Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.
This executive order, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 1934-02-28, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "Placing Certain Government Property Under the Control and Jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior, Virgin Islands." It outlines operative directives for executive department officers, delegating enforcement responsibilities and establishing official governance guidelines.
Constitutional Assessment: Scrutinized through Article II, Section 2, this action exercises the President's constitutional role as Commander in Chief. Early Framers recognized broad executive discretion in commanding military forces during conflict, provided it remains bounded by congressional declarations and respects civilian domestic courts.
Key Directives & Operative Actions
▪It is further ordered that all items above enumerated under class 2 be, and they are hereby, transferred to the control and jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior for use in the administration of the government of the Virgin Islands.
Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted
🏛️ Armed Forces & Military Establishments
🏛️ Sovereign State Governments & Localities
Total Words
426
2,460 characters
Estimated Read Time
2 min
@ 200 words / min
Flesch-Kincaid
11.8
Post-Grad reading level
Constitutional Polarity
+0.02
Framers' Alignment index
📜
Scholarly & Legal Citations
Exec. Order No. 6621, Franklin D. Roosevelt (Feb 28, 1934). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-6621-placing-certain-government-property-under-the-control-and.
Official Document Text
Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)
Whereas by Executive Order No. 5566 of February 27, 1931, the administration of the government of the Virgin Islands, including expenditures and the appointment of personnel, was placed under the supervision of the Secretary of the Interior; and Whereas certain lands, buildings, and improvements at the Naval Station, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, as shown on P.W.O. drawing "D" attached to and made a part of Executive Order No. 5602 of April 20, 1931, and as hereinafter enumerated under class 1, which were acquired by the United States for naval activities are not for the time being needed for such uses and are available for temporary use in the administration of the government of the Virgin Islands, to wit: Class 1 St. Thomas: (a) Storehouse (no. 4); (b) Machine shop and blacksmith shop (nos. 14 and 15); (c) Boiler house for marine railway (no. 16); (d) Marine railway (no. 17); (e) Boat sheds (nos. 18 and 19); (f) Water shed (no. 24); (g) Water tanks (nos. 25, 26, and 27); (h) Gasoline storage (no. 56); and Whereas certain furnishings, hereinafter enumerated under class 2, which were acquired by the United States for naval activities are not for the time being needed for such uses and are available for use in the administration of the government of the Virgin Islands, to wit: Class 2 (a) All fire hose at the naval station; (b) All fire extinguishers; (c) All water pumps; (d) The remnants of the dredge and pile driver and other odds and ends stored in the gasoline storehouse; (e) The folding steel cots at present stored at the navy yard. Now, Therefore , by virtue of and pursuant to the authority vested in me by the act of March 3, 1917 (ch. 171, 39 Stat. 1132), and as President of the United States, it is hereby ordered that all items above enumerated under class 1 be, and they are hereby, transferred temporarily to the control and jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior for use in the administration of the government of the Virgin Islands, upon condition that the premises shall be maintained in a state of good repair and returned to the control and jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Navy when required for naval uses. It is further ordered that all items above enumerated under class 2 be, and they are hereby, transferred to the control and jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior for use in the administration of the government of the Virgin Islands. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT The White House, February 28, 1934.