REPORT OF THE SOLICITOR. 



United States Department of Agriculture, 



Office of the Solicitor, 

 Washington, D. 6'., September 30, 1918. 

 Sir: I submit herewith report of tlie worli of the Office of the 

 Solicitor for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1918. 

 Respectfully, 



Wm. M. Williams, Solicitor. 

 Hon. D. F. Houston, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



SUMMARY. 



As the various activities of the department relating directly to the 

 war have increased during the fiscal year, so has the work of this 

 office increased. We have been called upon to consider numerous 

 new and novel questions growing out of the food production and 

 food control acts, and the enforcement of the food and drugs act and 

 regulations thereunder in conjunction with the food control act. 

 Much time has been devoted to drafting or reporting on proposed 

 legislation which related directly to the war, as well as on other 

 legislation. 



Under your direction, upon requests of committees or Members of 

 Congress, the office has prepared or assisted in the preparation of 

 a number of emergency measures, some of which have become law. 



Assistance was given in the preparation of proclamations of the 

 President to license the ammonia, fertilizer, and farm-equipment in- 

 dustries, and stockyard operators and others handling or dealing in 

 live stock in connection with stockyards. This office prepared either 

 in whole or in part the regulations of the President governing oper- 

 ations of licensees under the aforesaid proclamation, the regulations 

 for the administration of the so-called food products inspection law, 

 various legal forms in connection with the licenses required under the 

 several proclamations, the schedules and orders for making the food 

 surveys conducted under section 2 of the food production act, and 

 forms of contracts, applications, and other papers in connection with 

 the distribution of nitrate of soda under the food control act. 



In connection with a bill for the voluntary mobilization of agri- 

 cultural labor and for Government loans to farmers, the agricultural 

 lien laws of 16 western and northwestern States were examined and 

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