REPORT OF THE SOLICITOR. 



United States Department of Agriculture, 



Office of Solicitok, 

 WasMngton, D, C, October 13, 1919. 



Sir: I submit herewith report of the work of the Office of the 

 Solicitor for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1919. 



Wm. M. Williams, 



Solicitor, 

 Hon. D. F. Houston, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



SUMMARY. 



During the fiscal year Congress enacted several statutes which sub- 

 Ftantially increased the work of the department and consequently of 

 tliis office. The first of these was the act of July 3, 1918, known as 

 the '' Migratory bird treaty act," to carry into enect the treaty with 

 Great Britain for the protection of migratory birds in the United 

 States and Canada. The administration of the act is committed to 

 the Secretary of Agriculture. By section 5 of the Post Office appro- 

 priation act of February 28, 1919, the scope of the term " rural post 

 roads," as used in section 2 of the Federal aid road act of July 11, 

 1916, was extended to include several additional classes of roads, and 

 by section G of this act $200,000,000, additional to the appropriation 

 made by the Federal aid road act, were appropriated for the purposes 

 of that act as amended. Section 8 of the Post Office appropriation 

 act also made an additional appropriation of $9,000,000 for cooper- 

 ative or independent department construction of roads in national 

 forests in States, Territories, and insular possessions. The appro- 

 priation of $500,000 in the Agricultural appropriation act for the 

 fiscal year 1919, for investigation, control, and eradication of tuber- 

 culosis of animals contained a proviso that if, in the opinion of the 

 Secretary of Agriculture, it should be necessary to dCvStroy tuber- 

 culous animals and to compensate the owners for the loss thereof, 

 he might expend so much of the appropriation as he should deter- 

 mine for such compensation in cooperation with States, counties, or 

 municipalities making similar provisions for compensation. 



Various activities of the department relating directly to the war 

 were continued during the fiscal year. The office assisted in the 

 drafting of the act of March 4, 1919, commonly known as the w^heat 

 guaranty law, and the report of the Committee of the House of Rep- 

 resentatives thereon. Assistance was given in the preparation of an 

 amendment to the President's proclamation licensing stockyard op- 

 erators and others handling or dealing in live stock in connection 



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