The United States assessment is set at 45,000 gold francs predicated upon a basic 300,000 gold-franc budget, with the maximum to be contributed by any one member set at 15 percent. The adherence of new members results in total assessments of 355,046 gold francs for 1955. However, the United States assessment remained 45,000 gold francs which is 12.67 percent of total assessment. The increase for 1956 is the result of the fact that in 1955 credits due the United States from the payment of East German arrearages exceeded the supplementary assessment upon the United States due to the nonpayment of quotas by Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay which situation is not anticipated for 1956. Statutory authorization The convention establishing the Bureau ratified May 28, 1878 (20 Stat. 714) and the amending convention ratified September 19, 1923 (43 Stat. 1687). INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC UNIONS AND ASSOCIATED UNIONS It is estimated that membership dues chargeable to the United States for the fiscal year 1956 will amount to $8,175. This estimate assumes a continuation of present rates of exchange, and of the present level of membership dues. Amounts payable to the individual unions during fiscal year 1955 are estimated to be as follows: International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (United States dollars).. 1,500 1,500 Total.. 8, 175 Although the membership of the constituent unions differ, it is estimated that the United States contribution is approximately 8.7 percent of the total assessments by the council and the associated unions listed above. United States and other Government contributions are set amounts rather than being based on percentage scales of contributions. The National Research Council has informed the Department that many of the unions have increased their governmental assessments resulting in a requirement to the United States of $11,854. However, in view of the statutory limitation of $9,000 on the amount that may be contributed annually by the United States only $8,175, the estimated requirement for the previous year, is requested at this time. Statutory authorization An act of Congress approved August 7, 1935 (22 U. S. C. 274). Contributions of members are on the basis of a quota established by the statutes of the Bureau. Each member subscribes two basic shares of 2,000 gold francs. Members which own 100,000 gross tons of shipping or more (Navy and Merchant Marine) contribute supplementary shares of the same value in accordance with a sliding scale in which the maximum is set at 15 shares for 20,750,000 gross tons and above. The tonnage of the United States, for purposes of determining its contribution, is 40,235,117 gross tons. The United States, therefore, is required to subscribe, in addition to 2 basic shares, 15 additional shares, making its total contribution 17 shares of 2,000 gold francs each, or 34,000 gold francs. However, a 10 percent reduction in assessments was voted by the Assembly effective January 1, 1954 making the United States assessment 30,600 gold francs. Statutory authorization Act of Congress approved March 2, 1921 (41 Stat. 1215; 22 U. S. C. 275). The International Sugar Council, established under the new International Sugar Agreement, has just come into existence and has not had the opportunity to develop its organization and budget. At its December meeting the organization adopted an assessment budget for the calendar year 1955 in the amount of £30,000 the same as 1954. It is difficult at this time to estimate the cost of full implementation of the new agreement since many decisions affecting expenditures have yet to be taken by the International Sugar Council. However, considering that the Council is still in its formative stages and has yet to acquire a full staff, adequate quarters, and so forth, it is considered likely that a budget level of £40,000 will be adopted for the calendar year 1956. The United States percentage share, which is based on the number of votes held, is now 12.25 percent and is anticipated to remain at that figure for the period covered by this request. This compares to a United States percentage of 21.25 percent under the old Sugar Agreement. Statutory authorization The International Sugar Agreement of 1953 approved by the Senate April 28, 1954 and ratified by the President April 29, 1954. The fiscal year 1956 budget (Aug. 1, 1955, to July 31, 1956) of the Organization will not be adopted until the spring of 1955 but for purposes of this estimate it is expected to be in the same amount as the fiscal year 1955. Similarly, it is anticipated that the United States percentage share, which is predicated upon total metric tons of wheat exported under the Wheat Agreement, will remain the same at 24.88 percent. Statutory authorization The International Wheat Agreement ratified July 13, 1953 (7 U. S. C. 1642 (g)). SOUTH PACIFIC COMMISSION, NOUMEA, NEW CALEDONIA The budget of the Commission for the calendar year 1955 (fiscal year 1956) amounts to $537,261, approximately $12,000 higher than the previous year. However, due to a smaller amount of carryover and miscellaneous income, assessments to members is increased by $17,212. The increase in the request of $2,151 is the United States share of the increase in the assessment budget of $17,212 at 121⁄2 percent, the same percentage share as prevailed for the United States in the previous year. Statutory authorization Public Law 403, 80th Congress (22 U. S. C. 280) as amended by Public Law 806, 81st Congress (22 U. S. C. 262a). RESTORATION REQUESTED Mr. WAINHOUSE. The House, as Mr. Wilber has indicated, has approved the amount of $28,079,977 for the appropriation "Contributions to international