712 AISTNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



THE UNITED STATES COTTON STANDARDS ACT (42 Stat. 1517). 



Regulations prepared by the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, 

 under the United States cotton standards act, were reviewed and 

 suggestions made as to their legal sufficiency. 



Soon after the act was passed the question arose as to whether it 

 would apply to shipments of cotton made after August 1 in ful- 

 fillment of contracts made prior to March 1 and to contracts made 

 after March 1 but prior to August 1. The question was submitted 

 to the Attorney General for an opinion, and he advised that all 

 shipments made on and after August 1 are subject to the act, regard- 

 less of when the contract was made. 



CAPPER. VOLSTEAD COOPERATIVE MARKETING ACT (42 Stat. 388). 



A number of inquiries, oral and written, respecting the scope and 

 effect of the act were answered. 



FEDERAL HIGHWAY ACT (42 Stat. 212). 



Project statements for 1,282 projects were reviewed during the 

 year to determine whether the projects were eligible for Federal 

 aid. Of these, 1,278 were approved and 4 disapproved. The 1,278 

 projects which were approved involved a total estimated expendi- 

 ture of S173,995,084.86 and Federal aid in the amount of $79,461,- 

 548.41 and 8,284.9 miles of road. 



During the fiscal year project agreements and certificates of ap- 

 proval 01 plans, specifications, and estimates prepared by the Bureau 

 of Public Roads involving 1,447 projects were reviewed as to their 

 legal form and sufficiency, and also as to the sufficiency of their 

 execution by the State highway departments in cases where such 

 papers have been executed by the State authorities before sub- 

 mission to the department. Altogether, these agreements involved 

 9,805.2 miles of road and a total estimated expenditure of S189,- 

 223,126.14 and Federal aid aggregating about $87,040,043.51. 



Drafts of 719 modifications or cancellations of project agreements 

 and certificates, prepared by the Bureau of Public Roads and exe- 

 cuted by the State highway departments or for signature by the 

 Secretary before submission to the States, were similarly reviewed. 



In addition to the above, there were reviewed as to legal form 

 and substance 73 original agreements for the construction of roads 

 within or partly within the national forests, under the provisions of 

 section 23 of the Federal highway act. 



IMPORTANT OPINION INVOLVING THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY 



ACT. 



On June 23, the Acting Attorney General, in response to the 

 request of this department, rendered an opinion involving the title to 

 and disposition of certain classes of the war materials, equipment, and 

 supplies distributed among the States under section 5 oi the act. 



This opinion held that the title to such road-building equipment 

 passed to the State, subject to the obligation to use it on Federal-aid 

 roads, and that such material becoming unserviceable for road con- 

 struction work might be sold or exchanged, with the obligation to 

 use the receipts either in the purchase of other equipment to be used 



1 



