Volume 49
Public Law 74–882
To amend section 5 of the Act of March 2, 1919, generally known as the “War Minerals Relief Act.”
Approved June 30, 1936
Statutory text
AN ACT
To amend section 5 of the Act of March 2, 1919, generally known as the “War Minerals Relief Act.”
Be it enacted by the Senate and, House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That no claimant who filed a claim in accordance with the provisions of section 5 of the Act entitled, “An Act to provide relief in cases of contracts connected with prosecution of the war, and for other purposes”, approved March 2, 1919, shall be deprived of any of the benefits of said Act as amended by the Act of February 13, 1929, by reason of failure to file suit under said amendment in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, or through abatement of any suit so filed.
Review by Secretary of Interior upon matters of fact and newly presented evidence.
Upon petition to the Secretary of the Interior in such abated suits and in claims wherein no suits were filed under the said amendment, the Secretary is hereby authorized and directed to review all such claims upon matters of fact and any newly presented evidence or facts not before his predecessors and, except where in conflict with the provisions of this Act, in the light of decisions of the courts in
Awards.
similar cases; and, in accordance with the provisions of the said Act, as amended, to make awards or additional awards in said claims as he may determine to be just and equitable.
Sec. 2.
The rights of any deceased claimant under section 5 of said Act shall be held and considered to descend to the legal representatives as personal property of such deceased claimant. The rights of any corporation which filed a claim under section 5 of the Act of March 2, 1919, but which ceased to exist at any time after filing such claim, shall be held and considered to descend—
to the persons who at the time such corporation ceased to exist were entitled under the laws of the State of incorporation to share in the assets of such corporation upon the dissolution thereof, or if any such person be dead, or dies after the enactment of this Act but before he receives the benefits of this Act, to his legal representative as personal property; and
to any officer, director, or stockholder of such corporation at the time it ceased to exist as trustee for the persons or legal representatives referred to in clause (1); and such persons or their legal representatives and such officers, directors, and stockholders shall be entitled to the benefits of this Act.
Sec. 3.
This Act shall not authorize payment to be made of any claim not presented to the Secretary of the Interior within six months after its approval.
Approved, June 30, 1936.