Part XIII THE INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION, EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE, AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS PROGRAMS 655. SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION FOR THE UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY FOR FISCAL YEAR 1961: Public Law 87-14, Approved March 31, 1961 (Excerpts)1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sums are appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to supply supplemental appropriations (this Act may be cited as the "Third Supplemental Appropriation Act, 1961") for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1961, and for other purposes, namely: TITLE II INCREASED PAY COSTS For additional amounts for appropriations for the fiscal year 1961, for increased pay costs authorized by or pursuant to law, as follows: INDEPENDENT OFFICES United States Information Agency: "Salaries and Expenses", $2,773,000; 1 656. VIEWS ON THE PROPOSED MUTUAL EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE ACT: Twenty-sixth (and Final) Semiannual Report to Congress by the U.S. Advisory Commission on Educational Exchange, Transmitted June 21, 1961 (Excerpts)2 V. COMMISSION'S PARTICIPATION IN HEARINGS CONDUCTED BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS ON THE MUTUAL EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE ACT (S. 1154) Chairman Murphy and Mrs. Hawkes were invited by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations to participate in a public hearing on the above-mentioned bill. Mrs. Hawkes attended this hearing on March 29, 1961, and commented favorably on various proposals which she believes would greatly improve and strengthen the international relations of the United States. She said, "Although I could wish the proposed legislation was even broader, it is so much better and more inclusive than existing legislation that, in my opinion, it is a long step forward." The complete text of her testimony is given in the committee's printed report titled "Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act, Hearings before the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, 87th Congress, 1st session, on S. 1154, March 29 and April 27, 1961." Chairman Murphy was unable to attend this meeting, but on March 28, 1961, he wrote to the chairman of the committee expressing his views on this proposed legislation. The text of his letter follows: This letter is a brief response in relation to your proposed bill to consolidate, on the one hand, and make more flexible, on the other, our whole range of programs in international educational and cultural exchanges. First of all, may I say I applaud and support enthusiastically your proposals to codify the several pieces of existing legislation and to make them more flexible in order that these programs may become much more effective. I note with special interest provision (6) in section 102 which is so essential if we are to develop the reservoir of skills and talents in this country to permit us to service our growing national need in the area of international affairs. I do feel somewhat uneasy about the fact that this bill stops short of consolidating the several advisory mechanisms that exist to advise the Secretary of State and the Congress in matters of educational and cultural exchange. I refer specifically to the U.S. Advisory Commission on Educational Exchange, the Advisory Committee on the Arts, and the Board of Foreign Scholarships. My own persuasion, which springs from service on the Commission, is that there should be but one overall advisory commission to the Secretary of State and the Congress. I believe that this should be a commission of from 9 to 11 members (rather than the present 5). I believe that the Secretary of State should be empowered to create, as needed, subcommittees of the commission to cover 2H. Doc. 199, 87th Cong., June 22, 1961, pp. 4-6. The members of the Commission were Franklin D. Murphy (chairman), Walter Adams, Noah Langdale, Jr., Mabel M. Smythe, and J. E. Wallace Sterling. Mr. Adams and Mrs. Smythe replaced Mrs. Hawkes and Mr. Edens, whose terms expired Mar. 27, 1961. By the enactment of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (infra), the U.S. Advisory Commission on Educational Exchange was replaced by the U.S. Advisory Commission on International Educational and Cultural Affairs. specialized areas of interest (the arts, science, American schools abroad, technical and vocational training, etc.). Furthermore, I believe that these subcommittees should each have, as at least one member, a member of the overall advisory commission. Such a mechanism would guarantee that there would be unified advice to the Secretary of State and to the Congress, but that this unified overall advice would be based upon the opinions of experts in the several fields. I believe the Board of Foreign Scholarships should be left intact and separate from the aforementioned advisory commission. Its terms of reference are basically not advisory but operational in that it actually selects recipients. The above proposal distinctly separates the operational support for the Department of State on the one hand, and comprehensive advisory support on the other. In general, I would state that if your bill, or a significant portion of it, is enacted into law, this will mark a major step forward in the conduct of this new and fourth dimension of our foreign policy-educational and cultural affairs. VI. ACTIVITIES OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE ARTS THE C. COMMITTEE'S PARTICIPATION IN HEARINGS CONDUCTED BY SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS ON THE MUTUAL EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE ACT (S. 1154) As in the case of Dr. Murphy and Mrs. Hawkes, Mr. Sumner McKnight Crosby was invited to participate in the public hearings on S. 1154. Mr. Crosby commented on several of the proposals contained in this bill which he considered extremely significant, the passage of which would "make it possible to display the talents and achievements of a growing American culture to much greater advantage." He called specific attention to a problem dealing with the chairmanship of the Art Committee. Under existing legislation, the Chairman of this Committee is designated by the U.S. Advisory Commission on