Editorial Note
On April 9, 1954, President Eisenhower named a Sub-Cabinet Committee to review United States economic relations with Latin America and to formulate the basic policy framework for United States positions at the forthcoming Rio Economic Conference. Chaired by Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs Holland, the committee was comprised of representatives at the Assistant Secretary level from the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Interior, Labor, State, and Treasury, and also from the Office of Defense Mobilization, the Foreign Operations Administration, and the Export–Import Bank. Between May 24 and November 16, 1954, the committee held 24 meetings; the policy statements adopted were subsequently referred to the Interdepartmental Committee on Latin American Economic Affairs (EA).
The Interdepartmental Committee was established in July 1954 under the chairmanship of Ambassador Merwin L. Bohan, United States Representative to the Inter-American Economic and Social Council. It consisted of representatives from the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, State, and Treasury, and also from the Foreign Operations Administration and the Federal Reserve Board. On the basis of the policy statements approved by the Sub-Cabinet Committee, the Interdepartmental Committee prepared position papers on specific issues scheduled for deliberation, and others which the Department of State expected would arise, at the conference.
[Page 314]Documentation relating to the work of these two committees, including position papers and minutes of meetings; is contained in OAS files, lot 60 D 665.