The act also provides that representatives for the purpose of the act shall be designated by the respective parties. The Mediation Board investigates and certifies disputes arising among a carrier's employees as to who are the representatives designated and authorized in accordance with the requirements of the act. The Board may take a secret ballot of the employees involved or utilize any other appropriate method of ascertaining the names of the representatives. The act established the National Railroad Adjustment Board, composed of 36 members, 18 of whom are selected by the carriers and 18 by such labor organizations as have been or may be organized in accordance with section 2 of the act. The Adjustment Board, located at Chicago, Ill., was created to handle disputes growing out of grievances or out of the interpretation or application of agreements concerning rates of pay, rules, or working conditions. The Adjustment Board is divided into four divisions, as outlined in section 3 (h) of the act.

In deadlocked cases the National Mediation Board is authorized to appoint a referee to sit with the members of the Division for the purpose of making an award. The parties, or either party, to a dispute may invoke the services of the National Mediation Board in any of the following cases: (a) A dispute covering changes in rates of pay, rules, or working conditions not adjusted by the parties in conference; (b) any other dispute not referable to the National Railroad Adjustment Board and not adjusted in conference between the parties or where conferences are refused. The Mediation Board may proffer its services in case any labor emergency is found by it to exist at any time.

When mediation services are requested or proffered, the Board is authorized to put itself promptly in communication with the parties to the controversy and use its best efforts by mediation to bring the parties to agreement. When unsuccessful in bringing about an adjustment through mediation, the Board shall at once endeavor to induce the parties to submit the controversy to arbitration in accordance with the provisions of the act. The failure or refusal of either party to submit a controversy to arbitration shall not be construed as a violation of any legal obligation imposed upon such party by the terms of the Railway Labor Act or otherwise.

When an agreement to arbitrate has been filed with the Mediation Board a board of arbitration shall be chosen in the following manner:

The representatives of the carrier or carriers and of the employees shall each name one arbitrator (or two if the agreement to arbitrate so designates); the arbitrators thus chosen shall select the remaining arbitrator or arbitrators. On failure of the arbitrators named by the parties to agree on the remaining arbitrators during a period stipulated in the act, it shall be the duty of the Mediation Board to name such remaining arbitrator or arbitrators.

The agreement to arbitrate shall be in writing and shall stipulate, among other things, that the respective parties to the award will each faithfully execute the same. Copies of arbitration awards shall be furnished to the respective parties to the controversy, to the clerk's office of the district court of the United States for the district wherein the controversy arose or the arbitration is entered into, to the Mediation Board, and to the Interstate Commerce Commission.

If a dispute between a carrier and its employees is not adjusted under the foregoing provisions of the act and should, in the judgment of the Mediation Board, threaten substantially to interrupt interstate commerce to a degree such as to deprive any section of the country of essential transportation service, the Mediation Board shall notify the President, who may thereupon in his discretion create a board to investigate and report respecting such dispute. The act also provides that after the creation of such board no change in the conditions out of which the dispute arose shall be made by either party to the controversy during a period of 60 days.

The Mediation Board makes an annual report to Congress of its activities and of the activities of each of the four divisions of the National Railroad Adjustment Board.

NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

The National Security Council was established, pursuant to Public Law 253, title I, section 101, Eightieth Congress, July 26, 1947, to advise the President with respect to the integration of domestic, foreign, and military policies relating to the national security so as to enable the military services and the other departments and agencies of the Government to cooperate more effectively in matters involving the national security. In addition to performing such other functions

as the President may direct, it is the duty of the Council, subject to the direction of the President

(1) to assess and appraise the objectives, commitments, and risks of the United States in relation to our actual and potential military power, in the interest of national security, for the purpose of making recommendations to the President in connection therewith; and

(2) to consider policies on matters of common interest to the departments and agencies of the Government concerned with the national security, and to make recommendations to the President in connection therewith.

The Council makes such recommendations and such other reports to the President as it deems appropriate or as the President may require.

Under the direction of the National Security Council is a Central Intelligence Agency headed by a Director of Central Intelligence.

The Council is composed of the President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chairman of the National Security Resources Board and such of the following officers as the President may designate from time to time: The Secretaries of the executive departments, the Chairman of the Munitions Board, and the Chairman of the Research and Development Board.

