Page:United States ex rel. Bryant v. Houston.pdf/4

918 “The important purposes for which the operation of the Coast Guard was temporarily transferred to the Navy under the Act approved January 28, 1915, entitled ‘An act to create the Coast Guard by combining therein the existing Life Saving Service and Revenue Cutter Service,’ having been accomplished, and, it being for the best interest of the government and for the efficient service of the Coast Guard in connection with the collection of the revenue that the Coast Guard be under the supervision of the Treasury Department, it is hereby directed that the Coast Guard shall on and after this date operate under the Treasury Department.”

The act of May 20, 1918, known as the Overman Act (Comp. St. 1918, Comp. St. Ann. Supp. 1919, 283a, 283b, 283f), so far as here applicable reads as follows:

A mere reading of the act shows that the President was clothed with the widest measure of discretion, so far as concerned “matters relating to the conduct of the present war.” “Upon the termination” of this act means, of course, upon the termination of “the present war.” When the “present” war shall have been terminated, then (but not until then) “all executive * * * agencies * * * shall exercise the same functions * * * as heretofore or hereafter may be provided, any authorization of the President under this act to the contrary notwithstanding.”