REPORT OF THE SOLICITOR. 347 



time goes on, but also in part to the employment of a better system 

 of handling. 



Much attention has been given to reducing the time between the 

 commission of offenses and the transmission to the Department of 

 Justice of cases under the regulatory laws. Under several of the 

 laws the reductions already effected have been substantial. With a 

 view to increasing efficiency in the plans of collecting evidence of the 

 commission of offenses and of preparing the papers to be sent to the 

 Attorney General, a conference was held from February 28 to March 

 2, 1916, between representatives of this office and of all the bureaus 

 of this department charged with the administration of these laws. 

 A stenographic report of the proceedings has been submitted to you. 



The practice of reporting cases to the Attorney General in the 

 form of proposed informations, already drafted for use by the United 

 States attorneys, instead of by mere letters reciting the facts, was 

 instituted during the fiscal year 1914 in food and drugs cases. It 

 proved so satisfactory that it has now been extended to prosecutions 

 under various other laws, with which this department is concerned, 

 where it is possible to proceed by information. The new method has 

 saved much time to the officials both of this department and of the 

 Department of Justice, has avoided a great deal of wasted double 

 effort which formerly occurred, and has facilitated the speedy dispo- 

 sition of litigation. If the bill, pending in Congress during the past 

 two sessions, to confer authority on officers of this department to 

 administer oaths were enacted, a still greater saving of both time and 

 money would be effected, and the periods between the commission of 

 offenses and the termination of prosecutions could be much further 

 reduced. 



The ordinary activities of the office, while in the aggregate greater 

 than in the preceding year, in some respects diminished and in 

 others increased. 



For the Forest Service there were fewer claims and trespass cases 

 and more general litigation, formal opinions, and contracts. Under 

 the Weeks forestry law more purchase agreements were prepared, 

 more reports on titles completed, and a greater number of tracts, as 

 well as a greater acreage, of land acquired. In 1916 223 more written 

 opinions were rendered, 220 more contracts, leases, bonds, and in- 

 struments of like nature prepared, 13 more applications for letters 

 patent on inventions of department employees filed, and 36 more 

 claims for balances due estates of deceased employees of the depart- 

 ment handled, than'in the previous fiscal year. In 1916 there were 

 increases over 1915 in the number of cases transmitted to the De- 

 partment of Justice of 489 under the food and drugs act, 82 under 

 the meat inspection act, 36 under the insecticide act. 26 under the 

 virus act, and 21 under the Lacey Act; and decreases of 81 under the 

 laws for the protection of the National Forests, 117 under the twenty- 

 eight hour law. 121 under the animal quarantine acts, and 38 under 

 the migratory bird act. Differences in numbers of violations re- 

 ported under the other regulatory laws were slight. There was a 

 net increase of 277 in the total violations reported under all the laws. 



The most marked increases in the various types of work of the 

 office were in nonlitigated matters. 



72412°— agk 1916 23 



