Senator MONRONEY. The next item for organizing and microfilming the papers of the "President's, salaries and expenses," $112,800? Dr. MUMFORD. That is right. Senator MONRONEY. That went through as requested. "Preservation of early American motion pictures," $50,000. That was approved as requested. SPECIAL FOREIGN CURRENCY PROGRAM As to collection and distribution of library materials, (special foreign currency program), a reduction was made of $737,500 below the budget estimate and you are requesting restoration of $526,800 for that. As I understand this foreign currency program, this money has already been spent and what we have left is a wide assortment of foreign currencies that will be of no value whatsoever to us for our military or diplomatic purposes and the cash we actually appropriate will go back into the Treasury itself. Mr. ROSSITER. That is right. Dr. MUMFORD. That is correct, Mr. Chairman. The U.S.-owned foreign currencies are there. They are excess to other needs of the Government, and this program serves a very important educational purpose for which they can be used. It does require some hard dollars to implement this, but this in turn is partly reimbursed by the contributions from the libraries that participate in the program. Senator MONRONEY. So you do earn a little bit coming in as a result of this foreign currency. Dr. MUMFORD. Yes, sir. Senator MONRONEY. With the other we are just swapping our own dollars actually and using this. I favor using what we can any time it is significant. Senator SALTONSTALL. Would the chairman yield? ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION TO PLAN Senator SALTONSTALL. As I understand it, the argument of the opponents of this plan comes principally from the use of hard American dollars. With respect to this $43,800 of American dollars that you request, as I understand it, you get back a substantial amount from other libraries in this country Dr. MUMFORD. Yes, sir; that is correct. Senator SALTONSTALL. I think it would be very important to have that figure accurate as to what we get back so that the net expenditure of the Federal Government on that subject is clear. Isn't that possible to do, for the last year, anyway? RETURNS FROM PROGRAM Dr. MUMFORD. We are getting back approximately $31,000 now. Senator SALTONSTALL So the net expense of the Federal Government is $12,000 of hard American dollars. Dr. MUMFORD. No, sir. The total in hard dollars that we are spending for the entire program in India, Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia, and Israel is $124,500. Of that we are now getting back $31,000 and if we are allowed to go into Poland and Yugoslavia we would expect this return to be increased to nearly $40,000. Senator MONRONEY. Increased to $40,000. Dr. MUMFORD. Close to it. Senator SALTONSTALL. So that would mean that it would be a net expense under present circumstances to the Federal Government of $93,000. Dr. MUMFORD. The net now is about $93,000 as you indicated. If we undertake a program in Poland and Yugoslavia it would be increased to about $127,000. ISSUE BEFORE COMMITTEE Senator SALTONSTALL. Then, Mr. Chairman, is not the issue, for this committee to decide, and for the Senate to decide, is do we extend this program into Yugoslavia and Poland. That is the principal issue before us. PERSONNEL SITUATION Dr. MUMFORD. Yes, sir; and a small expansion in the ongoing program. There is another important consideration and that is our request for the restoration of the 13 positions which were eliminated under the appropriation, "Salaries and expenses, Library of Congress." Senator SALTONSTALL. You were discussing that. The other issue is 13 positions and $25,000 for automation? Dr. MUMFORD. That is right. Senator SALTONSTALL. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. PURPOSE OF REQUESTED INCREASE Senator MONRONEY. In other words, the total increase you are asking in restoration of dollars would be to take care of the Yugoslavian and the Polish programs. Dr. MUMFORD. Yes, sir; to provide for Poland and Yugoslavia and some increases in the ongoing program, and only $43,800 would be required in hard dollars, of which part would come back in the contributions of the recipient libraries. Senator MONRONEY. We have a large amount of Yugoslav currency and of Polish currency on hand as a result of our foreign sales under the surplus agricultural program. Dr. MUMFORD. Yes, sir. Senator MONRONEY. These dollars that we will appropriate will all go to Americans undoubtedly. Dr. MUMFORD. Yes. Senator MONRONEY. There will be no dollar inflow to Poland or to Yugoslavia. Dr. MUMFORD. No, sir. We have to have a minimum staff-one or two people in these centers abroad, where we are acquiring materials, making accessions lists, and doing the preliminary cataloging—and we have to pay part of their salaries in dollars. Senator MONRONEY. How many Americans will you have in Poland, for example? Dr. MUMFORD. Only one. Senator MONRONEY. One in Yugoslavia? Dr. MUMFORD. Yes, sir. REIMBURSEMENT OF PERSONNEL Senator MONRONEY. Is he reimbursed for salary and expenses in dollars, or is he reimbursed Dr. MUMFORD. Only part of his salary is paid in dollars. Then we have to have a small staff here in Washington at the Library to direct and coordinate the program. Senator MONRONEY. So there is no way possible any dollars will flow into these two countries. Dr. MUMFORD. No, sir. Senator MONRONEY. But we will use up their currency at a ratio of what in dollars to foreign currencies? About 10 percent? Dr. MUMFORD. A little less than 10 percent. Senator MONRONEY. Ten percent. In other words, we use 90 percent of their local currency, which if we didn't use it up would act as an interest-free loan to stabilize their currency otherwise because we hold if off the market; is that correct? Dr. MUMFORD. And it may even depreciate very badly as it has done in Indonesia. COUNTRIES INVOLVED Senator MONRONEY. You are operating in what countries now? Dr. MUMFORD. In India, Pakistan, United Arab Republic, Israel, and Indonesia. Congress has given us authority to operate in Burma, but as yet we have not been able to get the green light from the Burmese Government. Senator MONRONEY. In the foreign aid bill there was a special section written in by Senator Harris of Oklahoma who would deny any foreign aid funds to be