Present agreements and authorizations, Emergency Rehabilitation Division (field operations taken over by Food Supply Division on Jan. 17, 1944)

Although no cash contributions reported to date, there have been received and reported contributions of $151,300 in the form of exemptions from taxes, duties, etc., and other immunities and privileges, equip ment, supplies, and materials furnished, services rendered, and real property made available.

Institute of Inter-American Affairs expenditures (estimated) cumulative through fiscal year 1945 Emergency Rehabilitation Division (Field operations taken over by Food Supply Division on Jan. 7, 1944)

Present authorizations, general expenses directly related to cooperative programs and contingency reserve

Institute of Inter-American Affairs expenditures (estimated), cumulative through fiscal year 1945 and by fiscal years thereafter, general expenses directly related to cooperative programs and contingency reserve

1 Transportation of things, communication services, rents and utility services, printing and binding. other contractual services, supplies and materials, and equipment.

Institute of Inter-American Affairs expenditures (estimated) cumulative through fiscal year 1945 and by fiscal years thereafter, Washington administration

LETTER FROM STATE DEPARTMENT

Mr. CANNON. Without objection, the letter submitted by Mr. Harrison will be included in the record at this point.

(The letter referred to follows:)

Hon. CLARENCE CANNON,

Chairman, House Appropriations Committee,

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, April 28, 1945.

House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.

DEAR MR. CANNON: It is my understanding that the 1946 estimates of the Office of Inter-American Affairs will soon be considered by the House Appropriations Committee. For the past 41⁄2 years the Department of State has worked closely with the Office of Inter-American Affairs, and I should like to express to you my views regarding this cooperation in the inter-American sphere.

It is the sincere belief of the Department that the firm foundation that has been laid during those years contributed greatly to the success of the InterAmerican Conference on Problems of War and Peace, recently concluded in Mexico City. The unity of purpose exhibited by the delegates of the other Americas to that conference was tangible proof that the principle of collaboration for mutual benefits is workable. There is no doubt that the program of full interchange of information and cooperative health, food supply, transportation, and educational projects that have been carried out by the Office of Inter-American Affairs have constituted a major contribution to successful political cooperstion.

The Department has reviewed the budget estimates of the Office of InterAmerican Affairs; and although it is not in a position to judge individual items, it feels and recommends that the general program of the Office-which has played

such an important part in maintaining friendly relations with the other American republics and enlisting their cooperation in the war effort-should be continued at the level proposed in the 1946 budget. In reviewing these estimates, the Department of State has considered the importance of maintaining a long-range viewpoint with respect to our relations with the other American republics.

During the last war many activities were initiated by our Government to improve relations with these countries. The almost complete cessation of these activities, following the terminatoin of the war, raised doubts as to genuineness of our interest. It would be most unfortunate if this experience were repeated, particularly in view of the excellent progress that has been made.

Through Mr. Nelson A. Rockefeller, Assistant Secretary of State for American Republic Affairs, the Department of State will continue its close cooperation in order that the Office of Inter-American Affairs may best help implement the foreign policy of this Government.

Sincerely yours,

JOSEPH C. GREW,
Acting Secretary.

TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES OUTSIDE CIVIL SERVICE

Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Mr. Harrison, I have a few questions that I want to ask you. I notice you are asking for $15,000 for temporary employees outside civil service.

Mr. HISLE. Yes.

Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. How much have you used to date, and what do you still need?

Mr. HISLE. That covers the employment of teletype operators, translators, radio announcers, engineers, radio talent, and other similar types of personnel on a job basis where employment, under civil service and classification laws, is not practicable.

Up to the present date about $8,000 of the $15,000 has been expended.

Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. $8,000 in the current fiscal year?

Mr. HISLE. Yes; and the proposed limitation for 1946 is the same as for this fiscal year.

Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Do you not get all of these through the civil service?

Mr. HISLE. No; not the types of personnel which I enumerated. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Why can you not get them through the Civil Service Comission?

Mr. HISLE. In all cases where it is possible to obtain them through the Civil Service Commission, we do so. However, in emergencies, it is necessary to use the authority which is provided by that provision. The Civil Service Commission has informed us that it has no objection to the language which gives us the authority in question.

EMPLOYMENT OF ALIENS

Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. You are asking for the authority to employ aliens?

