No particular problems were encountered in floor consideration of the bill which passed the Senate on July 6, 1949. In conference, however, the amount authorized for the 5-year period was fixed at $35,000,000. This was a compromise between a figure of $40,000,000 in the House-passed bill and the figure of $25,000,000 in the Senate bill. Main provisions. As enacted into law, the bill provided:

1. For the extension of the life of the Institute for an additional 5 years, until June 30, 1955.

2. Authorization for appropriations of $35,000,000 over this period. 3. Forward contracting authority for contracts not to extend beyond June 30, 1955.

Transmitted to Congress, February 21, See appendix in Senate Report 594. 1949.

During the Seventy-ninth and Eightieth Congresses considerable attention was given to legislation concerned with the United States joining a number of postwar international organizations. During the Eighty-first Congress the committee was more concerned with matters growing out of our participation in the new international organizations. United States membership in postwar international organizations was augmented by legislation authorizing the acceptance of membership in the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization and the World Meteorological Organization. Membership in the International Trade Organization was the subject of hearing before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, but no hearings were held in the Senate and no final action was taken on the ITO Charter by the House.

After several years experience as a member of the United Nations and the specialized agencies, there was some stock taking. This resulted in the passage of amendments to the United Nations Participation Act, the raising of the ceilings on United States appropriations to certain international organizations, and the careful consideration. of proposals for strengthening the United Nations by revision of the Charter. Furthermore 4 years of United Nations activity and operations of the specialized agencies resulted in a number of items requiring congressional consideration. These included the Convention on Genocide, the Convention on Road Traffic, the Convention on Safety of Life at Sea, and others which are touched on in more detail in the immediately following sections. United Nations programs for international economic assistance-namely the programs for technical assistance, for Palestine refugees, and for international children's welfare work-have already been discussed in the preceding section.

1. REVISION OF THE UNITED NATIONS CHARTER

Background.-Since 1947, the increasing concern of the American people at the rising tensions in the world had been evidenced in part by the number of resolutions that have been introduced calling for strengthening the United Nations, the creation of an Atlantic Union, or the establishment of a World Federation. During the Eightieth Congress, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee gave careful consideration to the subject of international cooperation and reported out Senate Resolution 239, the Vandenberg resolution. One of the outgrowths of that resolution, the North Atlantic Treaty, has been described above. That part of Senate Resolution 239 calling for specific steps to strengthen the United Nations has been of great assistance to the United States Government in seeking to implement those objectives in the United Nations.

Late in the first session of the Eighty-first Congress, Chairman Connally created a subcommittee under the chairmanship of Senator Elbert D. Thomas of Utah, to consider the resolutions that had been referred to the committee. Notice was given that public hearings would be held on the resolutions early during the second session. The committee had before it the following resolutions:

Senate Concurrent Resolution 12, favoring the political federation of Europe; Senate Concurrent Resolution 52, favoring a supplementary agreement of members of the United Nations to aid signatories in case of attack; Senate Resolution 133, favoring certain objectives in the implementation of the North Atlantic Treaty; Senate Concurrent Resolution 56, favoring the strengthening of the United Nations and its development into a world federation; Senate Concurrent Resolution 57, inviting the democracies which sponsored the North Atlantic Treaty to name delegates to a federal convention; Senate Concurrent Resolution 66, favoring action looking to the adoption of a world government constitution; and Senate Concurrent Resolution 72, favoring strengthening the United Nations.

Legislative action.-Public hearings were opened on February 2, 1950, with a statement by Senator Thomas that it was the intention of the subcommittee "to prepare an authoritative report showing exactly where we stand with respect to this matter of international organization and just what is involved for the American people in the various suggestions that have been made. * Extensive hearings were held. In all, the subcommittee heard 77 witnesses, and received statements from an additional 81 individuals or organizations.

* *

The hearings were organized so that the proponents of each of the resolutions had ample opportunity to present their views. Thereupon, the Department of State was asked to comment in public session on each of the resolutions that were before the subcommittee. Finally, the subcommittee heard members of the public who wished to comment on any or all of the resolutions under consideration.

When the hearings were completed, the subcommittee considered whether any of the resolutions should be reported favorably or whether the subcommittee should prepare a resolution of its own. The subcommittee believed that it could best serve the public interest by the preparation of a comprehensive report on the pending resolutions and on the successes and failures of the United Nations to date. It was

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not felt that there was a sufficient consensus of opinion in support of any of the pending resolutions to warrant action by the Senate. Furthermore, the outbreak of violence in Korea brought imponderable factors to bear on the whole problem and created a situation which many witnesses did not have in mind at the time of their appearance before the committee.

On September 1, the subcommittee report was considered by the full Senate Committee on Foreign Relations which voted to approve the report and transmit it to the Senate for its information.

Public hearings in Senate, February 2, Printed hearings.

3, 6, 8, 9, 13, 15, 17, 20, and May 24

and 25, 1950.

Report made to Senate, September 1, Senate Report 2501. 1950.

