osophically at least, you have given us a very good statement of your views.

I want to ask you this: I know you as an expert in the details of this matter before us that we call the trade-agreements program. Are you going to be available if we need you or want you later for questioning? Mr. STRACKBEIN. Yes, sir; I will hold myself available.

Mr. JENKINS. In reference to some of these details?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. Yes.

Mr. JENKINS. Now, then, I am very much impressed with what you say on the bottom of page 2. As we know, for the last 40 or 50 years we have had in this country, and before that, a problem that we call tariff for revenue. It seems like that is passing out now, because, according to your figures here, the whole tariff on all imports has been only about 5 percent of the dollar volume.

Mr. STRACKBEIN. Yes; the collections in 1952 were approximately $575 million, from import duties.

Mr. JENKINS. Yes. Now, then, I am not going to ask you any more questions than this.

Mr. STRACKBEIN. And that is somewhat less than 1 percent of our total tax collections, I might add.

Mr. JENKINS. This catchy phrase, "Trade, not aid"—according to these figures, we have given them not only all our trade but we have also about given them all our aid. We have aided until we have traded ourselves out. And it does look to me as though it is time for us to halt and look after our own business before we get too far extended. That is all, Mr. Chairman.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Boggs?

Mr. BOGGS. Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask a few questions.

Mr. Witness, I notice in the beginning of your statement you say: My appearance before you is in my capacity both as chairman of the newly formed Nationwide Committee of Industry, Agriculture, and Labor. *

Now, what segment of industry do you speak for?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. Such segments, Mr. Boggs, as are represented by the organizations that appeared at the meeting and that have become or are becoming members or agree with the statement of principles and declaration of policy that we made. I have inserted into the record a list of these organizations. I would be glad to read them to you if you want to hear them.

Mr. BOGGS. You do not speak for the United States Chamber of Commerce, do you?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. No; the United States Chamber of Commerce was not at our meetings.

Mr. BOGGS. Do you speak for the National Manufacturers Association?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. I do not.

Mr. BOGGS. You also refer to agriculture. What segments of agriculture do you speak for?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. At this meeting, going down the list and picking out the agricultural producers, were the California Almond Growers Exchange, the American National Cattlemen's Association, the California Fig Institute, the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, the National Federation of Grain Cooperatives, the National Association

of Hot House Vegetable Growers, the National Independent Meat Packers Association, the Western States Meat Packers Association. Now, the National Milk Producers Federation was there, but I do not want to say that I speak for them.

The Mushroom Institute, the Northwest Nut Growers Association, the Sun-Kist Growers, the Basic Vegetable Products, Inc., the California Walnut Growers Association, the Wine Institute, the National Wool Growers Association, the Pacific Wool Growers.

That is all I find in the line of agriculture.

Mr. BOGGS. Do you speak for the Farm Bureau Federation?

Mr. STRACK BEIN. No.

Mr. BOGGS. Do you speak for the National Grange?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. No.

Mr. BOGGS. Now, I notice you also mention labor. Do you speak for the American Federation of Labor?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. The American Federation of Labor speaks for itself. I speak for some of the unions that are affiliated with the American Federation of Labor.

Mr. BOGGS. But you do not speak for the American Federation of Labor?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. I do not purport to speak for the American Federation of Labor.

Mr. BOGGS. Do you purport to speak for the CIO?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. No.

Mr. BOGGS. Do you purport to speak for any other nationally organized labor groups?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. The United Mine Workers are a member of this nationwide committee.

Mr. BOGGS. Now, what is the Foreign Oil Policy Committee?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. That is a question that I think would best be answered by the National Coal Association and the Independent Petroleum Associations who are interested in that matter. Mr. BOGGS. Are you a member of that organization?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. I am a member of it, a member of the executive committee.

