Official Document Text
Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)
ALABAMA Whereas certain lands in the State of Alabama within the area shown on the diagram attached hereto and made a part hereof have been acquired, or are in process of acquisition, under the authority of the National Industrial Recovery Act, approved June 16, 1933 (48 Stat. 200), the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935, approved April 8, 1935 (49 Stat. 115), and Title III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, approved July 22, 1937 (50 Stat. 522, 525), in connection with the Pea River Land Utilization Project of the Department of Agriculture; and Whereas by Executive Order No. 7908 of June 9, 1938, all the right, title, and interest of the United States in those lands acquired, or in the process of acquisition, under the authority of the aforesaid National Industrial Recovery Act and the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 were transferred to the Secretary of Agriculture for use, administration, and disposition in accordance with the provisions of Title III of the aforesaid Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, and the related provisions of Title IV thereof; and immediately upon the acquisition of legal title to those lands now in process of acquisition under the authority of said acts, said order, under the terms thereof, will become applicable to all the additional right, title, and interest thereby acquired by the United States; and Whereas it appears that the use of such lands by the Secretary of War for military purposes would best carry out the land-conservation and land-utilization program for which such lands were acquired, and would be in the public interest: Now, Therefore , by virtue of the authority vested in me by section 32 of Title III of the aforesaid Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, and upon recommendation of the Secretary of Agriculture, it is ordered that all lands acquired, or in process of acquisition, by the United States within the area delineated on the diagram attached hereto and made a part hereof, together with the improvements thereon, be, and they are hereby, transferred to the Secretary of War for military purposes: Provided, however , that the Secretary of Agriculture shall retain such jurisdiction over the lands now in process of acquisition by the United States as may be necessary to enable him to complete their acquisition. It is intended that the lands transferred by this order shall be returned to the Secretary of Agriculture, for use, administration, and disposition pursuant to Title III of the said Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, when they are no longer needed for military purposes. FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT The White House, August 15, 1942.