author- ized in his discretion to sell, assign, transfer, and convey the same, or any interest therein claimed by virtue of such devise, bequest, or gift, for such price and upon such terms as he deems advantageous (including consent to partition of realty and compromise of contested claim of title); and his assignment, deed, or other conveyance of any such property, executed in the name and on behalf of the United States, shall be valid to pass to the purchaser thereof such title to said property as the United States, beneficially or as trustee of said post fund, may have by virtue of any such devise, bequest, or gift, and the proceedings incident thereto, subject to the conditions, limitations, and provisions of the instrument so executed by the Administrator. SEc. 5. (a) Nothing contained in this Act shall be construed to o.i repeal or modify the A ct of May 23, 1928 (45 Stat. 715; 38 U. S. C. naot.e 438a), or section 4831 of the Revised Statutes, or any other statute authorizing the acceptance of devises, bequests, or gifts to the United States for their own use and benefit or for any particular purpose specified by the donors or testators. Cty topti. o (b) In any case where the United States hereafter receives prop- erty and it appears that it is, or shall have been, the intention of the testator or donor that such devise, bequest, or gift be for the benefit of those persons described in section 1 of this Act, or any particular hospital or other institution operated primarily for their benefit, such property or the proceeds thereof shall be credited to the 538 [60 STAT.

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