97. Editorial Note
On February 15, the Senate Permanent Investigations Subcommittee opened public hearings on the revision of the Battle Act and International Lists implemented in August 1954. Circular telegram 571, February 17, sent to 14 diplomatic posts, explained the background of the hearings. “Subcommittee charge,” it noted in part, “is reported to be that 1954 revision has permitted shipment strategic commodities to European Soviet bloc and that decisions within U.S. executive branch which resulted in 1954 deletions were taken contrary to U.S. experts’ evaluation of strategic importance individual items.” The subcommittee, which was chaired by Senator John L. McClellan (D.–Arkansas), included the following Senators: Joseph R. McCarthy (R.–Wisconsin), Henry M. Jackson (D.–Washington), Stuart Symington (D.–Mississippi), Karl E. Mundt, (R.–South Dakota), and George H. Bender (R.–Ohio). The hearings, held between February 15 and March 29, are printed in U.S. Congress, Senate, Committee on Government Operations, East-West Trade: Hearings before the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Government Operations (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1956).