COTTON FUTURES sons who act in the capacity of a clearing house, clearing association, or similar institution for the purpose of clearing, settling, or adiust- ing transactions mentioned in section 1920 (a) of this chapter to keep such records and to make such returns as will fully and correctly dis- close all facts in their possession relating to such transactions; and (c) EMPLOYMENT OF AGENTS.- He may appoint agents to conduct the inspection necessary to collect said tax and otherwise to enforce this chapter and all rules and regulations made by him in pursuance hereof, and may fix the compensation of such agents. SEC. 1929. PENALTIES. (a) IN GENERAL.- (1) NONPAYMENT OR EVASION OF TAx. -Any person liable to the payment of any tax imposed by this chapter who fails to pay, or evades, or attempts to evade the payment of such tax; and (2) OTHER VIOLATIONS.- Any person who otherwise violates any provision of this chapter, or any rule or regulation made in pur- suance hereof, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $20,000, in the discretion of the court; and, in case of natural persons, may, in addition, be punished by imprison- ment for not less than sixty days nor more than three years, in the discretion of the court. (b) ADDITIONAL.-In addition to the foregoing punishment there shall be imposed, on account of each violation of this chapter, a penalty of $2,000, to be recovered in an action founded on this chapter in the name of the United States as plaintiff, and when so recovered one-half of said amount shall be paid over to the person giving the information upon which such recovery was based. It shall be the duty of United States attorneys, to whom satisfactory evidence of violations of this chapter is furnished, to institute and prosecute actions for the recovery of the penalties prescribed by this subsection. (c) WITHHOLDING INFORMATION. -Any person engaged in the busi- ness of dealing in cotton who shall, within a reasonable time pre- scribed by the Secretary of Agriculture or any agent acting under his instructions, willfully fail or refuse to answer questions or to pro- duce books, letters, papers, or documents, as required under section 1927 (I)), or who shall willfully give any answer that is false or mis- leading, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction there- of shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $500. SEC. 1930. IMMUNITY OF WITNESSES. No person whose evidence is deemed material by the officer prose- cuting on behalf of the United States in any case brought under any provision of this chapter shall withhold his testimony because of com- plicity by him in any violation of this chapter or of any regulation made pursuant to this chapter, but any such person called by such officer who testifies in such case shall be exempt from prosecution for any offense to which his testimony relates. SEC. 1931. DEFINITIONS. (a) CONTRACT OF SALE. -For the purposes of this chapter the term "contract of sale" shall be held to include sales, agreements of sale, and agreements to sell. (b) PERSON. -T he word "person," wherever used in this chapter, shall be construed to import the plural or singular, as the case demands, and shall include individuals, associations, partnerships, and corporations. SEC. 1932. LIABILITY OF PRINCIPAL FOR ACTS OF AGENT. When construing and enforcing the provisions of this chapter, the act, omission, or failure of any official, agent, or other person acting for or employed by any association, partnership, or corporation within the scope of his employment or office, shall, in every case, also be 215
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