The witchweed, a parasitic plant which causes severe dwarfing of corn and related plants, does its damage below ground, penetrating the roots and depriving its host of nutrients and water. It is believed to inject into the host-plant roots some substance that interferes with the normal growth of the plants it attacks.

This harmless-looking weed-it seldom grows more than a few inches above ground-is a scourge of corn and sorghum in South Africa and a serious pest of rice, sugarcane, and other crops in the Far East. The Union of South Africa has reported that it does more damage to corn in that country than fungus diseases and insects com

bined.

Mr. ABERNETHY. In what sections have you located this weed?

Dr. CLARKSON. That is found in southeastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina, in adjacent counties, about 5 counties in those 2 States 4 counties in each, I beg your pardon.

Mr. ABERNETHY. Do you think it is possible for it to grow in any section of the country?

Dr. CLARKSON. Any section where corn can be grown, as far as we know, this witch weed will also thrive.

Mr. ABERNETHY. When did you first locate it?

Dr. CLARKSON. This was first located last fall, I believe the month was October, that it was identified. As is the case so many times when these foreign pests do come into this country, they are not seen; they are not identified, and it has gained some establishment before it is recognized.

The farmers in the area, looking back, and the county agent realized that they have had trouble with their corn crop in an increasing amount in quite a number of these fields. They had observed this weed which may grow next to the plant or it may grow out in the center of the row. They did not realize that it was different from any other weed that might grow in the cornfield. It was only this past fall through joint discussions with the research people in North Carolina, our own research people, one of whom had been in Africa and had seen this plant there, and a foreign exchange student who happened to be in the area, together they recognized it for what it was and then as they looked into it, they found that it was this parasitic plant.

Mr. ABERNETHY. Proceed, sir.

Dr. CLARKSON. Our scientists believe that if witch weed became widespread in this country it may destroy more corn than the European corn borer, and its control will be more difficult and costly. Furthermore, it is known to attack summer-grown small grains, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, and some pasture grasses which are widely grown in this country.

The witch weed has caused severe damage in the few cornfields it has infested in the Carolinas. In the same areas it has been found also in fields planted to other crops, along roadsides, and on vacant land. Although witchweed has been observed in association with tobacco, peanuts, beans, peas, sweet potatoes, and other crops not related to grasses, it does not parasitize these crops and so does them no damage. Crabgrass or other grasses growing in fields of nonsusceptible crops will cause witchweed seeds to germinate and produce new plants that serve to spread infestation. A single witchweed may produce up to

half a million microscopic seeds. These tiny seeds may be carried by the wind, by movement of the infested soil and by other means. The seeds will not germinate except in association with host plants.

The discussion just previous in regard to alternate host plants has meaning with respect to one of the prospective means of control. These seeds will lie dormant in the soil for many years if no host plant is grown there.

A number of these alternate host plants give hope of a process whereby the seeds may be caused to germinate and then through tillage practices the plant destroyed before it can produce further seeds.

But in any event, it is essential in the areas where this weed exists, that no further of these weeds be allowed to grow above ground and germinate and produce more seeds.

To sum up our views on this legislation, Mr. Chairman, title II of the bill broadens the authority of the Department to cooperate with the States and local groups in the prevention, suppression, control, and eradication of insect plants, plant diseases, and nematodes.

Title I of the bill is a necessary corollary to that authority in that it clarifies and supports the Department's authority to prevent the further introduction of foreign pests into this country and prevent the interstate spread of those which may gain entrance.

In other words, the title I authority is gaged to reduce the number of introductions of foreign pests which require the kind of action and expenditures of public funds which are necessary under title II. We think the two titles of the bill are equally important.

In the case of the fire ant which has been discussed at great length today, we need this authority in order to be able to work out with the State departments of agriculture, the county and parish governments and the local groups, methods of preventing further spread of, suppression of outlying infestation; then we hope the eventual eradication of the pest. But it will be a long, hard program and this authority is necessary for us to get started.

Mr. ABERNETHY. Doctor, on this fire ant, to what areas in the United States do you think this ant might spread? Climate is the controlling factor, I assume.