Mr. BOGGS. Well, do you speak for the Foreign Oil Policy Committee?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. I do not speak for it. I am a member of it.
Mr. BOGGS. But you are not representing them here today?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. The United Mine Workers-I think you will find someone representing the United Mine Workers on that list. I believe you will. That is my impression, anyhow. I do speak for them in this particular field of tariffs and trade. And also the National Coal Association.

Mr. BOGGS. I do not want to interrupt you, but I do not quite understand your answer. You say you do not speak for the Foreign Oil Policy Committee, but that the United Mine Workers will speak for

Mr. STRACKBEIN. No; this Oil Policy Committee will speak for itself. I am not authorized to speak for them. The National Coal Association is a member of this nationwide committee. So are the United Mine Workers.

Mr. BOGGS. Well, you are a member of the executive committee of the Foreign Oil Policy Committee. What is the Foreign Oil Policy Committee?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. It is a committee that has been established to consider the problems, and to try to find a remedy, caused by the heavy importation of residual fuel oils.

Mr. BOGGS. And who is it made up of?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. I don't have with me a list of members, but it is made up of the coal industry, and I think of the independent oil producers, not the large oil producers, not the big companies, but the independent oil producers, and the United Mine Workers, and perhaps some related industries that are affected by the conditions in the coal-mining industry and in the independent petroleum industry. Now, I don't have the names. I think that they will testify. I think that you will have an opportunity of gaining from them the list of their membership. I don't think they have anything to hide.

Mr. BOGGS. Now, if my memory serves me correctly, you have testified before the committee on previous occasions with respect to the Trade Agreements Act.

Mr. STRACKBEIN. I have; yes.

Mr. BOGGS. It seems to me that you testified in 1949; did you not? Mr. STRACKBEIN. If that was one of the years in which the extension of Trade Agreements Act came up, I would say "Yes."

Mr. BOGGS. Have you testified each year that it has come up

Mr. STRACKBEIN. I have; that is, since 1948, or 1947.

Mr. BOGGS. Have you ever testified in favor of the Trade Agreements Act?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. I have never testified against it.

Mr. BOGGS. Well, maybe I should rephrase my question. Have you ever testified for a straight extension of the Trade Agreements Act as written at that particular time?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. I have never thought that the Trade Agreements Act as it had been written was perfect. I have always felt that it needed modification and amendment. So I have on every occasion, so far as I know when I have testified, made suggestions which I thought would improve the act.

Mr. BOGGS. Are you familiar with the speech that Assistant Secretary of State Morton made in New Orleans last week?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. I certainly am familiar with it.

Mr. BOGGS. Do you agree with the expressions contained in that address?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. I disagree almost totally with that speech.

Mr. BOGGS. Would you say that Mr. Morton spoke for the administration?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. That I would like to know, and shall launch some inquiries to find out.

Mr. BOGGS. You say you have launched some inquiries to find out? Mr. STRACKBEIN. I intend to. I would be very much surprised if Mr. Morton's speech actually reflected the policy of the administration in this field. Ì say that in view of the President's message to Congress on the state of the Union, his inaugural address, and the statements that he has made to the press.

Mr. BOGGS. Well, now, I would just like to read a paragraph or two from his speech. He said, on page 6 of the copy which I have:

President Eisenhower, recognizing the dangers, and aware of the need for trade to strengthen the economic foundations of the free world, has recommended to Congress the extension for 1 year of the present Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act as an interim measure.

Do you think that he was speaking without authority when he said that?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. No; I think Mr. Morton is making a statement of fact, that the President has asked a 1-year extension of the present so-called reciprocal trade agreements law. I think Mr. Morton is making a statement of fact. The President did ask for such an extension. But that, Mr. Congressman, is not the whole of Mr. Morton's speech. Because he is right in this one paragraph does not make him right in the many other paragraphs.

Mr. BOGGS. He says on page 7:

You are probably all aware that hearings will begin on April 22—
Of course, that was before we put the hearings off until today—

before the House Ways and Means Committee to decide which of the crossroads the United States shall take in its trade policies. The hearings will be held on a bill which could tear the vitals out of the present Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act.

