An Act to provide an immediate program for the modernization and improvement of such merchant-type vessels in the reserve fleet as are necessary for national defense
PL 83-608 (S.3546), enacted 08/20/1954

754 
PUBLIC LAW 608-AUG. 20, 1954 
[68 S T A T , 
5 u s e S92b. 
of the Department of Commerce (33 Stat. 85, 135), as amended and 
supplemented by the Act of March 4, 1913 (37 Stat. 736), by Public 
Law 584, Eighty-second Congress (66 Stat. 758), and by section 7 
of Executive Order 6166 of June 10, 1933, be, and the same is hereby, 
amended to read as follows: 
"There shall be in the Department of Commerce a General Counsel, 
who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and 
consent of the Senate, and who shall have basic compensation at tlie 
rate per annum provided for Assistant Secretaries." 
Approved August 20, 1954. 
August 20, 1954 
[S. 3546] 
Public Law 608 
CHAPTER 777 
AN ACT 
To provide an imiuediate program for the modernization and improvement of 
such merchant-type vessels in the reserve fleet as are necessary for national 
defense. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
R^T^'Ac't^of IIM^ V'^^i^d States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may 
be cited as the "Emergency Ship Repair Act of 1954". 
STATEMENT OF TURPOSE 
SEC. "2. It is the purpose of this Act in the interests of national 
defense to provide for the immediate improvement and moderniza-
tion of needed merchant-type vessels in the reserve fleet under the 
jurisdiction of the Secretary of Commerce, and thereby to provide a 
much needed stimulus to the shipbuilding and ship repair industries 
of the Nation. 
63 Stat. 377. 
40 u s e 471 note. 
R E S E R V E F J - E E T MODERNIZATION AND REPAIR PROGRAM 
SEC. 3. The Secretary of Commerce shall, after consulting the Sec-
retary of Defense, formulate and carry out to the extent authorized 
under the provisions of this Act a program of repairing, modernizing, 
or converting such merchant-type vessels in the national defense 
reserve under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Commerce as may be 
necessary to provide for the purpose of national defense an adequate 
and ready reserve fleet of merchant and auxiliary vessels. 
CONTRACTING AUTHORIZATION 
SEC. 4. The Secretary of Commerce shall, within 
twenty-four 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, enter into such 
contracts for the repair, modernization, and conversion of vessels as 
may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. Such con-
tracts (1) may provide for the expenditure by the United States of 
not more than $25,000,000, (2) shall be with private shipbuilding or 
ship repair yards on the Atlantic, Pacific, and gulf coasts of the 
United States, (3) shall be entered into in accordance with applicable 
provisions of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act 
of 1949. In entering into such contracts the Secretary of Commerce 
shall not alter the present Maritime Administration policy of inviting 
single bids or split bids or both for drydock and nondrydock work. 
68 
S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 610-AUG. 20, 1954 
755 
AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION 
SEC. 5. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums 
not in excess of $25,000,000 as may be necessary to carry out the 
provisions of this Act. 
Approved August 20, 1954. 
Post, p. 807. 
Public Law 609 
CHAPTER 778 
^^ ACT 
August 20, 1954 
To provide that the Metropolitan Police force shall keep arrest books which are 
[S. 3655] 
open to public inspection. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That section 386 of 
the Revised Statutes, relating to the District of Columbia, as amended 
(D. C. Code, sec. 4—134), is amended bv striking out the word "and" 
at the end of paragraph (3); by renumbering paragraph (4) as para-
graph (5), and by inserting between paragraphs (4) and (5) the 
following new paragraph: 
"(4) Arrest books, which shall contain the 
following 
information: 
"(a) Case number, date of arrest, and time of recording 
arrest in arrest book; 
"(b) Name, address, date of birth, color, birthplace, 
occupation, and marital status of person arrested; 
"(c) Offense with which person arrested was charged and 
place where person was arrested; 
"(d) Name and address of complainant; 
"(e) Name of arresting officer; and 
"(f) Disposition of case; and". 
SEC. 2. Section 389 of the Revised Statutes, relating to the District 
of Columbia, as amended (D. C. Code, sec. 4-135), is amended to read 
as follows: 
"SEC. 389. The records to be kept by paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and 
(4) of section 386 shall be open to public inspection when not in actual 
use and this requirement shall be enforceable by mandatory injunction 
issued by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia 
on the application of any person." 
Approved August 20, 1954. 
D. C. 
books. 
P u b l i c inspec-
tion. 
Public Law 610 
CHAPTER 779 
AN ACT 
To amend the laws granting education and training benefits to certain veterans 
to extend the period during which such benefits may be offered. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That (a) section 
212 (a) of the Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1952 is 
amended by striking out "two" and inserting "three" in lieu thereof. 
(b) Section 213 of such Act is amended by striking out "seven" 
and inserting "eight" in lieu thereof. 
SEC. 2. The proviso in paragraph 1 of part VII of Veterans Regu-
lation Numbered 1 (a) is amended by inserting before the period 
August 20, 1954 
[H. R. 9888] 
Veterans. 
Education bene-
fits. 
66 Stat. 664. 
38 u s e 917, 918. 
38USCch. 12A.