Executive Order 3332—Retention of Hoboken Piers

The White House, October 2, 1920.

Whereas, under the provisions of Section 17 of the Act approved June 5, 1920, entitled "An Act to provide for the promotion and maintenance of the American, merchant marine, etc.," the Shipping Board "is authorized and directed to take over on January 1, 1921, the possession and control of, and to maintain and develop, all docks, piers, warehouses, wharves and terminal equipment and facilities, including all leasehold easements, rights of way, riparian rights and other rights, estates and interests therein or appurtenant thereto, acquired by the President by or under the Act entitled 'An Act making appropriations to supply urgent deficiencies in appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1918, etc.'"; and

Whereas, by a further provision of said Section 17, "the President may at any time he deems it necessary, by order setting out the need therefor and fixing the period of such need, permit or transfer the possession and control of any part of the property taken over by or transferred to the Shipping Board under this section to the War Department or the Navy Department for their needs"; and

Whereas, the piers known as the Hoboken piers, formerly the property of the North German Lloyd and Hamburg-American Steamship Companies and of the Hoboken Shore Railroad, were acquired by the President under the Act referred to in paragraph 1 of Section 17 of the Act of June 5, 1920, hereinbefore recited, and are therefore subject to the provisions of said Section 17; and

Whereas, the War Department has heretofore leased pier No. 1, with bulkhead and yard space opposite, of said property to the Panama Railroad Steamship Line for a period of five years, which said Panama Railroad Steamship Line is the property of the Government of the United States, performing an indispensable service in connection with the maintenance and operation of the Panama Canal, and incidentally furthering the commercial service between the United States and certain Caribbean, Central and South American ports, and is using said pier intensively and efficiently; and

Whereas, piers 4, 5, 6 and 11, being parts of said property, are necessary to be retained in the possession and control of the War Department for use in connection with the overseas transport service now carrying men and supplies to and from Antwerp for the American Army of Occupation at Coblenz; now

Therefore, I do hereby determine that it is necessary that the War Department retain of such property piers 1, 4, 5, 6 and n, together with the bulkhead opposite the slip between piers 3 and 4, and opposite piers 1, 4, 5 and 6; also the second floor of the bulkhead opposite the slip between piers 3 and 4 and opposite pier 4; also the offices on the third floor of the bulkhead opposite piers 1, 2 and 3; and the yard space opposite piers 1, 4, 5 and 6; and do order and direct that the said War Department do retain all of such property so described, and fix the period of retention as to pier 1, with bulkhead and yard space opposite, as the period of the existing lease of five years made between the War Department and the Panama Railroad Steamship Line, and as the period of retention of the other property herein directed and ordered to be retained a period of two years, unless in the opinion of the President the need of the War Department therefor, or for any part thereof, shall in the meantime cease, in which case, by an order subsequent hereto, the President declaring the cessation of such need shall cause possession and control of such property or part thereof to revert to the Shipping Board.

WOODROW WILSON