PART IV.-DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.

(For location of department, see page 188.)

Principal administrative officials.-Attorney General, Solicitor General, Assistant to the Attorney General, Assistant Attorneys General, Assistant Attorney General, Customs Division, New York City, Chief Clerk, Private Secretary to the Attorney General, Disbursing Clerk, Appointment Clerk, Attorney in Charge of Pardons, Attorney in Charge of Titles, Chief of Division of Accounts, Superintendent of Prisons, Chief Division of Investigation, Librarian. Departmental solicitors: Solicitor for the Department of State, Solicitor of the Treasury, Solicitor for the Interior Department, Solicitor for the Post Office Department, Solicitor of Internal Revenue, Solicitor of the Department of Commerce, Solicitor of the Department of Labor.

GENERAL INFORMATION AND DUTIES.

The Attorney General is the head of the Department of Justice and the chief law officer of the Government. He represents the United States in matters involving legal questions; he gives his advice and opinion, when they are required by the President or by the heads of the other executive departments, on questions of law arising in the administration of their respective departments; he appears in the Supreme Court of the United States in cases of especial gravity and importance; he exercises a general superintendence and direction over United States attorneys and marshals in all judicial districts in the States and Territories; and he provides special counsel for the United States whenever required by any department of the Government.

The Solicitor General assists the Attorney General in the performance of his general duties, and, by special provision of law, in case of a vacancy in the office of the Attorney General, or of his absence or disability, exercises all those duties. Under the direction of the Attorney General, he has general charge of the business of the Government in the Supreme Court of the United States, and is assisted in the conduct and argument of cases therein by the Assistant Attorneys General. He also, with the approval of the Attorney General, prepares opinions rendered to the President and the heads of the executive departments, and confers with and directs the law officers of the Government throughout the country in the performance of their duties. When the Attorney General so directs, any case in which the United States is interested, in any court of the United States, may be conducted and argued by the Solicitor General; and he may be sent by the Attorney General to attend to the interests of the United States in any State court or elsewhere.

The Assistant to the Attorney General has special charge of all suits and other matters arising under the Federal antitrust and interstate-commerce laws, and performs such other duties as may be required of him by the Attorney General. The several Assistant Attorneys General assist the Attorney General in the performance of his duties; in the argument of cases in the Supreme Court; and in the preparation of legal opinions.

In addition to these general duties particular subjects are assigned to them, and, under the direction of the Attorney General, they transact the business arising under these subjects with United States attorneys, other departments, and private parties in interest.

The Assistant Attorney General in charge of the the interests of the Government in all matters of reappraisement and classification of imported goods in litigation before the several boards of United States General Appraisers and the Court of Customs Appeals is located at 641 Washington Street, New York. The solicitors for several of the executive departments, under the provisions of sections 349-350, Revised Statutes, exercise their functions under the supervision and control of the Attorney General. They are the Solicitor for the

Department of the Interior, the Solicitor for the Department of State, the Solicitor of the Treasury, the Solicitor of Internal Revenue, the Solicitor of the Department of Commerce, and the Solicitor of the Department of Labor.

The Solicitor for the Interior Department is the chief law officer of that department. When requested he advises the Secretary and Assistant Secretaries upon questions of law arising in the administration of the department. All appeals from the various bureaus are sent to his office for consideration. Oral arguments are heard by him in the more important cases; and decisions are prepared under his supervision for the signature of the Secretary or First Assistant Secretary, as the case may be. The solicitor is aided in this and his other work by the Board of Appeals and 25 assistant attorneys.

The Solicitor for the Department of State is the chief law officer of that department. He advises the Secretary and Assistant Secretaries upon questions of municipal and international law referred to him, passes upon claims of citizens of the United States against foreign Governments, claims of subjects or citizens of foreign Governments against the United States, and upon applications for the extradition of criminals. The assistant solicitor acts as solicitor in the absence of the latter, and in the division of the work of the office has general charge of extradition and citizenship matters.

