Executive Order 2039—Admitting Foreign-Built Ships to American Registry

In pursuance of theauthority conferred upon the President of the United States by Section 2 of the Act approved August 18, 1914, entitled "An Act to provide for the admission of foreign-built ships to American registry for the foreign trade, and for other purposes," it is hereby ordered:

1. That the provisions of law prescribing that the watch officers of vessels of the United States registered for foreign trade shall be citizens of the United States, are hereby suspended so far and for such length of time as is herein provided, namely,-

All foreign-built ships which shall be admitted to United States registry under said Act may retain the watch officers employed thereon, without regard to citizenship, for seven years from this date, and such watch officers shall be eligible for promotion. Any vacancy occurring among such watch officers within two years from this date may be filled without regard to citizenship; but any vacancy which may occur thereafter shall be filled by a watch officer who is a citizen of the United States.

2. That the provisions of law requiring survey, inspection and measurement, by officers of the United States, of foreign-built ships admitted to United States registry under said Act, are hereby suspended for two years from this date.

WOODROW WILSON

THE WHITE HOUSE,

September 4, 1914.