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Dates

Letter received from Secretary of State
to Vice President, July 15, 1949.
Reported in House, August 1, 1949--
Passed House, August 15, 1949---
Reported in Senate, October 11, 1949-
Passed by Senate, September 19, 1950.
Signed by President September 29, 1950.

Not printed.

Documents

House Report 1155.

See Congressional Record, same date.
Senate Report 1145.
See Congressional Record, same date.
Public Law 861.

7. EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE WITH FINLAND

Finland is the only country which has kept up the payments on its World War I debt to the United States. Up to the summer of 1949 Finland had paid $8,393,665.40 in principal and interest on a debt of $8,281,926.17 and would have to make future payments of $13,408,207.76 up to 1984 to liquidate the debt. Senator Smith of New Jersey introduced a resolution (S. J. Res. 166 in the 80th Cong. and S. J. Res. 3 in the 81st Cong.) which, as a gesture of good will, provided that future debt payments by Finland shall be used for educational and scientific exchange in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Smith-Mundt Act.

There were no special legislative problems encountered in the

passage of this resolution.

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Reported in Senate, July 21, 1949 (S. J. Senate Report 740.
Res. 3).

Passed Senate, August 9, 1949.
Reported in House, August 5, 1949 (H. J.
Res. 87).

Passed House, August 15, 1949 (S. J.
Res. 3).

Signed by President, August 24, 1949--

See Congressional Record, same date.
House Report 1195.

See Congressional Record, same date.

Public Law 265.

8. INTERCUSTODIAL AGREEMENTS INVOLVING ENEMY PROPERTY

As an aftermath of World War II, there have developed a number of disagreements with respect to the claims of Allied and neutral governments to enemy assets which were blocked or seized during the war. For example, a German external asset in Belgium, seized by the Alien Property Custodian of that country, may in part be owned by an American citizen, in which case there may be disagreement as to the disposition of the seized property. In order to enable the governments concerned to settle these conflicts without resort to litigation, the Department of State requested legislation authorizing this Government to enter into agreements with countries with which we were not at war to arrange for their expeditious settlement. A specific agreement was submitted for approval in 1948 (the Brussels Agreement) along with a request for authority to conclude similar agreements in the future, but because of the pressure of other business Congress did not act upon it. The proposal was resubmitted in February 1949. Although the Department had originally requested approval of a specific agreement the bill which passed, House Joint Resolution 516, was a general authorization to conclude agreements for the purpose of speeding up the settlement of the type of intergovernmental disagreements described above. Certain general standards to guide the Executive in the conclusion of these agreements were set forth in the legislation.

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9. AMENDING THE PHILIPPINE PROPERTY ACT

The Philippine Property Act of 1946 set up the Philippine Alien Property Administration, which seized or vested all enemy-owned property in the Philippines. In many cases there have been claims that property acquired during the war by Japanese was acquired under duress and claimants have sought administrative settlements from the Philippine Alien Property Administration. These claimants had the right under the Philippine Property Act and the Trading With the Enemy Act, as amended, to appeal decisions of the Administration to the Philippine courts any time within 2 years of the seizure or vesting of the property, not counting the time during which a claim for return of the property was pending before the Administration. Such suits, therefore, may be going on for some years. The Philippine Alien Property Administration, however, has been desirous of winding up its operations in the Philippines and the General Appropriations Act, 1951 provides that it shall cease on June 30, 1951. To protect the rights of claimants, it was necessary to offer them another avenue of appeal before the Philippine Alien Property Administration went out of existence. This was done by H. R. 8546 which provided that 90 days after its enactment, all suits brought against the Philippine Alien Property Administration must be brought in courts of the United States instead of Philippine courts as has been the case since 1946. The committee reported the House bill on September 20, but the Senate took no action on it prior to adjourning on September 23, 1950.

Dates

Letter from the Philippine Alien Prop-
erty Administrator, April 20, 1950.
Reported in House, August 26, 1950
Passed House, August 30, 1950___.
Reported in Senate, September 20, 1950.

Documents

Not printed.

House Report 3008.

See Congressional Record, same date.
Senate Report 2576.

N. INTERNATIONAL COMMODITY AGREEMENTS

With improvements in methods of agricultural production and specialization in crops, some countries now raise commodities such as wheat, rubber, coffee, and sugar far in excess of their needs. Other countries are unable to turn out these commodities either in sufficient quantity to satisfy their needs, or, in some instances, at all. Both types of countries have found it, therefore, profitable to enter into marketing agreements whereby the producers will be assured of a market at a fair price for their surplus commodities, while the consumers are conversely assured of a contracted supply of the commodity at a fair price. Such commodity agreements have been entered into with increasing frequency since the world depression. During the Eighty-first Congress, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations was concerned only with two international commodity agreements which are discussed below.

1. INTERNATIONAL WHEAT AGREEMENT OF 1949

For many years ways have been sought for the stabilization of the international wheat market so that countries with a surplus wheat crop could be assured of its disposal to countries in short supply at agreed upon and equitable prices. Several temporary arrangements were entered into in the early 1930's, but no permanent arrangement was devised. In 1948, during the Eightieth Congress, however, when wartime needs for food were falling off and the market looked as though it might be unstable for the next few years, an international wheat agreement was negotiated and sent to the Senate for its advice and

consent.

A subcommittee under the chairmanship of Senator Lodge held hearings on the agreement. The full committee reported it to the Senate but did not ask for its consideration during the Eightieth Congress. Because of time limitations in the agreement and ques tions that had arisen during committee consideration, a new agreement was negotiated and sent to the Senate in early 1949. A subcommittee under the chairmanship of Senator Thomas of Utah was appointed to consider the new agreement. It held a public hearing and reported the agreement to the full committee for favorable action. The full committee and subsequently the Senate advised and consented to ratification of the new agreement.

