Federal Explosives Act of 1917

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Federal Explosives Act of 1917
Great Seal of the United States (obverse).svg
Long titleAn Act to prohibit the manufacture, distribution, storage, use, and possession in time of war of explosives, providing regulations for the safe manufacture, distribution, storage, use, and possession of the same, and for other purposes.
Nicknames Explosives Act of 1917
Enacted bythe 65th United States Congress
EffectiveNovember 14, 1917
Citations
Public law Pub. L. Tooltip Public Law (United States)  65–68
Statutes at Large 40  Stat.   385
Codification
Titles amended 50 U.S.C.: War and National Defense
U.S.C. sections created 50 U.S.C. ch. 8 § 121 et seq.
Legislative history
  • Introduced in the House as H.R. 3932 by Martin D. Foster (DIL) on May 1, 1917
  • Passed the House on May 31, 1917 (Passed)
  • Passed the Senate on July 17, 1917 (Passed)
  • Reported by the joint conference committee on September 15, 1917; agreed to by the House on September 29, 1917 (Agreed) and by the Senate on September 29, 1917 (Agreed)
  • Signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson on October 6, 1917

Federal Explosives Act of 1917 is a United States federal statutory law citing an incriminating act for the distribution, manufacture, possession, storage, and use of explosive material during the time of war. The Act of Congress authorizes the federal regulation of the distribution, manufacture, possession, storage, and use of incendiary material during wartime. [1]

Contents

The Act was passed by the 65th United States Congress and enacted into law by President Woodrow Wilson on October 6, 1917.

Provisions of 1917 Act

The United States Bureau of Mines governs the federal regulations for restrictive protocols with regards to explosive materials.

Federal Explosive License Classifications

Exporter license
Foreman license
Importer license
Manufacturer license
Purchaser license
Technical license (Analyst, Educator, Inventor, Investigator)
Vendor license

Presidential Proclamation of 1917

In accordance with the Trading with the Enemy Act of 1917, President Woodrow Wilson issued Presidential Proclamation 1364 on April 6, 1917. [2] The presidential statement proclaimed national security protections regarding domestic alien enemies petitioning for aggressive terrorist tactics against the United States. [3]

Precious Metal Regulation of 1918

The Sundry Civil Expenses Appropriations Act of 1918 applied the unlicensed enforcement prohibitions of the federal explosive act for iridium, palladium, platinum, and precious metal compounds. [4]

Amendment and Cancellation of 1917 Act

The Federal Explosives Act Amendment of 1941 appended the 1917 public law revitalizing the federal scope for the perils of World War II. [5] On July 25, 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed a Senate Joint Resolution ceasing provisions of the Federal Explosives Act with the cessation of the European theatre of World War II and Pacific War. [6] [7] [8]

Repeal of 1917 Act

The 1917 Act was repealed by the enactment of Organized Crime Control Act on October 15, 1970. [9] [10]

B.S.A. Blasting Caps Awareness Program

In 1947, the Boy Scouts of America and Institute of Makers of Explosives established a safety awareness program for the disposal and identification of electric and non-electric blasting caps. [11]

Blasting cap & Box.JPG
Box for DuPont Blasting Caps 8399.jpg
Illustrations of Blasting Caps

See also

American entry into World War I TNT
Dynamite 1919 United States anarchist bombings
Federal Mines Safety Act of 1910 Preparedness Day Bombing
Gunpowder Preparedness Movement
Niter Progressive Era
Nitroglycerin Saltpetre
Time bomb Wall Street bombing

Industrial Explosions of 1917

Ashton-under-Lyne munitions explosion Gillespie Company Shell Loading Explosion
Black Tom explosion Halifax Explosion
Eddystone explosion Silvertown explosion

Propellant Powder Mills of 18th & 19th Century America

American Powder Mills Giant Powder Company
Austin Powder Company Great Western Powder Works
California Powder Works Hazard Powder Company
Confederate Powder Works Laflin & Rand Powder Company
Eleutherian Mills Miami Powder Company
Equitable Powder Company Oriental Powder Company
Frankford Powder-Mill Schaghticoke Powder Company

19th Century Scientists of Combustible Chemistry & Materials

Frederick Abel Joseph LeConte
William Bickford Alfred Nobel
James Dewar Christian Friedrich Schönbein
Lammot du Pont I Ascanio Sobrero
Edward Charles Howard Julius Wilbrand

Anti-Radicalism Reforms of 19th & 20th Century America

Immigration Act of 1882 Immigration Act of 1917
Immigration Act of 1891 Immigration Act of 1918
Immigration Act of 1903 Immigration Act of 1921
Immigration Act of 1907 Immigration Act of 1924

Film Depictions of Anarchists' Movements in United States

J. Edgar (2011)
No God, No Master (2012)
Patriots Day (2016)
Richard Jewell (2019)
Manhunt: Unabomber (2017) & Deadly Games (2020)

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References

  1. "Regulation of Explosives in the United States: With Especial Reference to the Administration of the Explosives Act of October 6, 1917, by the Bureau of Mines". 1921.
  2. "Official Bulletin No. 227" [PERSONS INTERNED FOR PERIOD OF THE WAR INCLUDED WITHIN MEANING OF WORD "ENEMY"]. Internet Archive. Committee on Public Information. February 6, 1918.
  3. Peters,Gerhard; Woolley, John T. "Woodrow Wilson: "Proclamation 1364 — Declaring That a State of War Exists Between the United States and Germany," April 6, 1917". The American Presidency Project. University of California - Santa Barbara.
  4. "Sundry Civil Expenses Appropriations Act of 1918 ~ P.L. 65-181" (PDF). 40 Stat. 634 ~ House Bill 12441. USLaw.Link. July 1, 1918.
  5. "Federal Explosive Act Amendment of 1941 ~ P.L. 77-381" (PDF). 55 Stat. 863 ~ House Bill 3019. USLaw.Link. December 26, 1941.
  6. "Emergency and War Powers Cessation Act of 1947 ~ P.L. 80-239" (PDF). 61 Stat. 449 ~ Senate Joint Resolution 123. USLaw.Link. July 25, 1947.
  7. Truman, Harry S. (July 25, 1947). "Statement by the President Upon Signing Resolution Terminating Additional Emergency Powers - July 25, 1947". Internet Archive. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service. pp. 357–358.
  8. Truman, Harry S. (July 25, 1947). "Statement by the President on the Dangers of Explosive-Type War Souvenirs - July 25, 1947". Internet Archive. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service. p. 358.
  9. "Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 ~ P.L. 91-452" (PDF). 84 Stat. 922 ~ Senate Bill 30. U.S. Government Printing Office. October 15, 1970.
  10. Nixon, Richard M. (October 15, 1970). "Remarks on Signing the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 - October 15, 1970". Internet Archive. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service. pp. 846–847.
  11. "Blasting Cap Safety Education Program". Safety Education. Institute of Makers of Explosives.

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