2. AMENDMENT OF THE UNITED NATIONS PARTICIPATION ACT OF 1945

Background. During the Eightieth Congress, the Department of State on the basis of 21⁄2 years' experience of participation in the United Nations, proposed several amendments to the United Nations Participation Act of 1945 (Public Law 264, 79th Cong.). The Senate passed a bill (S. 2518, 80th Cong.) which was reported out by the House Committee on Foreign Relations as a part of an omnibus United Nations bill (H. R. 6802) covering such matters as the headquarters loan to the UN and privileges and immunities for personnel of the United Nations. This bill was not acted upon by the House, before the adjournment of the Eightieth Congress.

On February 7, 1949, the Secretary of State requested the Eightyfirst Congress to consider proposed amendments of the Participation Act, substantially the same as those approved by the Senate a year earlier. The main purpose of the amendments proposed by the Secretary of State was to add greater flexibility to the United States representation in the Security Council and to strengthen United States representation to the United Nations so it could meet the increased volume of work at New York.

Congressional action.-No particular difficulties were encountered in connection with action on the legislation.

Main provisions.-This law as passed, established a new position of deputy representative of the United States to the United Nations. It provided that both the representative and the deputy representative were to have the rank of ambassador and designated them as the principal representatives of the United States to the Security Council with authority to serve ex officio as United States representatives on any organ of the United Nations except the specialized agencies. The bill further provided that those officers of the Department of State subject to senatorial confirmation, might be selected by the President to represent the United States in the Security Council for a limited time under special circumstances. The bill also authorized the President, when he deems it consistent with the national interest, (1) to detail personnel of the Armed Forces of the United States to serve in a noncombatant capacity with the United Nations and (2) to furnish the United Nations on a reimbursable basis, in connection with any authorized activity, supplies, equipment, or other assistance.

Signed by President, October 10, 1949. Public Law 341.

3. RAISING UNITED STATES CONTRIBUTIONS TO CERTAIN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Background. When the United States accepted membership in some international organizations, but not all, Congress placed a ceiling on the annual appropriations authorized as our contribution to them. These ceilings were generally based upon the United States share of the first year's budget of the organization. As these organizations became going concerns, their operations grew, as did their budgets. Since almost all assessments are fixed in terms of percentages of the total budget, the United States share of contributions increased also, but the statutory ceiling on these contributions made the United States unable to fulfill its obligations. This has actually occurred in the case of one organization, the American International Institute for the Protection of Childhood, and was about to occur in the case of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Labor Organization, (ILO), and the South Pacific Commission.

Legislative action.-Early in the Eighty-first Congress, the Secretary of State asked that the ceilings imposed on the five organizations named above be removed completely. When the House considered this matter and reported out a bill (H. J. Res. 334) it proposed that the ceilings be raised but not removed. After passage by the House, the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate carefully examined the proposals to learn whether the raise in the ceilings was warranted. The committee adopted an amendment to make it clear that all United States contributions to the normal operations of the named international organizations are to be covered by the ceiling. The amendment recognized, however, that there may be occasions when special or unusual activities by the organizations may make it necessary for the United States to make contributions that would not be covered by the ceilings. The amendment also requires that all United States contributions to international organizations are to be made through the Department of State.

The resolution, as amended by the Foreign Relations Committee, was passed by both Houses in September 1950.

Main provisions.-The resolution raises the limitations imposed by statute on the financial contributions of the United States to the five international organizations mentioned above according to the table below.

Organization

Statutory limitation

Limitations recommended under House
Joint Resolution 334

American International Institute for $2,000 per annum.... $24,000 for United States contributions Protection of Childhood.

An

from July 1, 1946, to June 30, 1949. nual contribution not to exceed $10,000. $2,000,000 per annum.

4. CONVENTION ON THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL MARITIME CONSULTATIVE ORGANIZATION

Background. For a number of years it has been apparent that there is a need for an organization able to deal with world-wide shipping problems. During the last two wars, wartime international agencies, including as members those States with substantial shipping interests, have been created. After World War II, the United States took the initiative in keeping alive the concept of a world shipping organization capable of dealing with intergovernmental shipping problems related to safety, business practices, economic factors in shipping, and other matters.

Under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, a United Nations Maritime Conference met in Geneva in February 1948. The United States was represented at the conference by a delegation that included not only Government officials, but representatives of the interests of shipowners. That Conference drew up the Convention which the President submitted to the Senate for its advice and consent on June 18, 1948.

Senate action.-The Foreign Relations Committee considered the Convention early in the Eighty-first Congress when a subcommittee was created under the chairmanship of Senator Tydings. A public hearing was held during which some objections to the Convention were voiced and on May 16, 1950, the subcommittee reported the Convention with one reservation to the full committee. This reservation, recommended by the President, was for the purpose of making it clear that the Convention is not to be construed as in any way altering domestic antitrust statutes or domestic law on business practices. On May 16, 1950, the full committee ordered the Convention reported favorably to the Senate, with the reservation noted and the Senate ratified the Convention with the reservation on June 27, 1950.