The Solicitor of the Treasury is the chief law officer of that department. His duties are to advise the Secretary of the Treasury and other officers of that department upon matters of law arising therein; to approve the bonds of United States Treasurers, collectors of internal revenue, and to examine all contracts of, and official bonds filed in, the Treasury Department. He also examines titles to life-saving station sites and renders such legal services in connection with matters arising in the administrative work of the Treasury Department as may be required of him by the Attorney General.

A Solicitor of Internal Revenue was added to the Internal-Revenue Office corps by the act of July 13, 1866 (14 Stat., 170), but by the act of June 22, 1870 (16 Stat., 162), organizing the Department of Justice, the solicitor was formally transferred to that department. He is the law officer and legal advisor of the commissioner. The only duties of his of which mention is made by law are in connection with internal-revenue compromise cases, section 3229, Revised Statutes.

The Solicitor of the Department of Commerce is the chief law officer of that department. His duties are to act as legal adviser for the Secretary of Commerce and the chiefs of the various bureaus of said department; to prepare and examine all contracts and bonds entered into or required by the said department; and to render such legal services in connection with matters arising in the administrative work of the Department of Commerce as may be desired by the head of the department or required of him by the Attorney General.

The Solicitor of the Department of Labor is the chief law officer of that department. His duties are to act as legal adviser for the Secretary of Labor and the chiefs of the various bureaus of said department; to prepare and examine all contracts and bonds entered into or required by said department; and to render such legal services in connection with matters arising in the administrative work of the Department of Labor as may be desired by the head of the department or required of him by the Attorney General.

The Public Lands Division was created by the Attorney General November 16. 1909. To it are assigned all suits and proceedings concerning the enforcement of the public-land law, including suits or proceedings to set aside conveyances of allotted lands.

The Superintendent of Prisons has charge, under the direction of the Attorney General, of all matters relating to United States prisons and prisoners, including the support of such prisoners in both State and Federal penitentiaries, in reform schools, and in county jails. He has supervision over the construction work In progress at United States penal institutions.

The Superintendent of Prisons is president of the boards of parole for the United States penitentiaries and president of the boards of parole for United States prisoners in each State or county institution used for the confinement of United States prisoners.

The Attorney in Charge of Pardons takes charge of all applications for Executive clemency, except those in Army and Navy cases, these being referred to the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy, respectively; of the briefing of the cases and the correspondence in relation to them.

The Attorney in Charge of Titles prepares opinions upon the title to lands belonging to or sought to be acquired by the Government for public purposes

and opinions upon all legal matters growing out of the same. He has charge of all proceedings to acquire land under eminent domain, and conducts all the correspondence relating to the above matters.

The Chief of the Division of Investigation has general supervision of the examination of the offices and records of the Federal court officials throughout the United States, and directs the work of all the examiners, special agents, and accountants of the department, whose compensation or expenses are paid from the appropriation "Detection and prosecution of crimes," and who are employed for the purpose of collecting evidence or of making investigations or examinations of any kind for this department or the officers thereof.

PUBLICATIONS.

General publications.-Opinions of the Attorneys General. A volume is printed and bound when sufficient opinions have been rendered to make 600 pages. This usually requires from one and a half to two years. Volume 29 is the last one in print. Many of the earlier volumes were printed by private publishers and are now out of print and can not be obtained from any source known to the department.1

Federal Antitrust Decisions. The latest compilation of these decisions was made by the Attorney General by direction of Congress. The set consists of four volumes with a small fifth volume which is an index digest. The volumes contain, as the title suggests, the decisions of the Federal courts interpreting the antitrust acts.

Method of distribution of general publications.-Opinions of the Attorneys General. The department orders only sufficient copies to meet the needs of its officials and to supply the executive departments. Many of the early volumes were published by private parties and are now out of print. Copies of the more recent volumes are for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Gov- • ernment Printing Office.