Educational Exchange from among its members. He stated that as a result of the difficulty in finding a person, a competent person, who could devote adequate time to both groups, we have had to serve more than half of our existence or half of our meetings without an official Chairman. The provision in section 106 (c) (1) [of S. 1154] wherein appointments of all members and selection of the Chairman of this Committee shall hereafter be made by the President would correct this unsatisfactory situation. [SOVIET-UNITED STATES PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF A CULTURAL EXCHANGE AGREEMENT FOR THE YEARS 1962-1963: Statement Issued by the Department of State, August 1, 1961-Ante, doc. 243] 657. THE MUTUAL EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE ACT OF 1961: Public Law 87-256, Approved September 21, 1961 (Excerpt)3 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as the "Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961". SEC. 101. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.-The purpose of this Act is to enable the Government of the United States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchange; to strengthen the ties which unite us with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United States and other nations, and the contributions being made toward a peaceful and more fruitful life for people throughout the world; to promote international cooperation for educational and cultural advancement; and thus to assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic, and peaceful relations between the United States and the other countries of the world. SEC. 102. (a) The President is authorized, when he considers that it would strengthen international cooperative relations, to provide, by grant, contract, or otherwise, for (1) educational exchanges, (i) by financing studies, research, instruction, and other educational activities (A) of or for American citizens and nationals in foreign countries, and (B) of or for citizens and nationals of foreign countries in American schools and institutions of learning located in or outside the United States; and (ii) by financing visits and interchanges between the United States and other countries of students, trainees, teachers, instructors, and professors; (2) cultural exchanges, by financing (i) visits and interchanges between the United States and other countries of leaders, experts in fields of specialized knowledge or skill, and other influential or distinguished persons; (ii) tours in countries abroad by creative and performing artists and athletes from the United States, individually and in groups, representing any field of the arts, sports, or any other form of cultural attainment; 3 H.R. 8666, 87th Cong., 75 Stat. 527. See Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act: Hearings Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, 87th Congress, 1st Session, on S. 1154, March 29 and April 27, 1961; S. Rept. 372, 87th Cong., June 14, 1961; Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961: Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Department of State Organization and Foreign Operations of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, U.S. House of Representatives, 87th Congress, 1st Session, on H.R. 5203 and H.R. 5204, May 25-June 9, 1961; H. Rept. 1094, 87th Cong., Aug. 3, 1961; and H. Rept. 1197, 87th Cong., Sept. 15, 1961 (the conference report). Doc. 657 (iii) United States representation in international artistic, dramatic, musical, sports, and other cultural festivals, competitions, meetings, and like exhibitions and assemblies: (iv) participation by groups and individuals from other countries in nonprofit activities in the United States similar to those described in subparagraphs (ii) and (iii) of this paragraph, when the President determines that such participation is in the national interest. (3) United States participation in international fairs and expositions, including trade and industrial fairs and other public or private demonstrations of United States economic accomplishments and cultural attainments. (b) In furtherance of the purposes of this Act, the President is further authorized to provide for (1) interchanges between the United States and other countries of handicrafts, scientific, technical, and scholarly books, books of literature, periodicals, and Government publications, and the reproduction and translation of such writings, and the preparation, distribution, and interchange of other educational and research materials, including laboratory and technical equipment for education and research; (2) establishing and operating in the United States and abroad centers for cultural and technical interchanges to promote better relations and understanding between the United States and other nations through cooperative study, training, and research; (3) assistance in the establishment, expansion, maintenance, and operation of schools and institutions of learning abroad, founded, operated, or sponsored by citizens or nonprofit institutions of the United States, including such schools and institutions serving as demonstration centers for methods and practices employed in the United States; (4) fostering and supporting American studies in foreign countries through professorships, lectureships, institutes, seminars, and courses in such subjects as American history, government, economics, language and literature, and other subjects related to American civilization and culture, including financing the attendance at such studies by persons from other countries; (5) promoting and supporting medical, scientific, cultural, and educational research and development; (6) promoting modern foreign language training and area studies in United States schools, colleges, and universities by supporting visits and study in foreign countries by teachers and prospective teachers in such schools, colleges, and universities for the purpose of improving their skill in languages and their knowledge of the culture of the people of those countries, and by financing visits by teachers from those countries to the United States for the purpose of participating in foreign language training and area studies in United States schools, colleges, and universities; (7) United States representation at international nongovernmental educational, scientific, and technical meetings; |