piled up in the producing countries, with the result that prices declined to record low levels and the purchasing power of the coffeeproducing American countries for the goods and services of the United States was seriously affected.

The purpose of the inter-American coffee agreement is to make possible the orderly marketing of coffee under the extraordinary circumstances which have resulted from the present world conflict. To accomplish this purpose, the agreement establishes quotas for exports of coffee to the United States and to the market outside of the United States, from each of the countries participating in the agreement (other than the United States). The agreement is to remain in force until October 1, 1943, although any government may withdraw at any time after one year's prior notice. Provision is also made for termination by unanimous agreement before October 1, 1943, or for its continuance after that date if agreed to by all the participating governments.

The inter-American coffee agreement came into effect on April 15, 1941 as between those countries which had ratified the agreement, upon the signature of the protocol for that purpose at the Pan American Union by representatives of the following countries: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, and United States of America. The Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, and Nicaragua have also ratified the agreement and signed the protocol. Venezuela has ratified the agreement but had not signed the protocol at the end of the fiscal year 1941. The basic annual quota for imports into the United States from all countries was set at 15,900,000 bags, of 60 kilos each. Provision was made however for modifying the quotas under certain conditions in order to adjust supplies to estimated requirements.

The agreement is under the administration of the Inter-American Coffee Board, which is composed of a delegate from each of the contracting governments. Mr. Paul C. Daniels, Assistant Chief of the Division of the American Republics, Department of State, was designated as the Delegate of the United States on the Board. At the first meeting of the Board, Mr. Daniels was elected Chairman and Mr. Eurico Penteado, Delegate of Brazil, was elected Vice Chairman. An executive committee was appointed at this meeting, composed of the following members: Roberto Aguilar (El Salvador), president; Enrique López-Herrarte (Guatemala); Rafael Montoya Perez (Colombia); Eurico Penteado (Brazil); and Paul C. Daniels (United States).

At a meeting of the Board on May 28, 1941, it was resolved to increase, as of June 1, 1941, the quotas for the United States market by 5 percent of the basic quotas, in accordance with article III of

the coffee agreement. Another resolution approved by the Board authorized advance shipments to the United States under the 1942 quota (the quota-year covers the period from October 1 to September 30, inclusive), provided they are not entered for consumption in the United States prior to October 1, 1941. These shipments are not to exceed 15 percent of the respective basic quotas of the producing countries.

Article XIII of the agreement provides that the expenses of delegates to the Board shall be defrayed by their respective governments and that all other expenses necessary for the administration of the agreement shall be met by annual contributions of the governments of the participating countries. Under the provisions of this article, the contribution of the United States is one third of the total contribution. This share corresponds to the voting power of the United States on the Coffee Board. The sum of $6,000 was appropriated by Congress (55 Stat. 561) for the share of the United States toward the expenses of the Inter-American Coffee Board for the period from April 15, 1941 to September 30, 1941, including installation expenses.

SECTION IV

PERMANENT INTERNATIONAL BUREAUS, UNIONS, AND SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS OF WHICH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS A MEMBER BUT TO WHICH MEMBER GOVERNMENTS DO NOT APPOINT OFFICIAL

REPRESENTATIVES

INTERNATIONAL BUREAU OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
(Established in 1876)

Offices: Sèvres, France.

The International Bureau of Weights and Measures was established pursuant to the provisions of the convention of May 20, 1875 (20 Stat. 709), subsequently amended by the convention of October 6, 1921 (43 Stat. 1686).

The Bureau is charged with the following duties:

(1) The comparisons and verifications of the new prototypes of the meter and kilogram;

(2) The custody of the international prototypes;

(3) The periodical comparison of the national standards with
the international prototypes and with their test copies, as
well as comparisons of the standard thermometers;
(4) The comparison of the prototypes with the fundamental
standards of non-metrical weights and measures used in
different countries for scientific purposes;

(5) The sealing and comparison of geodetic measuring-bars;
(6) The comparison of standards and scales of precision, the
verification of which may be requested by governments

or by scientific societies or even by constructors or men of
science.