Is that the bill that you are testifying in favor of?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. I don't recognize it by his description, but I assume he is talking about the same bill. Would you mind reading the next sentence?

Mr. BocGs. Now, mind you, I am reading from Mr. Morton's speech, that of the Assistant Secretary of State.

Mr. STRACKBEIN. This is not a quotation of the President. This is Mr. Morton's own language you are reading now.

Mr. BOGGS. Yes; it is not the President's language. I thought I made that clear.

Mr. STRACKBEIN. I am sorry. I didn't get the distinction.
Mr. BOGGS. But he purports to speak for the President.

Mr. STRACKBEIN. Does he? in this?

Mr. BOGGS. Well, I couldn't imagine him not speaking for him. He is the Assistant Secretary of State. Of course, we don't have anybody here from the State Department. If there were somebody here, I could ask them.

Now, he goes on to say:

Adoption of such a bill would create consternation among countries of the free world and would lend credence to the Communist theme that the United States wants to sell but it does not want to buy.

Mr. STRACKBEIN. Now, Mr. Boggs, the reason that question that— Mr. Morton in that paragraph was speaking for the President-is that that last sentence that you have just read represents no variation from the same type of speech that has been made by the Department of State representatives for the last 18 years.

Mr. BOGGS. Well, I would not think it would. He is asking for a continuation of a policy. It could not represent any variation.

Mr. STRACKBEIN. May I ask you a question? May I address a question to you?

Mr. BOGGS. Well, it is a bit unusual; but go ahead.

32604-53-4

Mr. STRACKBEIN. Well, then, may I make an observation?
Mr. BOGGS. Sure.

Mr. STRACKBEIN. That the State Department of the past 18 years, and specifically in 1951, was not in agreement with and was strongly opposed to the present Trade Agreements Act. So if the President advocates the extension of the present act in its present form, he is not conforming to the old State Department policy, because they opposed it.

Mr. BOGGS. Then are you saying that Mr. Morton conforms to the old State Department policy?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. I say this statement here, this paragraph that you just read, is in such close conformity with, and the President's position is so different from, the previous State Department policy, that I do not believe that this paragraph represents the President's point of

view.

Mr. BOGGS. Well, now, I want to be certain that I have established this speech properly. I hold in my hand an official press release of the Department of State. It says:

For the press.

Caution:

Future release-

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

and so forth. It goes on and tells the time of release

Speech by the Honorable Thruston B. Morton, Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations, before the Eighth Mississippi Valley World Trade Conference, Jung Hotel, New Orleans, La., Friday April 17, 1953, 1 p. m. central standard time.

Mr. STRACKBEIN. Yes.

Mr. BOGGS. Now, it is inconceivable to me that the Assistant Secretary of State of the United States would make a speech, released officially by the Department of State of the United States, if he was not authorized to make the speech.

Mr. STRACKBEIN. I assume that he was authorized.

Mr. BOGGS. There are several other questions that were raised in my mind by this speech. Mr. Morton said, at page 6:

In the postwar period, from 1946 to 1952, the accumulated dollar deficit of the United States with the rest of the world amounted to approximately $34 billion. It was covered by aid from the United States, and the use of gold and dollar reserves. With the reduction of foreign aid, which has made possible a large part of the United States shipments abroad of agricultural and manufactured products, exports will drop sharply unless we increase our imports and permit other countries to earn the dollars needed to maintain their purchases of American products.

Do you agree with that statement?

Mr. STRACKBEIN. I have pointed out that exports of agricultural products have already dropped sharply, even while our aid is continuing. Now, there may very well be further declines in our exports of agricultural commodities, as other countries bring back their agricultural lands into full production and begin to ship to the world markets again in greater force, the markets which they held before the war but which fell into our lap, so to speak, during and immediately after the war.

Mr. BOGGS. Then you disagree with the statement made by the Assistant Secretary of State?