Dr. CLARKSON. Well

Mr. ABERNETHY. To what areas could it spread, I will put it that way. It seems, I think it is very clear from your testimony that witchweed and the soybean cyst nematode can move to any part of the United States where the crops are grown that it attacks.

Now, what do you say about the fire ant?

Dr. CLARKSON. The fire ant has been known to live extremely well in warm or temperate climates. We do not know what the farthest northward spread might be, but it is our belief that it would spread to any part of the United States where farming is conducted; and that is not based on research but is based on observations.

The pest builds enormous colonies or homes which extend not only to a distance of 2 or 3 feet above ground in some instances, but also to an extent of 3, 4, or 5 feet below ground, far below the frost level in our farming areas, in most cases.

So that while its scene of action and the numbers of generations. that might be produced in a year would be severely reduced in the northern climates, it is our belief that it could become established and

be a pest of agriculture anywhere in the United States where farming is conducted.

I would like to say that in regard to Congressman Roberts' question earlier about Tennessee, that we do have a map which shows the extreme southwestern corner of Tennessee marked as showing an infestation. Somehow we had not gotten that on our other maps. I cannot account for the discrepancy right now, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. ABERNATHY. Any questions from members of the committee? Mr. GRANT. Doctor, in the event this legislation is enacted, and of course I appreciate the fact that what you do would be dependent upon local States and local groups, cooperation that your Department receives from them, but could you give us any estimate to the time necessary after legislation were enacted and also appropriations were made, how long before you could move into this situation insofar as fire ants are concerned?

Dr. CLARKSON. Mr. Grant, that is a little difficult to answer but I think that we can give a generally reassuring answer.

The work that has been done, and in cooperation with the States of the South in the control and eradication of the white-fringe beetle, has shown that the same practices which will eradicate the white-fringe beetle will eradicate the fire ant, so that this year we are insofar as we are able, in the direction of the white-fringe beetle program, trying to take in as much fire-ant territory-in other words, the two areas overlap and where we can get both, we will.

The next step beyond that, to move into a program of prevention of further spread of the fire ant is one that has to be worked out step by step with the States.

A beginning was made last week with the State plant board officials meeting in Mobile. We think that it would not take very long to get various provisions into effect.

I am not able to say now just what they would be. They must be worked out reasonably, in such a way as to allow commerce to continue, but still to slow down the spread of this pest.

Then our next effort would be toward the elimination of outlying infestations.

Meanwhile, working with county, parish, and other local governments in the greatest degree of coordinated self help to cut down the effects of the infestations in the heavily infested areas, but our efforts would be aimed at prevention of spread, eradication of outlying infestations, the offering of our services where they are wanted by the States for coordination of local efforts, and the eventual eradication, closing in on it, eradication of the pest.

Mr. GRANT. Just a step further.

May I ask you if you could at this time state what would, if any, be the recommendations of the Department as to cooperative help on the destruction of the areas where they now have the worst infestation? Treatment, I should say, I guess.

Dr. CLARKSON. There is no question about the position of the Department in giving the greatest amount of help that we can within the resources that are available to us. I cannot predict what the attitude would be or what the askings might be for appropriations. That would have to come after a thorough review of the procedures needed and the extent and character of the self help from the States and

local groups. This will require the utmost in efforts on the part of all concerned.

Mr. GRANT. I appreciate that fact. Thank you, sir.

Mr. ABERNETHY. Are there any other questions from members of the committee?

Mr. HEIMBURGER. Dr. Clarkson, you had something to do with a little eradication program in Mexico, did you not?

Dr. CLARKSON. Yes, sir.

Mr. HEIMBURGER. Yes, sir. For those members of the committee who might not happen to know it, Dr. Clarkson has had a large part of the responsibility for the program which eradicated foot-andmouth disease in Mexico.

I wanted to ask you a question or two about the bill, Dr. Clarkson, H. R. 3476.

