April 24, 1944 [H. R. 3257] [Public Law 295] Merchant Marine Act, 1936, amend- ment. 54 Stat. 691. 46 U. S. C., Supp. m, 1128e (a). 4 Stat. 689. 46 U. S. C., Supp. m, 5 1128 (a). Settlement, etc., of certain lapsed claims. [58 STAT. AN ACT To amend Subtitle-Insurance of Title II of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended, to authorize suspension of the statute of limitations in certain cases, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 226 (a) of Subtitle-Insurance of Title II of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended, is amended by inserting after the first sentence thereof a new sentence to read as follows: "If in the case of any vessel lost, damaged, or missing under circumstances which render it uncertain whether or not the loss of or damage to any person, vessel, cargo, or other property or interest under a policy of insurance or reinsurance issued or agreed to be issued under this subtitle or under an assump- tion of risk agreement equivalent thereto, is covered by such policy or agreement, the Commission has entered into or shall hereafter enter into any agreement, specific or general, with the assured under such policy or agreement or with other insurers of the same interest, or both, for payment to the assured on account of said loss or damage by the Commission or by such other insurers, or both, in accordance with the probabilities as to their respective liability, such agreement may include or be modified to include from its inception provisions suspending the operation of the statute of limitations with respect to suits against the United States arising out of the subject matter of such agreement, for a period ending not more than two years after the termination of the present war as determined under section 221 (a) hereof: Provided, That no such agreement or modification shall be entered into in any case where the right to sue the United States has expired at the time of making the agreement or modification unless made within sixty days after the enactment of this proviso." SEC. 2. Whenever the Administrator, War Shipping Administra- tion, finds that a meritorious claim arising on or after December 7, 1941, against the United States, or any agent or employee thereof, for loss of or damage to cargo has lapsed by reason of failure to commence suit against the United States or any agent or employee thereof within the time provided by law, and that such failure to institute suit was based on lack of information not resulting from lack of due diligence, or other causes sufficient in the opinion of the Administrator to excuse such failure to institute suit, the Administra- tor may compromise, or settle any such claim on the same basis as though the time for suit had not expired: Provided, however, That nothing in this section shall be deemed to extend the time to commence suit. Approved April 24, 1944. [CHAPTER 189] AN ACT May 5, 1944 AN AC [S. 45] To amend section 3 of the Act of June 7, 1924 (43 Stat. 653; 16 . S . C. 566). [Public Law 296] Forest perpetu- ation. Study of effect oftax laws, etc. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 3 of the Act of June 7, 1924 (43 Stat. 653; 16 U. S. C. 566), is amended to read as follows: "That the Secretary of Agriculture shall expend such portions of the appropriations authorized herein as he deems advisable to study the effects of tax laws, methods, and practices upon forest perpetu- ation, to cooperate with appropriate officials of the various States or other suitable agencies in such investigations and in devising tax laws designed to encourage the conservation and growing of timber, April24, 1944 PUBLIC LAWS-CHS. 178, 189 -ay 5, 1944 [CHAPTER 1781
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