In addition to the foregoing, the convention of 1921 authorized the Bureau to keep the standards of electrical units and make the determinations relative to physical constants. The Bureau carries on research in various problems of geodesy and geophysics and is prepared to verify standards of light intensity as well as all measures used in the physical sciences.

The Bureau, which has no international administrative duties and which is concerned solely with scientific investigations having uni

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versal application, is under the direction and supervision of the International Committee of Weights and Measures. This Committee is composed of 18 members, each from a different state, elected by the general conference of delegates from the contracting countries.

Congress first appropriated money for the contribution of the United States to the Bureau in 1878 (20 Stat. 217). For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1941 the sum of $4,342.50 was appropriated by Congress to defray the cost of American participation in the activities of the Bureau (54 Stat. 187).

INTERNATIONAL BUREAU FOR THE PUBLICATION OF
CUSTOMS TARIFFS

Offices: Brussels, Belgium.

(Established in 1891)

The convention of July 5, 1890 (Treaty Series 384; 26 Stat. 1518) provides for the formation of an International Union for the Publication of Customs Tariffs. Under the convention this Government is obligated to contribute an annual sum toward the maintenance of the International Bureau at Brussels.

The object of the union, as stated in the convention, is "to publish at the common expense, and to make known as speedily and accurately as possible, the customs tariffs of the various states of the globe and the modifications that may, in future, be made in those tariffs".

To this end it is the duty of the International Bureau to cause these tariffs and any legislative or executive modifications to be translated and published in a collection entitled International Customs Bulletin. The first appropriation for the annual contribution of this Government for the maintenance of the Bureau was made on March 2, 1889 (25 Stat. 957). For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1941 the sum of $1,318.77 was appropriated by Congress to defray the cost of American participation in the activities of the Bureau (54 Stat. 187).

PAN AMERICAN UNION

Offices: Washington, D.C.

(Established in 1890)

The Pan American Union is the official international organization of the 21 republics of the Western Hemisphere. It was established with the purpose of developing closer cooperation between the nations of America, of fostering inter-American commerce, of strength

ening intellectual and cultural ties, and of facilitating the interchange of information on all problems affecting the welfare of the nations of this hemisphere. It is supported through their joint contribution, each nation annually paying that proportion of the total budget of expenses which its population bears to the total population of all the American republics.

Control of the Pan American Union is vested in a Governing Board1 composed of representatives appointed by the member states. Such representation may devolve upon the diplomatic representatives of the respective countries in Washington. The principle of equality is maintained on the Governing Board, and the representative of the smallest country has equal voice with that of the largest. Its executive officers are a Director General and an Assistant Director, elected by the Board. They, in turn, are assisted by a trained staff of editors, statisticians, compilers, trade experts, translators, librarians, and clerks. It is strictly international in its scope, purpose, and control, and each nation has equal authority in its administration.

The activities and facilities of the Union include the following: the publication in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, with separate editions, of an illustrated monthly bulletin, which is the record of the progress of all the republics; the publication of handbooks, descriptive pamphlets, commercial statements, maps, and special reports relating to each country; correspondence covering all phases of Pan American activities; and the distribution of every variety of information helpful in the promotion of Pan American commerce, acquaintance, cooperation, and solidarity of interests. It also prepares the programs for the international conferences of American states and is custodian of their archives. In many cases of multilateral treaties and conventions adopted by international conferences of American states the Pan American Union is by their terms made the depositary of the originals and entrusted with the duties resulting therefrom. The Union is required to furnish the signatory governments with certified copies of the originals, to receive the deposit of the instruments of ratification of the governments, to draw up procès-verbaux of such deposits, and to notify the contracting parties of such deposit. Its library, known as the Columbus Memorial Library, contains approximately 110,000 volumes, including the official publications, documents, and laws of all the American republics, together with a large collection of maps. The Union also possesses a collection of more than 35,000 photographs, lantern slides, and negatives. Its reading room, which is open to the public, has upon its tables the representative magazines and newspapers of Latin America.

1See ante, p. 45.