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284838710
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White House Press Release, Message of President Harry S. Truman to the United States House of Representatives
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284838710
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document
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White House Press Release, Message of President Harry S. Truman to the United States House of Representatives
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White House Press Release Files (Truman Administration)
White House Press Releases
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284838710
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17
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1946-06-17
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6
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1946
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269
#710
HOLD FOR RELEASE
HOLD FOR RELEASE
HOLD FOR RELEASE
June 17, 1946
CONFIDENTIAL: To be held in STRICT CONFIDENCE and no portion,
synopsis or intimation to be given out or published until the
READING of the President 's Message has begun in the House of
Representatives. Extreme care must therefore be exercised to
avoid premature publication.
CHARLES G. ROSS
Secretary to the President
TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
There is returned herewith, without my approval, H. R. 4716, 79th
Congress, entitled "AN ACT For the relief of Charles B. Borell."
The purpose of the bill is to propose payment to Charles B. Borell of
Champlain, New York, of the sum of $163.20 as reimbursement of the cost of
shipping his household effects from Belfast, Ireland, to New York, New York,
December 27, 1930, in connection with his transfer from Belfast to Washing-
ton, D. C. The shipment was accomplished on a vessel not registered under
the laws of the United States, in contravention of the requirements of sec-
tion 601 of the act of May 22, 1928, 45 Stat. 697, that any officer or em-
ployee of the United States traveling overseas should travel and transport
his personal effects on vessels registered under the laws of the United
States. The only reason advanced for the failure to make use of an Ameri-
can vessel is the unsatisfactory statement in a report submitted by the
Attorney General that Mr. Borell attempted to secure a copy of the Standard-
ized Government Travel Regulations from his supervisor but that he was un-
able to furnish him a copy.
The act of May 22, 1928, is a public law and all citizens of the
United States are chargeable with notice of its provisions. Furthermore,
the travel orders issued to Mr. Borell directed specifically his return
to the United States "via a vessel of American registry." The act of
May 22, 1928, also provides the conditions under which failure to comply
with its provisions may be excused by directing that "the Comptroller
General of the United States shall not credit any allowance for travel
or shipping expenses incurred on a foreign ship in the absence of sat-
isfactory proof of the necessity therefor." I am informed that the
records of the General Accounting Office do not reflect that any action
was taken by Mr. Borrell to submit to the Comptroller General of the
United States "satisfactory proof of the necessity," for the use of a
foreign vessel in the transportation of his household effects; that
nothing is indicated otherwise as to any such necessity; that the liabil-
ity of the United States for the freight charges in this case amounting to
$130 was denied by the Comptroller General when the matter was presented
to his office for preaudit in January 1931; and that the additional
amount claimed, $33.20, as reimbursement for storage, brokerage and
cartage, also was denied for the reason that such charges would not have
been necessary had the shipment been made on an American vessel.
The claim for the amount stated in this enactment again was pre-
sented to the General Accounting Office in December 1944, nearly 14
years later, but was returned to the claimant with the information that
consideration thereof was barred by the ten-year statute of limitations.
To single out this individual for relief over others similarly involved
who have not been so relieved would not only be an unfair discrimination
against them but would furnish, also, a precedent for relief in all other
similar cases, thus nullifying, in effect, the provisions of section 601
of the act of May 22, 1928.
HARRY S. TRUMAN
THE WHITE HOUSE,
June 15, 1946.