Money for the contribution of the United States was first appropriated in 1881 (21 Stat. 455), and the United States is authorized, by the act making appropriations for the Diplomatic and Consular Service for the fiscal year 1914 (37 Stat. 692), to contribute an annual sum toward the administrative expenses of the Commission and to pay the expenses of a Commissioner to represent it on the Commission. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1941 the sum of $4,332 was appropriated by Congress for these purposes (54 Stat. 188). PERMANENT INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ROAD CONGRESSES (Resolution of the First International Road Congress, 1908; Public Resolution 37 of June 18, 1926; 15 Public Act 22 of March 22, 1935 1o) Offices: Paris, France. PERMANENT INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION American Members: A. W. Bohlen, President, American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, Columbia, South Carolina; 17 Wilburn Cartwright, of Oklahoma, Chairman, Committee on Roads, United States House of Representatives; Herbert S. Fairbank, Chief, Division of Information, Public Roads Administration, Federal Works Agency; Carl Hayden, of Arizona, Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads, United States Senate; Pyke Johnson, Vice President, Automobile Manufacturers Association, Washington, D.C.; Thomas Harris MacDonald, Commissioner, Public Roads Administration, Federal Works Agency; James D. Mooney, Dr. Eng., Chairman, Highways Committee, Automobile Manufacturers Association, New York, New York; Charles H. Purcell, E.D., LL.D., State Highway Engineer, Sacramento, California; Daniel J. Reagan, Commercial Attaché, American Embassy, Paris; 17 Henry G. Shirley, Commissioner, Department of Highways, Richmond, Virginia; 15 44 Stat. 754. 10 49 Stat. 73. The failure of Congress in 1932 to appropriate funds for the share of the United States in the expenses of the Association deprived this Government of membership. Membership was, however, again made possible as a result of this act. 17 Appointed November 12, 1940. H. G. Sours, President, American Road Builders Association, Columbus, Ohio; 17 Fred R. White, Chief Engineer, State Highway Commission, Ames, Iowa; J. S. Williamson, President, American Association of State Highway Officials, Columbia, South Carolina; 17 James W. Young, Director, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Department of Commerce.17 18 PERMANENT INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL American Members: Thomas Harris MacDonald; James D. Mooney, Dr. Eng.; Daniel J. Reagan.17 The first road congress, composed of the representatives of 33 nations, met in Paris on October 11, 1908. This congress was called by the French Government because changing conditions due to the rapid growth of the automobile industry and the popularization of this means of travel had brought back to the road its old importance as a means of communication and had turned the attention of experts to the construction of roads calculated to withstand the heavier wear of motor transportation. The chief work of this first meeting was the foundation of the Permanent International Association of Road Congresses, with headquarters at Paris. The Permanent International Commission of the Association is composed of the representatives of the various countries members of the Association. A Permanent Council is appointed from among the members of the Commission. The Association convenes quadrennial international congresses. The object of the organization is to promote progress in the construction, traffic control, and exploitation of roads, accomplished by— (1) Organizing road congresses; (2) Publishing papers, proceedings, and other documents; For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1941 the sum of $588 was appropriated by Congress to defray the expense of American participation in the activities of the Association (54 Stat. 188). 18 Mr. Young resigned as Director of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce on December 17, 1940. INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION (Established in 1919) Offices: Montreal, Quebec, Canada.19 United States Labor Commissioner: Carter Goodrich, Ph.D., of New York. Assistant United States Labor Commissioner: John S. Gambs, Ph.D., of New York.20 The Peace Conference on January 25, 1919 appointed a commission to study the future of international labor legislation, with instructions to make a study of the conditions of employment from the international point of view; to consider what means would be necessary to obtain common action on matters affecting conditions of employment; and to recommend the form of a permanent agency designed to continue such inquiry and consideration. The work of this commission resulted in (1) a draft constitution for a permanent international labor legislative organization, which was given the name of the International Labor Organization, and (2) a series of declarations of principle which the Organization strives to apply. Briefly, it is the purpose of the International Labor Organization to collect information concerning labor throughout the world and to prepare international conventions and recommendations for the consideration of member governments, with a view to improving the conditions of labor. The Organization consists of the annual Conference of representatives of the member states, the International Labor Office, and the Governing Body of the International Labor Office. The annual Conference, which is the legislative body of the Organization, is composed of four representatives from each member state, one representing the employers, one the workers, and two the governments. These Conferences discuss an agenda prepared by the Governing Body of the International Labor Office and draw up draft conventions and recommendations affecting industrial conditions, which are presented to the competent authorities in each member state for ratification or adoption. The constitution of the Organization imposes no obligation on the members to adopt legislation in accordance with draft conventions or recommendations but merely 19 As a result of wartime conditions, the headquarters of the International Labor Organization were transferred from Geneva, Switzerland, to temporary quarters at Montreal. 