MARCH 16, 1923, 2 COMP. GEN. 569

MARCH 16, 1923, 2 COMP. GEN. 569

RADIOGRAMS - ACCOUNTING FOR MESSAGES FROM MEMBERS OF THE COAST GUARD SENT ON PERSONAL BUSINESS RADIOGRAMS ORIGINATING FROM VESSELS OF THE COAST GUARD, SENT BY OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEN ON PERSONAL AFFAIRS, SHOULD NOT BE SENT AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE, THE CHARGE THEREFOR SHOULD INCLUDE A CHARGE FOR THE USE OF THE VESSEL'S TRANSMITTING EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS THE FORWARDING CHARGES, AND SUCH COLLECTIONS SHOULD BE HELD IN A SPECIAL DEPOSIT ACCOUNT PENDING FINAL SETTLEMENT THEREFOR WITH THE NAVAL COMMUNICATION SERVICE, WHEN ANY UNEXPENDED BALANCE SHOULD BE COVERED IN TO MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS.

DECISION BY COMPTROLLER GENERAL MCCARL, MARCH 16, 1923:

SETTLEMENT T-4338, THIS OFFICE, DATED JANUARY 31, 1923, ALLOWED THE NAVAL COMMUNICATION SERVICE $35.77 REIMBURSEMENT FOR RADIOGRAMS TRANSMITTED DURING APRIL, MAY, AND JUNE, 1922, AND CHARGED TO APPROPRIATION "COAST GUARD, 1922.'

THE AMOUNTS BILLED THE COAST GUARD BY THE NAVAL COMMUNICATION SERVICE APPARENTLY REPRESENT FORWARDING CHARGES ON RADIOGRAMS ORIGINATING ONSHIPS OF THE COAST GUARD, LESS CERTAIN CREDITS DURING SAME PERIOD FOR PROPORTIONATE PART OF CHARGE FOR FORWARDING RADIOGRAMS TO THE COAST GUARD SHIPS BY THE NAVAL COMMUNICATION SERVICE, REPRESENTING THE COST OF RECEIVING OVER EQUIPMENT ON THE COAST GUARD SHIPS.

THERE ARE TWO VOUCHERS INVOLVED: ONE SHOWING TOTAL DEBITS OF $18.39 AND TOTAL CREDITS OF $9.40 OR A BALANCE DUE OF $8.99, AND THE OTHER SHOWING TOTAL DEBITS OF $17.38 AND TOTAL CREDITS OF $0.72, OR A BALANCE DUE OF $16.66; TOTAL BALANCE DUE OF $25.65. IN THE SETTLEMENT THE DEBITS AND CREDITS WERE ERRONEOUSLY ADDED AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT ALLOWED. THE AMOUNT OF $10.12 WAS ERRONEOUSLY CERTIFIED IN FAVOR OF THE TREASURER OF THE UNITED STATES FOR DEPOSIT IN THE TREASURY TO CREDIT OF "MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS.'

IT APPEARS THAT THE VOUCHER SHOWING BALANCE DUE OF $8.99 COVERS RADIOGRAMS SENT FROM THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD CUTTER MODOC BY COAST GUARD OFFICERS ON BOARD RELATING TO THEIR PERSONAL OR PRIVATE AFFAIRS. THIS OFFICE HAS BEEN INFORMALLY ADVISED BY THE COAST GUARD OFFICE THAT THE UNIFORM PAST PRACTICE WITH RESPECT TO THE PERSONAL OR PRIVATE RADIOGRAMS OF COAST GUARD PERSONNEL HAS BEEN TO COLLECT FROM THE SENDERS ON BOARD THE ESTIMATED TOTAL COST OF TRANSMITTING THE RADIOGRAMS, NO SHIP'S CHARGE BEING MADE FOR TRANSMISSION, TO DEPOSIT THE AMOUNT THEREOF TO THE CREDIT OF THE COAST GUARD APPROPRIATION, AND TO PAY THE BILLS OF THE NAVAL COMMUNICATION SERVICE RENDERED THE COAST GUARD FOR FORWARDING CHARGES OUT OF SUCH APPROPRIATION. IN VIEW THEREOF AND BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN CREDITED THE APPROPRIATION OF THE COAST GUARD, 1922, FROM PRIVATE COLLECTIONS SUFFICIENT TO COVER AMOUNT OF THIS CLAIM, NO OBJECTION WILL BE MADE IN SO FAR AS THIS CLAIM IS CONCERNED.

UPON REVIEW OF THE MATTER THE SETTLEMENT IS REVISED AND IN LIEU OF $35.77 ALLOWED THE SUM OF $25.65 IS CERTIFIED DUE THE NAVAL COMMUNICATION SERVICE.

