Chapter 61. To create the Aircraft Board and provide for its maintenance
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CHAP. 61.— An Act To create the Aircraft Board and provide for its maintenance. October 1, 1917. [[H. R. 2705](/us/bill/65/hr/2705).] [[Public, No. 48](/us/pl/65/48).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, Aircraft Board. Created for development of air service. That for the purpose of expanding and coordinating the industrial activities relating to aircraft, or parts of aircraft, produced for any purpose in the United States, and to facilitate generally the development of air service, a board is hereby created, to be known as the Aircraft Board, hereinafter referred to as the board.
Sec. 2. Composition. That the board shall number not more than nine in all, and shall include a civilian chairman, the Chief Signal Officer of the Army, and two other officers of the Army, to be appointed by the 297Secretary of War; the Chief Constructor of the Navy and two other officers of the Navy, to be appointed by the Secretary of the Navy; and two additional civilian members. The chairman and civilianAppointment of civilian members. members shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
Sec. 3. That said board and tenure of office of the membersTenure of office. thereof shall continue during the pleasure of the President, but not longer than six months after the present war. The civilian membersCivilians to serve without pay. of the board shall serve without compensation. Sec. 4. That the board is hereby empowered, under the directionSupervision of purchase, etc., of aircraft, construction plants, etc., by. and control of and as authorized by the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy, respectively, on behalf of the Departments of War and Navy, to supervise and direct, in accordance with the requirements prescribed or approved by the respective departments, the purchase, production, and manufacture of aircraft, engines, and all ordnance and instruments used in connection therewith, and accessories and materials therefor, including the purchase, lease, acquisition, or construction of plants for the manufacture of aircraft, engines, and accessories: *Provided*, That the board may make recommendations*Proviso*.
Recommendations as to contracts by. as to contracts and their distribution in connection with the foregoing, but every contract shall be made by the already constituted authorities of the respective departments. Sec. 5. That the board is also empowered to employ, either in theEmployees, experts, etc., authorized. District of Columbia or elsewhere, such clerks and other employees as may be necessary to the conduct of its business, including such technical experts and advisers as may be found necessary, and to fix their salaries.
Such salaries shall conform to those usually paid by theSalaries. Government for similar service: *Provided*, That by unanimous approval*Provisos*. Pay of experts. of the board higher compensation may be paid to technical experts and advisers. The board may rent suitable offices in theAdministrative and contingent expenses allowed. District of Columbia or elsewhere, purchase necessary office equipment and supplies, including scientific publications and printing, and may incur necessary administrative and contingent expenses, and for all of the expenses enumerated in this paragraph there shall bePayment from Signal Service appropriations. allotted by the Chief Signal Officer of the Army for the fiscal year nineteen hundred and seventeen and nineteen hundred and eighteen the sum of $100,000, or so much thereof as shall be necessary, from any appropriation now existing for or hereinafter made to the Signal Corps of the Army, and such appropriation is hereby made available for these purposes: *Provided further*, That except upon the joint andDuplication of present work restricted. concurrent approval of the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy there shall not be established or maintained under the board any office or organization duplicating or replacing, in whole or in part, any office or organization now existing that can be properly established or maintained by appropriations made for or available for the military or naval services: *Provided further*, That a report shall beReport to Congress. made to Congress on the first day of each regular session of the salaries paid from this appropriation to clerks and employees by grades, and the number in each such grade.
Approved, October 1, 1917.