organizations." This is a reduction of $207,320 from the amount of $28,287,297 requested in the President's budget. It is our very earnest hope, Mr. Chairman, that this committee will recommend the restoration of $164,631 of this reduction of $207,320, making a total appropriation of $28,244,608. PAN AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY The appeal letter to this committee, which you have before you, Mr. Chairman, explains in some detail the justification and need for this sum as a means of meeting what we consider an obligation to the Pan American Institute of Geography and History. If I may, I would like to recapitulate the facts with regard to this particular request. Senator KILGORE. I am wondering if we could not go back and put into the record, to save a lot of talking, the testimony before us on the supplemental which, in my humble opinion, was as clear a statement as I have ever run into. Mr. WAINHOUSE. I can do as you like, sir. Senator KILGORE. When the matter was first set up we put a certain limitation on it. Later other countries came along and the amounts were increased, due to increased expenses. We suddenly found ourselves in arrears in paying our proportionate share based upon the original agreement of $10,000, and this simply makes up that deficit so that they can go ahead and hold their regular meeting and help defray some of their expenses. Am I right about that? Mr. WAINHOUSE. Yes, Mr. Chairman. Senator KILGORE. Go ahead from that basis of my statement. Mr. WAINHOUSE. Well, since you seem to be so very familiar with this problem, Mr. Chairman, I am wondering whether I could not at this juncture, in order to save your time, ask Mr. Holland to give the details. Mr. Holland is the Assistant Secretary for Inter-American Affairs. He will give you the details. Senator KILGORE. Just give me the necessary details for this hearing. I listened to it on the supplemental and, frankly, I thought you were correct in your position on it. PREPARED STATEMENT Mr. WAINHOUSE. I think this statement will cover it. I shall file the statement, with your permission. Senator KILGORE. You may file it. (The statement referred to follows:) STATEMENT OF DAVID W. WAINHOUSE, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION AFFAIRS, ON CONTRIBUTIONS TO INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS BEFORE THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, FISCAL YEAR 1956 Mr. Chairman, the House of Representatives has approved the amount of $28,079,977 for the appropriation "Contributions to international organizations," a reduction of $207,320 from the amount of $28,287,297 requested in the President's budget. It is my earnest hope that this committee will recommend restoration of $164,631 of the reduction of $207,320, making a total appropriation of $28,244,608. The appeals letter which you have before you explains in some detail the justification and need for this sum, as a means of meeting what we consider an obligation to the Pan American Institute of Geography and History. If I may, I would like to recapitulate the facts with regard to this particular request. Prior to the passage of Public Law 736, 83d Congress, the United States contribution to the PAIGH was limited to an amount not to exceed $10,000 annually. In 1950 the institute was reorganized and its budgetary scope extended to include the expenses of its three constituent commissions of geography, history, and cartography. As a result, the assessments against all members were increased. In particular, the United States assessment was increased from $10,000 to $42,928. Due to the $10,000 ceiling on the United States contribution, our delegation abstained on the final vote on these assessments. However, in recognition of the worth while and beneficial program carried on by the institute, the executive branch in 1951 submitted legislation to the Congress to raise the $10,000 ceiling to $50,000. It was not until August 1954 that this legislation was enacted into law. In the interim the United States continued to pay only $10,000 against its proportionate share of $42,928. For the fiscal years 1952-55 the sum total of that unpaid balance amounts to $131,703. It is this amount, plus the assessment of $42,928 for fiscal year 1956, which constitutes our request for $174,631, against which the House approved $10,000. The $174,631 is fully covered under the terms of Public Law 736 which authorizes (1) an appropriation of $98,775 for the payment of the remainder of assessed annual contributions for the period beginning July 1, 1951, and extending through the fiscal year expiring June 30, 1954, and (2) a contribution subsequent to June 30, 1954, in an amount not to exceed $50,000 annually. The amount of $10,000 approved by the House would not only preclude the payment of the unpaid portion of our contribution for past years, but would also preclude payment of our current and future assessment despite the change in the authorization limitation on the United States contribution from $10,000 to $50,000. These are the facts of the situation, and as I said earlier, are described in more detail in the appeals letter submitted by the Department. AVAILABILITY OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION Senator KILGORE. Are the results of the mapping and things of that type that go under this program made available to other Government agencies? Mr. WAINHOUSE. Colonel Pettit, who is here, can respond to that question. Colonel PETTIT. Yes, sir. The maps that are produced are available, not only to all the member nations, but to all departments of all member nations. Senator KILGORE. In other words, the State Department does not just put them in the files some place, but the Army and Navy and |