Mr. HISLE. We have had that authority for quite some time. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. How much have you used for that purpose? Mr. HISLE. That covers the employment of personnel for field parties in the other American republics, and the employment in the United States of Latin Americans as translators, radio announcers, writers, analysts, advisers, and so forth.

Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. How many aliens have you on the roll?
Mr. HSILE. I cannot answer that question now, Congressman.

Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Can you put a statement in the record?
Mr. HISLE. Yes.

(The information requested follows:)

ALIEN EMPLOYEES OF THE OFFICE OF INTER-AMERICAN AFFAIRS

There are currently employed 36 aliens who were appointed in the United States: of these, 32 are stationed in the United States and 4 are stationed in the other American republics. In addition, there are 26 employees who were appointed outside the United States for work in foreign countries, most of whom are aliens.

ENTERTAINMENT OF OFFICIALS, ETC.

Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. You are also asking for authority for funds for entertainment purposes. How much money have you used for that purpose in the current fiscal year?

Mr. HISLE. I do not have that information with me.

Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Will you give us a statement for the record? Mr. HISLE. Yes.

(The information requested follows:)

ENTERTAINMENT EXPENSES OF THE OFFICE OF INTER-AMERICAN AFFAIRS

Expenditures during the fiscal year 1945, through April 30, 1945, for entertainment, reception, and care of Latin Americans, are $6,C86.

GRANTS OF MONEY, PROPERTY, OR SERVICES TO INSTITUTIONS

Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. "Grants of money, property, or services to Government and public or private nonprofit institutions." What does that cover?

Mr. HISLE. This authority is essential, because this Office must carry on a number of activities through United States and foreign Governmental organizations (State and National) and through public and private nonprofit institutions and facilities both in the United States and in the other American republics. Some of these organizations are private nonprofit institutions, and it is impossible in many instances for them to undertake or complete projects because they are unable to obtain the necessary funds from private sources. By supplementing their funds with grants by this Office, they are enabled to carry out to completion such projects as contribute to the program of this Office. By means of grants it also is possible for the Government to utilize the services of highly paid experts and leaders of important professional and scientific societies and organizations which would otherwise not be available to the Office. For example, valuable work for the Government on a nonprofit basis has been done by the American Library Association, the Committee on Intellectual and Artistic Interchange, the American Council on Education, and the American Council of Learned Societies. Besides other advantages, this procedure expedites action to a considerable extent and thereby greatly increases the results obtained with Government money. In all cases administrative controls are imposed to insure that the required activities are carried out in accordance with the program of the Office.

Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. I wish you would give us an itemized statement, by institutions, covering (A) government, (B) public, and (C) private, of the grants which you have made for each to date.

Mr. HISLE. During the current year?

Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Well, I would like to have it, by fiscal years, from the start.

(The information requested follows:)

Grants by the Office of Inter-American Affairs

! Does not include grants to corporations formed by the Office or training projects handled for the Office where only direct costs are involved.

OTHER GRATUITOUS ASSISTANCE

Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. I notice you have here the language "such other gratuitous assistance as the Director may deem necessary and appropriate to carry out his program."

Mr. HISLE. That is a sort of cover-all. It provides general broad authority for activities which are not specifically provided for in other parts of the appropriation language.

Mr. RABAUT. For "his" program?

Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. That is what it says.

Mr. RABAUT. Where is that?

Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. At the bottom of page 63.

Now, will you give us a similar statement on what is covered in such other gratuitous assistance and what has been done by fiscal years to date and what is contemplated during the fiscal year 1946. Mr. HISLE. Yes.

(The information requested follows:)

This authority has been in the annual appropriation acts in slightly different form since the fiscal year 1942. Originally it was related to other gratuitous assistance in the fields of the arts and sciences, education and travel, the radio, the press, and the cinema. In the fiscal year 1945, the language was changed slightly so as to read "such other gratuitous assistance as the Coordinator may deem necessary and appropriate to carry out his program." This change was made principally to simplify the appropriation language by eliminating descriptive phrases which were deemed to be unnecessary because of other changes made in the appropriation language.

This authority is used principally in the field of travel under projects which involve bringing individuals from the other American republics to this country for training, indoctrination, etc. Items of expense involved are transportation