32. Editorial Note

On May 11, President Eisenhower requested the Tariff Commission to update its figures and analysis of the bicycle case to ensure that the decline in domestic bicycle production indicated a persistent [Page 118] trend instead of a temporary variation. The Commission’s report contained figures only through 1954. The President asked that the Commission provide data as far as possible into 1955 and estimate the industry’s prospects for the remainder of the year. He wrote that it was important to know whether the first quarter economic surge affected bicycle sales and to what degree the lagging profitability of the U.S. industry was the result of an inadequate response to shifting American preferences. He asked the Committee to submit its findings no later than July 15. For texts of the White House announcement and the President’s letter to the Tariff Commission chairman, see Department of State Bulletin, June 20, 1955, pages 1003–1005.