This 4-year agreement signed by both exporting and importing nations, provides for an annual guaranteed wheat trade of 456,000,000 bushels, of which the United States export quota is 168,000,000 bushels. This means that the United States pledged that it will export at least that amount of wheat annually and that importing nations guarantee to buy this wheat. A maximum price of $1.80 per bushel is set and a minimum price ranging from $1.50 to $1.20.

Dates

Signed in Washington, March 6, 1948---
Transmitted to Senate, April 30, 1948

Public hearings in Senate, May 14, 15,
and 17, 1948.

Reported in Senate, August 6, 1948

Revised and signed, March 23, 1949-
Transmitted to Senate, April 19, 1949---

Public hearings in Senate, May 19, 23,
1949.

Reported in Senate, June 6, 1949.

Documents

Executive F, Eightieth Congress,
second session.
Printed hearings.

Executive Report 12, Eightieth Con-
gress, second session.

Executive M, Eighty-first Congress,

first session. Printed hearings.

Executive Report 7, Eighty-first Congress, first session.

Approved by Senate, June 13, 1949 See Congressional Record, same date.

2. PROTOCOLS PROLONGING THE INTERNATIONAL SUGAR AGREEMENT

The international agreement regarding the regulation of production and marketing of sugar was signed in London on May 6, 1937, to be in effect for a period of 5 years. It was extended in 1942, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, and 1948, principally to keep the framework of the agreement operative while a new agreement could be negotiated. During the Eighty-first Congress, the Senate twice extended the sugar agreement. During the first session, Senator Lodge as chairman of a subcommittee of two, studied the protocol extending the agreement and recommended its approval. During the second session the full committee considered the protocol and reported it favorably to the Senate. Both protocols were passed by the Senate without objection.

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Signed August 31, 1949.

Transmitted to Senate, February 3, 1950. Executive G, Eighty-first Congress,

Reported to Senate, May 19, 1950

Approved by Senate, July 6, 1950

second session.

Senate Executive Report 1, Eightyfirst Congress, second session. Congressional Record, July 6, 1950.

APPENDIX

Public

APPENDIX I

List of bills and resolutions enacted into law

Law Date approved Number of bill
No.-

22 Mar, 23, 1949

S. J. Res. 56

25 Mar. 24, 1949

S. J. Res. 36.

47 Apr. 19, 1949 73 May 26, 1949

S. 1209..
S. 1704_

136 June 28, 1949

H. R. 4392

H. R. 1360.

170 July 14, 1949

H. R. 2785..

198 Aug. 2, 1949 200...do..

244 .....do.....

Title of bill

Extending an invitation to the International Olympic Com
mittee to hold the 1956 Olympic Games at Detroit, Mich,
For the authorization of a special contribution by the United
States for the relief of Palestine refugees.

To amend the Economic Cooperation Act of 1948.

To strengthen and improve the organization and administra tion of the Department of State.

To provide for the payment of a sum not to exceed $10,607,000 to the Swiss Government as partial compensation for damage inflicted on Swiss territory during World War II by United States armed forces in violation of neutral rights, and suthorizing appropriations therefor.

To provide for further contributions to the International Children's Emergency Fund.

To extend the times for commencing the construction of a free bridge across the Rio Grande at or near Del Rio, Tex.

H. R. 4022. To extend the time for commencing the construction of a toll bridge across the Rio Grande at or near Rio Grande City, Tex., to July 31, 1950.

H. J. Res. 208.

To amend the joint resolution creating the Niagara Falls
Bridge Commission, approved June 16, 1938.

251 Aug. 19, 1949 S. J. Res. 79 Authorizing Federal participation in the International Exposi

tion for the Bicentennial of the Founding of Port-au-Prince, Republic of Haiti, 1949.

265 Aug. 24, 1949 S. J. Res. 3. To provide that any future payments by the Republic of Fin

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land on the principal or interest of its debt of the First World War to the United States shall be used to provide educational and technical instruction and training in the United States for citizens of Finland.

Extending the Institute of Inter-American Affairs.

To amend the Philippine Rehabilitation Act of 1946.
To authorize the carrying out of the provisions of art. 7 of the
treaty of Feb. 3, 1944, between the United States and Mexion.
regarding the joint development of hydroelectric power at
Falcon Dam, on the Rio Grande, and for other purposes.

329 Oct. 6, 1949 H. R. 5895 To promote the foreign policy and provide for the defense and

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general welfare of the United States by furnishing military assistance to foreign nations.

To amend the United Nations Participation Act of 1945, Providing for a location survey for a railroad connecting the existing railroad system serving the United States an Canada and terminating at Prince George, British Columbis, Canada, with the railroad system serving Alaska and term nating at Fairbanks, Alaska.

To promote world peace and the general welfare, national interest, and foreign policy of the United States by providing economic aid to the Republic of Korea.

To provide for the settlement of certain claims of the Govern-
ment of the United States on its own behalf and on behalf of
American nationals against foreign governments.

To amend the Economic Cooperation Act of 1948 as amended.
To amend the Mutual Defense Assistance Act of 1949.

To return to Mexico the flags, etc., that were captured by the
United States during the Mexican War.

H. J. Res. 453. Authorizing the President to invite the States of the Union
and foreign countries to participate in the first United States
International Trade Fair to be held at Chicago, III., Aug. 7
through 20, 1950,

722 Aug. 19, 1950 H. R. 8944 Authorizing the Ogdensburg Bridge Authority, its successors

and assigns, to construct, maintain, and operate a bridge across the St. Lawrence River at or near the city of Ogden burg, N. V.

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