The Council is assisted by a Staff headed by a civilian executive secretary, appointed by the President.

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

The Central Intelligence Agency was established on September 20, 1947, pursuant to section 102 of the National Security Act of 1947, (Public Law 253, 80th Congress). The Director of Central Intelligence is the head of the Agency, which is under the direction of the National Security Council. The Agency is charged with coordinating the intelligence activities of the Government, in the interest of national security.

The law specifically provides that the Agency shall have no police, subpoena, or law enforcement powers, or internal security functions. However, the Director is responsible for protecting intelligence sources and methods from unauthorized disclosure.

NATIONAL SECURITY RESOURCES BOARD

The National Security Resources Board was created by the National Security Act of 1947, Public Law 253. It is a permanent civilian agency of the United States Government and reports directly to the President. As outlined by the Act, the function of the Board is to advise the President concerning the coordination of military, industrial, and civilian mobilization, including:

Policies concerning industrial and civilian mobilization in order to assure the most effective mobilization and maximum utilization of the Nation's manpower in the event of war.

Programs for the effective use in time of war of the Nation's natural and industrial resources for military and civilian needs, for the maintenance and stabilization of the civilian economy in time of war, and for the adjustment of such economy to war needs and conditions.

Policies for unifying, in time of war, the activities of Federal agencies and departments engaged in or concerned with production, procurement, distribution, or transportation of military or civilian supplies, materials, and products.

The relationship between potential supplies of, and potential requirements for, manpower, resources, and productive facilities in time of war.

Policies for establishing adequate reserves of strategic and critical material, and for the conservation of these reserves.

The strategic relocation of industries, services, government, and economic activities, the continuous operation of which is essential to the Nation's security.

PAN AMERICAN SANITARY BUREAU

The Pan American Sanitary Bureau is the central coordinating sanitary agency as well as the general collection and distribution center of sanitary information of the American Republics. It was created by the Second International Conference of American Republics (1901–2), and organized by the First Pan American Sanitary Conference (1902). Its functions and duties are fixed by the Pan

American Sanitary Code (1924) and modified and amplified by the various international sanitary and other conferences of the American Republics. The Bureau is concerned in maintaining and improving the health, the medical care, and social security of the people of the Americas, and in preventing the international spread of communicable diseases. It acts as a consulting office for the national directors of health of the American Republics, prepares the programs and publishes the proceedings of the Pan American Sanitary Conferences and the Conferences of the National Directors of Health, and carries out epidemiological and other scientific studies and investigations. It grants and obtains fellowships both from its own funds and from funds obtained from other sources for Latin American graduates in medicine and allied sciences. It publishes in four languages a monthly Pan American Sanitary Bulletin, weekly and monthly reports on disease prevalence, and other publications on sanitary subjects, including special material for Pan American Health Day, which is celebrated annually on December 2 in all the American Republics. The Bureau is governed by the Conference and by a Directing Council on which all member states are represented. The director is elected for a four-year term. The necessary personnel is assigned or employed by the Director to attend to the various duties imposed on the Bureau by the Pan American Sanitary Code and the Pan American Sanitary Conferences. The Bureau is supported by contributions of all the American Republics. Address all correspondence to the Director, Pan American Sanitary Bureau, 2001 Connecticut Avenue, Washington 8, D. C.

PAN AMERICAN UNION

The Pan American Union is the official international organization of the 21 Republics of the Western Hemisphere. It was established with a view to developing closer cooperation between the nations of America, the fostering of interAmerican commerce, the strengthening of intellectual and cultural ties, and the interchange of information on all problems affecting the welfare of the nations of this continent. It is supported through their joint contributions, each nation annually paying that part of the budget of expenses which its population bears to the total population of all the Republics. Its general control is vested in a governing board made up of the 21 representatives of the American Governments. 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. Its activities and facilities include the following: Publication in English, Spanish, Portuguese, with separate editions, of an illustrated monthly bulletin, which is the record of the progress of all the Republics; publication of handbooks, descriptive pamphlets, commercial statements, and special reports relating to each country; correspondence covering all phases of pan-American activities; distribution of every variety of information helpful in the promotion of pan-American commerce, acquaintance, cooperation, and solidarity of interests. It also sets the date and prepares the programs for the International Conferences of the American States, known as the Pan American Conferences, and is custodian of their archives. Its library, known as the Columbus Memorial Library, contains 123,570 volumes, including the official publications, documents, and laws of all the Republics, together with a large collection of maps. The Union also possesses a collection of more than 25,000 photographs. Its reading room has upon its tables the representative magazines and newspapers of Latin America, and is open to the public for consultation and study. It occupies and owns buildings and grounds facing Seventeenth Street, between Constitution Avenue and C Street, overlooking Potomac Park on the south and the White House Park on the east. These buildings and grounds, representing an outlay of $1,100,000, of which Mr. Andrew Carnegie contributed $850,000 and the American Republics $250,000, are dedicated forever to the use of the Pan American Union as an international organization. Thẹ Pan American Union was founded in 1890, under the name of the International Bureau of American Republics, in accordance with the action of the First Pan American Conference, held at Washington in 1889-90 and presided over by James G. Blaine, then Secretary of State. It was reorganized in 1907 by action of the Third Pan American Conference, held in Rio de Janeiro in 1906, and upon the initiative of Elihu Root, then Secretary of State. At the fourth conference, held at Buenos Aires in 1910, its name was changed from the International Bureau of American Republics to the Pan American Union. The fifth con

ference, held at Santiago, Chile, in 1923; the sixth conference, which met at Habana, Cuba, in 1928; the seventh conference, held at Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1933, and the eighth conference, held at Lima, Peru, in 1938, considerably enlarged the functions of the Pan American Union. All communications should be addressed to the Pan American Union, Washington 6, D. C.

PERMANENT JOINT BOARD ON DEFENSE

The Permanent Joint Board on Defense was set up by the United States and Canada for the purpose of undertaking studies relating to sea, land, and air problems, including personnel and matériel, in connection with the defenses of the United States and Canada.

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD, THE

Creation, authority, and purpose.-The Railroad Retirement Board was established by the Railroad Retirement Act of 1935 (49 Stat. 967), approved August 29, 1935, which, as amended by part I of the act of June 24, 1937 (50 Stat. 307) and by Public Law No. 572, Ševenty-ninth Congress, second session, approved July 31, 1946, is cited as the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937. Additional responsibility is derived from the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (52 Stat. 1094), approved June 25, 1938, as amended by the act approved June 20, 1939 (Public, No. 141, 76th Cong.), and by act approved October 10, 1940 (Public, No. 833, 76th Cong., 3d sess.), from Public Resolution No. 102, Seventy-sixth Congress, third session, and by acts approved April 8, 1942 (56 Stat. 204), and July 31, 1946 (Public No. 572, 79th Cong., 2d sess.). Under the authority of these acts, the Board administers two related social insurance systems. One system provides for the payment of annuities to aged or disabled railroad employees; of annuities and lump-sum payments to certain widows, minor children, and parents of deceased railroad employees and of deceased annuitants and pensioners under the Railroad Retirement Act; and of pensions to former railroad pensioners. The other system provides for the payment of unemployment insurance benefits to railroad employees who become unemployed by reason of lack of work, or by reason of sickness, including maternity sickness. The retirement and unemployment insurance acts cover employees (other than those engaged in the physical operation of mining coal) of any carrier by railroad, express company, or sleepingcar company, subject to part I of the Interstate Commerce Act (with the exception of certain electric lines), and companies owned or controlled by or under common control with one or more of them and performing any service (except casual, trucking, or mining coal) in connection with the transportation of passengers or property by railroad; employees of associations, bureaus, and agencies controlled and maintained by carrier or carrier subsidiary employers and engaged in the performance of services in connection with or incidental to transportation by railroad; and employees of railway labor organizations national in scope and organized in accordance with the Railway Labor Act, their State and national legislative committees, and their insurance departments. Employees of local lodges and divisions of railway labor organizations and employee representatives are, under certain circumstances, covered by the retirement acts, but not by the Unemployment Insurance Act.

Organization. The Board is composed of three members appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate one upon recommendations of representatives of employees, one upon recommendations of representatives of carriers, and one, the chairman, without designated recommendations.

Directly responsible to the Board are the secretary, the chief executive officer, and the general auditor. The chief executive officer is responsible to the Board for the operation of the bureaus of Retirement Claims, Wage and Service Records, and Employment and Claims, the field offices, the offices of the directors of Personnel, Supply and Service, Finance, and Research, the offices of the General Counsel, and of Administrative Planning and Analysis, and the Appeals Council. The Appeals Council functions as an independent unit in hearing and deciding claims appealed from the Bureau of Retirement Claims.

Claims for annuities and death benefits under the Railroad Retirement Act are adjudicated in the Bureau of Retirement Claims. The adjudication and certification for payment of claims for benefits under the Unemployment Insurance Act are performed in nine regional offices. An auxiliary administrative service is performed, under contract and for an agreed compensation, by covered employers

who designate certain of their employees to receive under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act unemployment insurance claims and registrations and forward them through a higher placed employee to the appropriate regional office of the Board. An employment service is operated in close coordination with the operations involving the receipt and processing of unemployment insurance claims.

RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT OF 1937

Railroad Retirement Act of 1937.-The Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 provides for the payment of employee annuities to individuals who qualify because they are (1) 65 years of age or over; (2) 60 years of age or over and have completed 30 years of service (in this case there is a reduction of 1/180 for each month the employee is under age 65, except that there is no such reduction in the case of a woman; (3) 60 years of age or over, are permanently disabled for work in their regular occupations and are currently connected with the railroad industry; (4) less than 60 years of age, are permanently disabled for work in their regular occupations, have completed 20 years of service, and are currently connected with the railroad industry; (5) 60 years of age and are permanently disabled for work in any regular, gainful employment; (6) less than 60 years of age, are permanently disabled for work in any regular gainful employment, and have completed 10 years of service. The act also provides monthly pensions not in excess of $120 to individuals who were on the pension rolls of covered employers on specified dates, one preceding and one immediately following the enactment of the act. The annuities are computed by a formula set out in the act based on years of service and average compensation not in excess of $300 for any month. Service in covered employment subsequent to December 31, 1936, except service rendered after June 30, 1937, and after the end of the calendar year in which the individual attained age 65, is creditable toward annuities. Service prior to January 1, 1937, is creditable up to an over-all aggregate of 30 years' service for individuals who had an "employee" status on August 29, 1935. An "employee" status existed on that date if an individual was then either in the active service of, or in an employment relation to, an employer under the act, or was an employee representative. Under certain circumstances active service in the land or naval forces of the United States is also creditable. When so creditable, there is attributable as compensation paid for each calendar month of such service, the amount of $160 in addition to other compensation, if any, paid to the individual with respect to such month. The maximum annuity payable, based in whole or in part on service prior to January 1, 1937, is $120; a minimum annuity provision operates to provide an annuity which is equal to whichever of the following three amounts is the least: $3 times the number of years of service, or $50, or the average monthly compensation.

Death benefits.-The following benefits are payable to the survivors of an employee who died completely insured: (1) a monthly annuity to the widow, beginning at age 65 and ending at death or remarriage; (2) a monthly annuity to the widow regardless of age as long as she does not remarry and has in her care unmarried children of the employee who are under 18 and were dependent on the employee at the time of his death; (3) a monthly annuity to each unmarried child who was dependent on the employee at the time of his death, as long as the child remains unmarried and is under age 18; (4) a monthly annuity to each dependent parent beginning at age 65 and ending at death or remarriage (a parent's annuity is payable only if the employee leaves no widow or dependent, unmarried children under age 18; the parent must file proof of his dependency within 2 years after the employee's death, but if the employee died before July 1, 1945, the parent has until July 1, 1947, to file such proof); (5) a lump-sum death benefit payable to the widow, or children, parents, or payers of the funeral expenses (in the order named), if the employee dies after 1946 and leaves no survivor entitled to an immediate monthly annuity. The payment of a lump-sum death benefit to a widow or parent does not affect the subsequent payment of a monthly annuity to the same survivor when that person reaches age 65. If the employee died partially, but not completely, insured, only the benefits described in (2), (3), and (5) may be payable. An employee is completely insured at the time of his death if he has "a current connection with the railroad industry" and (1) has forty quarters of coverage, or (2) has quarters of coverage, not less than six, equal to one-half the elapsed quarters (other than those in which a retirement annuity was payable to him) after 1936 or after the quarter in which he attained age twenty-one, if later, and up to but excluding the quarter in which he died or attained age sixty-five, whichever is first. An employee is also completely insured if (1) a pension was payable to him under the Railroad Retirement Act, or (2) a