68. Editorial Note
Activity on the reciprocal trade legislation continued in May, as the House Ways and Means Committee considered and amended President Eisenhower’s proposals and the administration worked for passage of its original program. Secretary Dulles stressed the importance of the administration’s views on May 2 in an address in Durham, New Hampshire. For text of his statement, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1958, pages 26–33. On May 6, Eisenhower echoed Dulles’ comments in speeches before the 14th annual Washington conference of the Advertising Council and the Republican National Committee, while Deputy Under Secretary Dillon reiterated them in remarks in New York City. For text of the President’s statements, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1958, pages 372–386; for text of Dillon’s address, see Department of State Bulletin, May 26, 1958, pages 881–882. Dulles spoke again in support of the administration’s proposals in Minneapolis, Minnesota; the text of his comments is ibid., pages 847–850.
[Page 161]Eisenhower discussed the trade bill’s status at his May 14 press conference. For text of his remarks, see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1958, page 405. Dulles also commented on the legislation at his May 20 press conference. For text, see Department of State Bulletin, June 9, 1958, pages 948–949.
On May 21, in a speech before the Foreign Policy Association at New York, Dillon commented again on the reciprocal trade bill’s importance. The text of his remarks is ibid., pages 968–970. That day, the Ways and Means Committee reported the legislation, H.R. 12591. Although it did not grant all of the administration’s requests, H.R. 12591 extended the Trade Agreements Act for 5 years and authorized the President to reduce tariffs as much as 25 percent below current levels during this period. For text of H.R. 12591, see H. Rept. 1716, Eighty-fifth Congress, Second Session. In a May 22 letter to the President, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Mills expressed his pleasure “that the bill as reported has your complete approval.” He also directed Eisenhower’s attention to a provision that empowered the Congress to override the President’s veto of Tariff Commission recommendations on escape clauses and requested the President’s comments on it. For text of the letter, see Department of State Bulletin, July 21, 1958, pages 133–134.
Eisenhower’s May 29 reply stated the Attorney General had advised him the provision in question was unconstitutional. Further, tariff policy could have profound effects on free world security, while escape clause actions could affect national interests. The President wrote:
“To withdraw from the President his power to make decisions in escape clause cases and to grant finality to the Tariff Commission’s findings and recommendations would in my opinion be a tragic blunder which could seriously jeopardize the national interest, the foreign relations, as well as the security of the United States.” (American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1958, pages 1525–1526)