Chapter 152. To amend the Act approved September seventh, nineteen hundred and sixteen, entitled “An Act to establish a United States Shipping Board for the purpose of encouraging, developing, and creating a naval auxiliary and naval reserve and a merchant marine to meet the requirements of the commerce of the U
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CHAP. 152.— An Act To amend the Act approved September seventh, nineteen hundred and sixteen, entitled “An Act to establish a United States Shipping Board for the purpose of encouraging, developing, and creating a naval auxiliary and naval reserve and a merchant marine to meet the requirements of the commerce of the United States with its Territories and possessions and with foreign countries; to regulate carriers by water in the foreign and interstate commerce of the United States; and for other purposes.”July 15, 1918. [[H.
R. 12100](/us/bill/65/hr/12100).] [[Public, No. 198](/us/pl/65/198).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, Shipping Act, 1916. Further definitions. Vol. 39, p. 729, amended. That the first section of the Act approved September seventh, nineteen hundred and sixteen, entitled “An Act to establish a United States Shipping Board for the purpose of encouraging, developing, and creating a naval auxiliary and naval reserve and a merchant marine to meet the requirements of the commerce of the United States with its Territories and possessions and with foreign countries; to regulate carriers by water in the foreign and interstate commerce of the United States; and for other purposes,” is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof two paragraphs, as follows:
" “Vessel.”“The term ‘vessel’ includes all water craft and other artificial contrivances of whatever description and at whatever stage of construction, whether on the stocks or launched, which are usen or are capable of being or are intended to be used as a means of transportation on water. “Documented under the laws of the United States.”“The term ‘documented under the laws of the United States, means ‘registered, enrolled, or licensed under the laws of the United States.’” " Sec. 2.
Citizenship requirements. Vol. 39, p. 729, amended.That section two of said act is hereby amended by adding at the end of the first paragraph thereof a paragraph, as follows: " Alien ownership of Controlling interest in corporations described.“The controlling interest in a corporation shall not be deemed to be owned by citizens of the United States
(a)if the title to a majority of the stock thereof is not vested in such citizens free from any trust or fiduciary obligation in favor of any person not a citizen of the United States; or
(b)if the majority of the voting power in such corporation is not vested in citizens of the United States; or
(c)if through any contract or understanding it is so arranged that the majority of the voting power may be exercised, directly or indirectly, in behalf of any person who is not a citizen of the United States; or
(d)if by any other means whatsoever control of the corporation is conferred upon or permitted to be exercised by any person who is not a citizen of the United States.” " Sec. 3. Vol. 39, p. 730, amended. That section nine of said act is hereby amended to read as follows: " “Sec. 9. Vessels allowed American registry and enrollment. That any vessel purchased, chartered, or leased from the board may be registered or enrolled and licensed, or both registered and enrolled and licensed, as a vessel of the United States and entitled *Proviso*. Coastwise trade permitted, while of citizen ownership, etc.to the benefits and privileges appertaining thereto: *Provided*, That foreign-built vessels admitted to American registry or enrollment and license under this Act, and vessels owned, chartered, or leased by any corporation in which the United States is a stockholder, and vessels sold, leased, or chartered to any person a citizen of the United States, as provided in this Act, may engage in the coastwise trade of the United States while owned, leased, or chartered by such a person. 901 “Every vessel purchased, chartered, or leased from the boardOperation as American vessels. shall, unless otherwise authorized by the board, be operated only under such registry or enrollment and license. Such vessels while employed solely as merchant vessels shall be subject to all laws, regulations, and Labilities governing merchant vessels, whether the United States be interested therein as owner, in whole or in part, or hold any mortgage, lien, or other interest therein. No such vessel,Transfers restricted. without the approval of the board, shall be transferred to a foreign registry or flag, or sold; nor, except under regulations prescribed by the board, be chartered or leased. “No vessel documented under the laws of the United States orNo vessel to be sold to a foreigner unless first offered to Board. owned by any person a citizen of the United States or by a corporation organized under the laws of the United States or of any State, Territory, District, or possession thereof, except one which the board is prohibited from purchasing, shall be sold to any person not a citizen of the United States or transferred to or placed under a foreign registry or flag, unless such vessel is first tendered to the board at the price in good faith offered by others, or, if no such offer, at a fairVol. 39, p. 731. price to be determined in the manner provided in section ten. “Any vessel sold, chartered, leased, transferred to or placed underForfeiture for violations. a foreign registry or flag, or operated, in violation of any provision of this section shall be forfeited to the United States, and whoeverPunishment imposed. violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of not more than $5,000 or to imprisonment for not more than five years, or both.” " Sec. 4. That said Act is hereby amended by adding at the endAdded sections. Vol. 39, p. 738, amended. thereof eight sections, as follows: " “Sec. 37. That when the United States is at war or during anyActs unlawful unless approved by Board. *Post*, p. 1819. national emergency, the existence of which is declared by proclamation of the President, it shall be unlawful, without first obtaining the approval of the board: “(a) To transfer to or place under any foreign registry or flag anyTransfer of American ship to foreign registry, etc. vessel owned in whole or in part by any person a citizen of the United States or by a corporation organized under the laws of the United States, or of any State, Territory, District, or possession thereof; or “(b) To sell, mortgage, lease, charter, deliver, or in any mannerTo sell, etc., American ship, shipyard, etc., to other than citizen. transfer, or agree to sell, mortgage, lease, charter, deliver, or in any manner transfer, to any person not a citizen of the United States,
(1)any such vessel or any interest therein, or
(2)any vessel documented under the laws of the United States, or any interest therein, or