20Dr. Gambs resigned as Assistant United States Labor Commissioner on October 30, 1940. the obligation to present them for consideration by the appropriate authorities. The International Labor Office acts as a secretariat for the annual Conference, prepares material for the use of the Conference, and, following up the work of the Conference, endeavors to obtain the early consideration by member states of the conventions and recommendations adopted at the Conference. It also acts as a bureau for the collection and dissemination of information bearing upon the problems of labor and industry. It edits and publishes several periodicals and numerous reports of international interest dealing with problems of industry and employment. The Governing Body of the International Labor Office is the administrative agent of the Office and is composed of the representatives of governments, employers, and workers. The Governing Body meets four times each year to receive reports on the activities of the Office, to outline future work of the Office, and to prepare the agenda for the sessions of the annual Conference. The Honorable John G. Winant, who had served as Director of the International Labor Organization since January 1, 1939, resigned this position on February 15, 1941 upon being appointed American Ambassador to Great Britain. Mr. E. J. Phelan, Deputy Director, automatically became Acting Director on that date. In December 1940 an Inter-American Committee to Forward Social Security was organized under the auspices of the International Labor Organization. The purpose of this Committee is to promote technical cooperation and the exchange of information among the social-security boards and institutions in the American countries. The membership of the United States in the Organization was authorized by Public Resolution 43, approved June 19, 1934 (48 Stat. 1182). Money for the first contribution of the United States toward the expenses of the Organization was appropriated by Congress on March 22, 1935 (49 Stat. 73). For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1941 the sum of $163,511.64, including an amount not to exceed $8,000 for the expenses of participation by the United States in the meetings of the general Conference and of the Governing Body of the International Labor Office and in such regional, industrial, or other special meetings as might be duly called by such Governing Body, was appropriated by Congress (54 Stat. 188). Full information concerning any of the meetings held under the auspices of the Organization may be obtained from the Washington branch of the International Labor Organization, 734 Jackson Place, NW., Washington, D.C., or from the Department of Labor, Washington, D. C. INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY COMMISSION, UNITED STATES AND MEXICO (Convention of March 1, 1889 21) American Offices: El Paso, Texas. Mexican Offices: Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. American Commissioner of Waters and Boundaries: Lawrence M. Lawson, of California. Mexican Commissioner of Waters and Boundaries: Gustavo P. Serrano.22 American Consulting Engineer: Culver M. Ainsworth, of New Mexico. Mexican Consulting Engineer: Joaquín C. Bustamante. American Chief Clerk and Secretary: Mervin B. Moore, of Texas. Mexican Secretary: José Hernández Ojeda. The International Boundary Commission, United States and Mexico, as now constituted, was created pursuant to the provisions of the convention concluded March 1, 1889 (Treaty Series 232; 26 Stat. 1512), with exclusive jurisdiction to examine and decide all differences or questions arising on that portion of the frontier between the United States of America and the United Mexican States where the Rio Grande and the Colorado River form the boundary line as established under the treaties of 1848 (Treaty Series 207; 9 Stat. 922), 1853 (Treaty Series 208; 10 Stat. 1031), and 1884 (Treaty Series 226; 24 Stat. 1011), growing out of changes in the beds of, or construction work in, these rivers, or due to any other cause affecting the boundary. Matters pertaining to the practical location and monumentation of the overland boundary of 675 miles between El Paso, Texas, and the Pacific Ocean, as well as questions for investigation and report touching flood-control measures along the boundary, are also submitted to the Commission from time to time. upon the concurrence of the two Governments. The Commission is empowered to suspend the construction of works of any character along the Rio Grande and Colorado River that contravene existing 21 26 Stat. 1512. On January 1, 1941 the positions of Mexican Commissioner, held by Joaquín Pedrero Córdova, and Mexican Water Commissioner, held by Gustavo P. Serrano, were consolidated, and Mr. Serrano was appointed Mexican Commissioner of International Waters and Boundaries, |