Federal Antitrust Decisions. While these decisions were compiled by the Attorney General at the direction of Congress the department received no copies, but had to purchase such as it needed from the Superintendent of Documents. The department therefore does not distribute them.

Annual and other periodical publications.-An Annual Report is submitted at the beginning of each Congress. This report contains a résumé of the more important activities of the department during the year, including cases finally determined, pending cases, interstate commerce cases, cases having to do with enforcement of land laws, white-slave traffic, neutrality, banking laws, bankruptcy, election frauds, and peonage, pardons, parole, Court of Claims cases, customs courts and the Supreme Court, and criminal identification, statistical tables relating to bankruptcy matters, prisoners, traveling expenses, court expenses, statements of appropriations, etc.

A Register is published once every year, as a rule. It contains the names of the principal officers of the department in Washington, and of the officers of the United States courts, places and time of holding United States courts, the Judicial circuits and districts, and a brief statement of the duties of the officers of the department.

Method of distribution.-The distribution covers Congress, the Executive Department, the department officials in the field, and a few other institutions and individuals. After this distribution is made the supply only justifies a further limited distribution to persons who may apply for a copy and who are interested in the activities of the department. Copies may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents.

Mailing lists. On the mailing lists for the Annual Report and Opinions of the Attorney General a number of libraries are carried. The department maintains no general free mailing list.

Correspondence.-Requests for the above publications should be addressed to the Attorney General, Washington, D. C.

1 For publications issued by the Solicitor of the Treasury, see p. 27: by the Solicitor of the Post Office, see p. 47; by the Solicitor of the Department of Labor, see p. 118.

PART V.-POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.

(For location of department, offices, etc., see page 188.)

OFFICE OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL.

Principal administrative officials.-Postmaster General, Chief Clerk, Special Assistant to Attorney General, Solicitor, Purchasing Agent, Chief Inspector.

General information and duties.-The Postmaster General is the executive head of the Federal Postal Service. He appoints all officers and employees of the Post Office Department except the four Assistant Postmasters General and the purchasing agent, who are presidential appointees. With the exception of postmasters of the first, second, and third classes, who are likewise presidential appointees, he appoints all postmasters, and all other officers and employees of the service at large. Subject to the approval of the President, he makes postal treaties with foreign Governments. He awards and executes contracts and directs the management of the Foreign Mail Service. He is the executive head of the Postal Savings System, and ex officio chairman of the board of trustees of that system.

The Special Assistant to the Attorney General is charged with the duty of assisting in the defense of cases against the United States arising out of the transportation of the mails, and in other matters affecting the postal revenues. These include suits in the Federal courts involving claims of the railroads and other contractors for the carriage of the mails; the representation of the Postmaster General and the preparation and presentation of the department's cases in proceedings before the Interstate Commerce Commission for the determination by the commission of the basis for adjustment of railroad-mail pay and the fixing of fair and reasonable rates for the transportation of the mails and for services in connection therewith by railroads, and in other matters of petition by the Postmaster General to the commission; and the representation of the Postmaster General in hearings before the department on orders changing the mode of transporting periodical mail matter and in connection with reviews of such orders by the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia.

The Solicitor is charged with the duty of giving opinions to the Postmaster General and the heads of the several offices of the department upon questions of law arising upon the construction of the postal laws and regulations, or otherwise, in the course of business in the Postal Service; with the consideration and submission (with advice) to the Postmaster General of all claims of postmasters for losses by fire, burglary, or other unavoidable casualty, and of all certifications by the Auditor for the Post Office Department of cases of proposed compromise of liabilities to the United States, and of the remission of fines, penalties, and forfeitures under the statutes; with the giving of advice when desired in the preparation of correspondence with the Department of Justice and other departments, including the Court of Claims, involving questions of law or relating to prosecutions or suits affecting or arising out of the Postal Service, and with assisting when desired in the prosecution or defense of such cases, and the maintenance of suitable records of opinions rendered affecting the Post Office Department and the Postal Service; and with the consideration of applications for pardon for crimes committed against the postal laws which may be referred to the department; with the preparation and submission (with advice) to the Postmaster General of all appeals to him from the heads of the offices of the department depending upon questions of law; with the determining of questions as to the delivery of mail, the ownership of which is in dispute; with the hearing and consideration of eases relating to lotteries and the misuse of the mails in furtherance of schemes to defraud the public; with the consideration of all questions relating to the mailability of alleged indecent, obscene, scurrilous, or defamatory matter; with determining the legal

