Editorial Note
As a result of consultation among the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa in confidential sessions prior to and concurrently with the International Wool Study Group meeting at London, October 2–10, 1950, a memorandum was agreed upon providing for a set-aside program to insure the adequate provision of wool needs for Western defense. The proposed program was based upon an Australian counterproposal to the United States recommendation for a system of international wool allocation to divide the world supplies of wool equitably. At their meetings, the 27 participants of the Wool Study Group adopted a joint United [Page 224] States-French proposal that the Management Committee of the Study Group study and draft an international allocation plan for possible later use. The Wool Study Group also adopted, with some modifications, the proposals submitted by Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa for a reserve price scheme on wool.
Discussions in Melbourne, Australia, November 15–24, 1950, among representatives of the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa resulted in agreement that a system for the preemption (setting-aside) of international wool supplies raised legal and administrative problems that could not be surmounted in time to permit such a system to assist the United States in meeting its emergency wool requirements. The conference reviewed current United States plans to meet emergency military wool needs.
For a more detailed description of the conferences discussed here, see Division of International Conferences, Department of State, Participation of the United States Government in International Conferences, July 1, 1950–June 30, 1951: Including the Composition of United States Delegations and Summaries of the Proceedings (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1952), pages 134–140. Documentation on the wool negotiations and meetings mentioned here are found principally in block 398.24222 of the files of the Department of State.