Executive Order  No. 71: (1st Series) Purchase of federal war supplies by state

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions have for a long time been unable, due to the prosecution of the war, to purchase or otherwise acquire various types of necessary supplies, materials and equipment; and

WHEREAS, the Federal Government and various agencies thereof have had and hereafter may have quantities of such supplies, materials and equipment available for purchase by the several states and their political subdivisions; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions are required by law to execute written contracts and post or advertise notices inviting bids for the purchase of sup- plies, materials and equipment; and

WHEREAS, compliance with such provisions of law has resulted and may hereafter result in the loss of opportunities to purchase supplies, materials and equipment from the Federal Government and the various agencies thereof by the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions, inasmuch as said Government and the various agencies thereof neither make such bids nor reply to such advertisements;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Leverett Saltonstall, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, acting under the provisions of Acts of 1941, chapter 719, as amended by Acts of 1943, chapter 3, Acts of 1942, chapter 13, sections 2 (12) and 3, and all other authority vested in me, do hereby issue this order as a measure necessary and expedient for meeting the supreme emergency of the existing state of war between the United States and certain foreign countries.

Those provisions of law which require the execution of a written contract or the posting or advertising in a newspaper or other publication of a notice inviting bids for the purchase of supplies, materials or equipment by the Commonwealth or by any political subdivision thereof shall not be deemed to apply to the purchase of supplies, materials or equipment from the Federal Government or any agency thereof by the Commonwealth or by any political sub- division thereof.

The provisions of General Laws (Ter. Ed.) chapter 7, section 22, chapter 34, section 17, chapter 41, sections 17 and 103, chapter 43, sections 28 and 29, and the provisions of any other law, charter, ordinance, by-law, rule or regulation which are inconsistent with the provisions of this order are hereby suspended to the extent that such provisions are inconsistent herewith.

GIVEN at the Executive Chamber in Boston, this thirteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and forty- four, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the one hundred and sixty-eighth.

By His Excellency the Governor,
LEVERETT SALTONSTALL

FREDERIC W. COOK,
Secretary of the Commonwealth.