acceptability of securities offered by banks to secure postal savings deposits; with the examining and, when necessary, drafting of all contracts of the department; with the enforcement of laws making unmailable matter containing any advertisement of intoxicating liquors or solicitation of an order for such liquors when addressed to places where it is unlawful to advertise or solicit orders for such liquors; with the legal work incident to the enforcement of those provisions of the espionage law and of the trading-with-the-enemy act which concerns the Post Office Department, and the work relating to the issuance of permits under the latter act; and with such other like duties as may from time to time be required by the Postmaster General.

The Purchasing Agent supervises the purchase of all supplies both for the Post Office Department proper and for all branches of the Postal Service. He reviews all requisitions and authorizations for supplies and, if proper, honors the same. He passes upon the sufficiency and propriety of all specifications for the proposals for supplies; prepares the advertisements and forms for proposals necessary to the making of contracts for supplies; reviews the reports of the committees on awards and recommends to the Postmaster General such action as in his judgment should be taken thereon.

The Chief Inspector supervises the work of post-office inspectors and of the division of post-office inspectors. To him is charged the preparation and issue of all cases for investigation, all matters relating to depredations upon the mails and losses therein, the custody of money and property collected or received by inspectors, and the restoration thereof to the proper parties or owners, and the consideration and adjustment of accounts of inspectors for salary and expenses. To his office are referred all complaints of losses or irregularities in the mails and all reported violations of the postal laws.

General publications.-(a) Postal Laws and Regulations. A compilation of the acts of Congress relating to the Post Office Department and the Postal Service, together with regulations for the government of said department and service. Furnished free to the Postal Service. For sale to the public.

(b) Pamphlet of Postal Information. Contains general information on subjects relating to the Postal Service; published for the use and guidance of the public. Distribution free.

(c) List of Awards. Shows name of the contractor, various items and prices to be paid therefor for the use of the Postal Service during the fiscal year in which said award is issued. Distribution free upon request. It has been the practice to furnish a copy to all bidders whether successful or not.

Annual and other periodical publications.-Annual Report of the Postmaster General is a general review of the work of the entire department, with special regard to specific policies, recommendations for legislation affecting the service, etc. Distribution free.

The Annual Report of the Post Office Department contains reports of the Postmaster General, Solicitor, the Four Assistants, and the Auditor, bound in one volume. Distribution free.

The Official Postal Guide contains postal information of interest to the public, instructions to postal employees, rulings of the department, lists of post offices arranged alphabetically, by States, and by counties, also a list classified as to salaries of postmasters, a list of offices discontinued during the previous three years, etc. Published annually, with monthly supplements. Furnished to the Postal Service. For sale to the public.

Correspondence.-(a) Requests for copies of the Postal Laws and Regulations should be addressed to the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C.

(b) Requests for the l'amphlet of Postal Information should be sent to the Division of Equipment and Supplies, Office of the Fourth Assistant Postmaster General, Washington, D. C.

(c) Requests for copies of List of Awards should be addressed to the Purchasing Agent, Post Office Department, Washington, D. C.

Requests for the Annual Report of the Postmaster General should be sent to the Chief Clerk, Post Office Department, Washington, D. C.

Requests for the Official Postal Guide from those outside the postal service should be sent to the Disbursing Clerk, Post Office Department, Washington, D. C.

The Chief Clerk, Post Office Department, is in charge of the distribution of the Postal Guide throughout the postal service.