spent in Indonesia or in United Arab Republic if the President finds that they are guilty of aggression. This program is so important that you feel it is necessary to carry on a program in the United Arab Republic? COORDINATION WITH U.S. FOREIGN POLICY Dr. MUMFORD. It is. We would certainly like to carry the program on as long as we possibly can in foreign countries in accordance with U.S. foreign policy. Senator MONRONEY. If it is established by the Congress that the foreign policy included this right of the President to deny even this type of funds to be spent in the United Arab Republic or in Indonesia you would have no objection. Dr. MUMFORD. We would dislike very much to suspend the program, but I assume we would have no alternative. Senator MONRONEY. If they are guilty of aggression as found by the President I think we ought to have one policy that is the same and not spotty all around. Dr. MUMFORD. Yes, sir; I agree. We follow the policies of the State Department. Senator MONRONEY. Actually if we suspended the program and the use of foreign currencies as far as they are concerned it would benefit them rather than us because it would be just that much more currency that would be locked up and not spent that we hold for them. Correct? Dr. MUMFORD. That is right. Senator MONRONEY. Do you have any questions on this foreign currency program? IMPORTANCE OF RESTORATION Senator YARBOROUGH. I just think that this is one place where it looks to me like it is all gain and nothing to lose. I can't understand any of the House cut. I would restore it all if it can be used profitably to get these books and get these records. Assume that they became hostile to us. Assume even if they were enemies. The best way to defeat an enemy is knowing a lot about him. The most ignorant thing for us to do is cut off the sources of our information. I think we ought to acquire all we can about these countries, and certainly about the United Arab Republic; especially since this is foreign currency that is frozen. If we can bring it out in books I can't think of any better way of bringing it out than a wise selection of what we are getting. Dr. MUMFORD. We are getting all the information we can. We are obtaining as many publications as possible from Russia, for example, through exchanges with institutions there, and through purchase also, because we feel it is vital to the country, for research in the national interest, to have as much material as we can from Russia. Senator YARBOROUGH. I know the scientists I have talked to are anxious to learn everything about what the Russian scientists do. EXCHANGE AGREEMENTS Dr. MUMFORD. But we have no excess foreign currencies in Russia so we have to do it by exchange agreements and by purchase. We have over 400 exchange agreements with universities, societies, and governmental agencies there. Senator MONRONEY. Exchange of American books for Russian books. Dr. MUMFORD. We send them primarily U.S. official publications and they send us theirs. Most of their publications are official, of course. Senator MONRONEY. Do you have a choice of the ones that you ask for, or are they just sent carte blanche? Dr. MUMFORD. We indicate subject fields in which we are most interested, but generally across the board we are interested in obtaining all important and significant publications. Senator MONRONEY. What, for instance? Dr. MUMFORD. Here are accession lists, Senator. They list materials that we acquire with foreign currencies in the countries where we operate this program-Israel, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, and the United Arab Republic. Senator YARBOROUGH. Another question, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Mumford, is this limited to current publications? Is this acquisition program limited to current publications? Dr. MUMFORD. I beg your pardon. CURRENT PUBLICATIONS DESIRED Senator YARBOROUGH. In this program, say, in the United Arab Republic where you have foreign currencies there, Treasury-owned foreign currencies, is this limited to current publications? Dr. MUMFORD. Yes, sir. We are not trying to acquire old materials. This would be desirable if the appropriations were sufficient to acquire originals or to microfilm some of the older materials, but so far we have limited the program to current publications. Senator YARBOROUGH. You haven't had enough money to go into those old ones? Dr. MUMFORD. No, sir, we haven't. Senator YARBOROUGH. Mr. Chairman, it seems to me this is one field in all Government activity where we can get the most with the least expenditure of taxpayers' dollars by using those frozen currencies in those countries. We ought to get this information while it is available. Senator MONRONEY. And this gives us access to their sources of library materials as well as their official government publications. Is that true? Mr. ROSSITER. That is right. EXAMPLES OF PUBLICATIONS Dr. MUMFORD. We have here some examples of things received from these countries if the members would like to see them. First, we issue accessions lists like this. These are some examples. Senator MONRONEY. These are printed by the Library of Congress. Is that correct? Dr. MUMFORD. They are put together on the spot over there. Dr. MUMFORD. They list materials which were purchased with the foreign currencies. Senator MONRONEY. But the printing and all is done over here? Senator MONRONEY. With their equipment, or do we send it over there. Mr. WELSH. For the most part we have been successful in purchasing equipment over there in foreign currencies. We issue an accessions list in each of the countries in which we operate. Dr. MUMFORD. In the Monthly Index of Russian Accessions is a representation of the material we receive from the Soviet Union by exchange and by purchase. Mrs. HAMER. It includes not only the material the Library of Congress receives, but also that received by many other libraries throughout the country. Senator MONRONEY. Is this published in Russia as well? Dr. MUMFORD. No, sir. This is published by the Government Printing Office. That is covered in our justifications later on. It is the only comprehensive bibliographical source for Russian materials received in this country. It is used widely by scientists, people in the area of technology, and by social scientists and the humanists. Senator MONRONEY. Is this sold? |