TREASURER'S CHECK NO. 35186, DATED FEBRUARY 7, 1923, FOR $35.77 HAS BEEN DIRECTED TO BE COVERED INTO THE TREASURY TO THE CREDIT OF THE APPROPRIATION "COAST GUARD, 1922.' THE SUM OF $10.12 IS AUTHORIZED TO BE TRANSFERRED FROM "MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS" TO "COAST GUARD, 1922.'

FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE RADIO MANAGEMENT IT APPEARS THAT THE NAVAL COMMUNICATION SERVICE IS AUTHORIZED TO LIQUIDATE ALL ACCOUNTS FOR RADIOGRAMS TRANSMITTED OR FORWARDED BY IT.

THE NAVAL COMMUNICATION SERVICE IS AUTHORIZED BY LAW TO RECEIVE AND TRANSMIT BOTH COMMERCIAL AND GOVERNMENT MESSAGES THAT MAY HAVE TO BE RELAYED BY ITS SERVICE. IN THE CASE OF COMMERCIAL MESSAGES THE NAVAL COMMUNICATION SERVICE COLLECTS THE AMOUNT OF ITS OWN CHARGES PLUS THE AMOUNT OF THE CHARGES FOR TRANSMISSION OVER THE FORWARDING LINES. IN THE CASE OF GOVERNMENT MESSAGES IT COLLECTS ONLY THE FORWARDING CHARGES, MAKING NO CHARGES FOR ITS OWN SERVICE. IN EITHER CASE THE ENTIRE AMOUNT COLLECTED IS DEPOSITED IN THE TREASURY TO THE CREDIT OF THE SPECIAL DEPOSIT FUND FROM WHICH AMOUNTS DUE FORWARDING LINES ARE PAID BY CHECK, UNDER MONTHLY ADJUSTMENTS. 21 COMP. DEC., 141, 289.

IN THIS CASE THE TRANSMITTING STATION OF THE PRIVATE RADIOGRAMS WAS UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE COAST GUARD, AND COLLECTIONS OF THE COSTS OF TRANSMISSION IN THE FIRST INSTANCE WAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COAST GUARD. IF FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE COAST GUARD PERSONNEL ON BOARD SHIPS UNDER ITS CONTROL THE RADIO TRANSMITTING EQUIPMENT IS MADE AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE MESSAGES, AND COLLECTIONS TO COVER COSTS THEREOF ARE NECESSARY, THERE SHOULD BE NO ADJUSTMENT OF APPROPRIATION UNDER CONTROL OF THE COAST GUARD INVOLVED, BUT A SPECIAL DEPOSIT FUND SIMILAR TO THAT MAINTAINED BY NAVAL COMMUNICATION SERVICE CREATED AND CREDITED WITH ALL AMOUNTS COLLECTED ON WHICH FINAL CHECKS COULD BE DRAWN TO LIQUIDATE THE CHARGE OF THE NAVAL COMMUNICATION SERVICE. ANY BALANCE REMAINING AS EARNINGS MUST BE DEPOSITED TO CREDIT OF "MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS.'

THERE IS NO AUTHORITY FOR PRESENT PRACTICE OF THE COAST GUARD IN CREDITING ITS REGULAR APPROPRIATIONS WITH THE AMOUNT OF COLLECTIONS AND CHARGING SAME WITH AMOUNT OF CLAIMS OF NAVAL COMMUNICATION SERVICE, AND THE PRACTICE WILL BE DISCONTINUED. THE PROPER AMOUNT NOW STANDING TO CREDIT OF COAST GUARD APPROPRIATIONS REPRESENTING COLLECTIONS FROM PRIVATE SOURCES SHOULD BE SHOWN AND WITHDRAWN AND PLACED IN THE SPECIAL DEPOSIT FUND.

THE COAST GUARD HAS ADVISED THAT ITS PERSONNEL ARE NOT CHARGED WITH ANY SHIP'S CHARGE, OR CHARGE FOR USE OF SHIP'S TRANSMITTING EQUIPMENT, BUT THAT ANY CIVILIAN ON BOARD IS SO CHARGED. THERE WOULD APPEAR TO BE NO AUTHORITY FOR A DISTINCTION IN THIS RESPECT, BUT A TRANSMITTING CHARGE MADE FOR ALL RADIOGRAMS OF A PRIVATE NATURE. ATTENTION IS DIRECTED TO ARTICLES 3231 AND 3242, COAST GUARD REGULATIONS, PROVIDING THAT RADIOGRAMS STRICTLY PERSONAL OR FOR CONVENIENCE OR IN THE INTEREST OF THE SENDER SHALL NOT BE TRANSMITTED AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE.