411.003/11–2150
Memorandum by the Alternate Chairman of the Interdepartmental Committee on Trade Agreements ( Beale ) to Dr. John R. Steelman, The Assistant to the President
Subject: Proposed Alternatives to the Raw Wool Concession
Reference is made to your memorandum of November 16, 1950 to the Secretary of State enclosing a memorandum from the Secretary of Agriculture, dated November 15, 1950,1 in which it was recommended that, in making a further wool concession to Australia, either (1) the right would be reserved to withdraw the concession by a Presidential Proclamation stating that the abnormal situation regarding wool had ceased to exist, or (2) the United States would promise to suspend the duty on wool under the provisions of Section 318 of the Tariff Act of 1930 for the duration of the emergency wool situation.
On November 17, the interdepartmental Committee on Trade Agreements considered these alternatives. At that time the Committee was informed by the member representing the Department of Agriculture that it was intended that either of these alternatives should be offered instead of the concession on raw wool recommended by the majority of the Committee on September 26 and approved by the President on November 14, 1950.
After full and careful consideration of these alternatives, the majority of the Committee (the representative of the Department of Agriculture dissenting) voted not to recommend to the President that either of the alternatives be offered to Australia and New Zealand instead of the offer previously recommended.
In reaching this decision the majority of the Committee expressed the view that there had been no change in the situation with respect to wool which would justify a change in the recommendation of the majority as set forth in my memorandum to the President, dated September 26, 1950.
- Dr. Steelman’s memorandum to the Secretary of State, November 16, is not printed. (411.003/11–1650). The memorandum of November 15 from the Secretary of Agriculture was not attached.↩