(3)any shipyard, dry dock, ship-building or ship-repairing plant or facilities, or any interest therein; or “(c) To enter into any contract, agreement, or understanding toTo construct vessel, etc., before end of war, for other than citizen. construct a vessel within the United States for or to be delivered to any person not a citizen of the United States, without expressly stipulating that such construction shall not begin until after the war or emergency proclaimed by the President has ended; or “(d) To make any agreement or effect any understanding wherebyTo vest controlling interest in ships, yards, etc., in foreigners. there is vested in or for the benefit of any person not a citizen of the United States, the controlling interest or a majority of the voting power in a corporation which is organized under the laws of the United States, or of any State, Territory, District, or possession thereof, and which owns any vessel, shipyard, dry dock, or ship-building or ship-repairing plant or facilities; or “(e) To cause or procure any vessel constructed in whole or inTo cause undocumented American built vessel to depart. part within the United States, which has never cleared for any foreign port, to depart from a port of the United States before it has been documented under the laws of the United States. “Whoever violates, or attempts or conspires to violate, any ofPenalty for violations. the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, 902punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 or by imprisonment or not more than five years, or both. Forfeiture of vessel, plant stocks, etc.“Any vessel, shipyard, dry dock, ship-building or ship-repairing plant or facilities, or interest therein, sold, mortgaged, leased, chartered, delivered, transferred, or documented, or agreed to be sold, mortgaged, leased, chartered, delivered, transferred, or documented, in violation of any of the provisions of this section, and any stocks, bonds, or other securities sold or transferred, or agreed to be sold or transferred, in violation of any of such provisions, or any vessel departing in violation of the provisions of subdivision (e), shall be forfeited to the United States. Prohibited sales, etc., void. Recovery of consideration.“Any such sale, mortgage, lease, charter, delivery, transfer, documentation, or agreement therefor shall be void, whether made within or without the United States, and any consideration paid therefor or deposited in connection therewith shall be recoverable at the suit of the person who has paid or deposited the same, or of his successors or assigns, after the tender of such vessel, shipyard, dry dock, shipbuilding or ship-repairing plant or facilities, or interest therein, or of such stocks, bonds, or other securities, to the person Exception.entitled thereto, or after forfeiture thereof to the United States, unless the person to whom the consideration was paid, or in whose interest it was deposited, entered into the transaction in the honest belief that the person who paid or deposited such consideration was a citizen of the United States. “Sec. 38. Procedure. That all forfeitures incurred under the provisions of this Act may be prosecuted in the same court, and may be disposed of in the same manner, as forfeitures incurred for offenses against the law relating to the collection of duties. “Sec. 39. Evidence of criminal conviction, etc. That in any action or proceeding under the provisions of this Act to enforce a forfeiture the conviction in a court of criminal jurisdiction of any person for a violation thereof with respect to the subject of the forfeiture shall constitute prima facie evidence of such violation against the person so convicted. “Sec. 40. Bills of sale to have declaration of citizen ship, etc., filed therewith. That whenever any bill of sale, mortgage, hypothecation, or conveyance of any vessel, or part thereof, or interest therein, is presented to any collector of the customs to be recorded, the vendee, mortgagee, or transferee shall file therewith a written declaration in such form as the board may by regulation prescribe, setting forth the facts relating to his citizenship, and such other facts as the board requires, showing that the transaction does not involve a violation of any of the provisions of section nine or Bills of sale, etc., not valid without declaration.thirty-seven. Unless the board, before such presentation, has failed to prescribe such form, no such bill of sale, mortgage, hypothecation, or conveyance shall be valid against any person whatsoever until such declaration has been filed. Any declaration filed by or in behalf of a corporation shall be signed by the president, secretary, or treasurer thereof. Punishment for false statements.“Whoever knowingly makes any false statement of a material fact in any such declaration shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of not more than $5,000, or to imprisonment for not more than five years, or both. “Sec. 41. Approval of Board on transfers, etc.That whenever by said section nine or thirty-seven the approval of the board is required to render any act or transaction lawful, such approval may be accorded either absolutely or upon Conditions to be recorded.such conditions as the board prescribes. Whenever the approval of the board is accorded upon any condition a statement of such condition shall be entered upon its records and incorporated in the same document or paper which notifies the applicant of such approval. Punishment for violations.A violation of such condition so incorporated shall constitute a misdemeanor and shall be punishable by fine and imprisonment in the same manner, and shall subject the vessel, stocks, bonds, or 903other subject matter of the application conditionally approved to forfeiture in the same manner, as though the act conditionally approved had been done without the approval of the hoard, hut the offense shall be deemed to have been committed at the time of the violation of the condition. “Whenever by this Act the approval of the board is required toPunishment for false statements, etc., to Board. render any act or transaction lawful, whoever knowingly makes any false statement of a material fact to the board, or to any member thereof, or to any officer, attorney, or agent thereof, for the purpose of securing such approval, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of not more than $5,000 or to imprisonment for not more than five years, or both. “Sec. 42. That any vessel registered, enrolled, or licensed under theRegistry, etc., continuous until surrender accepted by Board. laws of the United States shall be deemed to continue to be documented under the laws of the United States within the meaning of subdivision
(b)of section thirty-seven, until such registry, enrollment, or license is surrendered with the approval of the board, the provisions of any other Act of Congress to the contrary notwithstanding. “Sec. 43. That the fact that a war or emergency has ended shall,Evidence of end of war. for the purposes of this Act, be evidenced by a proclamation of the President. “Sec. 44. That this Act may be cited as ‘Shipping Act, 1916.’”Title given. " Approved, July 15, 1918.