At the beginning of page 3, section 104, relating to the mailing of this material, it first says that it cannot be mailed, and then that nothing shall authorize anybody to open any letter or sealed matter to find out whether it is in there or not, and then the subsection (c): The prohibitions of this Act shall not apply to any employee of the United States in the performance of his duties in handling mail.

What does that all add up to?

Dr. CLARKSON. In the first place, these things cannot be mailed without the accompanying permit which we discussed a while ago.

In (b), our surveillance of that form of shipment must be in accord with the existing postal laws and regulations. We work with the Post Office Department in regard to surveillance of mailings into this country of various prohibited agricultural materials the virus of foot-and-mouth disease, to revert back to previous discussion.

We have a rather smoothly worked out cooperative arrangement with the Post Office Department. This language was cleared with them.

The item (c), the prohibition of this act shall not apply to any employee of the United States in the performance of his duties in handling mail, it is my understanding that that item is so that an employee of the Department might, in an emergency, handle mail from one place to another without this permit.

Mr. HEIMBURGER. An employee of your department, of the Department of Agriculture?

Dr. CLARKSON. Yes.

Mr. ABERNETHY. John, will you yield there? I think the regulations and laws of the Post Office Department would probably permit them to open the package.

Dr. CLARKSON. That is correct.

Mr. ABERNETHY. What you are trying to do here is to avoid trespassing upon the prerogatives of the post office by the insertion of subsection (b) on page 4.

Dr. CLARKSON. That is right.

Mr. ABERNETHY. As I interpret it, it is the custom and practice for the post-office employee to make an inquiry very frequently, of what the package contains? I think if he has any doubt about it, he would have the right to open.

Dr. CLARKSON. They have certain rights and duties in that connection and as we do now, where we have authority of this kind on im

ports, to the extent that they apply, we work with the post-office authorities, but they are the ones who have the authority for opening of mail. We work with them giving technical advice as to the disposal of things that are found.

This was intended to indicate that no different arrangement would be employed by this act.

In other words, we do not want authority to go out and tamper with the mails.

Mr. HEIMBURGER. This is, you say, a restatement of the existing law?

Dr. CLARKSON. It is broadened to cover the broadened definition and coverages of this act. That is the reason for its being in here, yes, sir.

Mr. HEIMBURGER. Let us turn to page 9, Doctor, section 110, where you make this amendment to the act approved January 31, 1942.

Now, that is the only amendment made to this Mexican Border Act, is it not, just providing that these inspectors do not have to scrub out the cars themselves.

Dr. CLARKSON. That is right.

Mr. HEIMBURGER. You repeal completely, the act, the Mollusk Act? Dr. CLARKSON. Yes, sir.

Mr. HEIMBURGER. And the act of March 3, 1905, is in section 111. Dr. CLARKSON. That is the Insect Pest Act.

Mr. HEIMBERGER. But you do not even amend the Plant Quarantine Act, is that correct?

Dr. CLARKSON. No, sir.

Mr. HEIMBURGER. Just one more thing, Mr. Chairman.

Turning back to page 8, Doctor, in that section at the top of the page, you have authorized an employee of the Department when properly identified, to stop a vehicle and search it without a warrant, to search a person without a warrant, and then you go a litte further, over on page 8, and give them authority to enter premises without a warrant, and conduct a search. Do you consider that authority absolutely essential to carrying out this objective?

Dr. CLARKSON. Well, we do. Materials and things are sometimes placed in storage during the course of importation or interstate transport. We have no desire to get into a dwelling house or dwelling houses and areas of that kind as indicated by its limitation.

Mr. HEIMBURGER. Do you have that authority now?

Dr. CLARKSON. In this authority that is spelled out.

Mr. HEIMBURGER. Yes, the search provisions as far as places are concerned.

Dr. CLARKSON. That is another area where it is not spelled out in the current language, Mr. Heimburger.

Mr. HEIMBURGER. Of course, the right of personal property to be immune to search without a proper warrant is one of the basic elements of our, not only of our Constitution, but of our Anglo-Saxon law, and I just wonder.

I would like for you to consider it just very seriously whether you feel you need the broad authority granted here which has been granted only in a very few cases.

Dr. CLARKSON. Yes.