798 FOREIGN RELATIONS, 1950, VOLUME 1

mentary recommendations will be transmitted to you later regarding
negotiations with Cuba, and regarding action on the additional items
listed in the second supplementary list for negotiations with the other
countries. As stated in the accompanying memorandum, further re-
quests for additional authority may be forthcoming as the negotia-
tions proceed. The recommendations submitted herewith constitute
the bulk of the total and are believed to provide an adequate basis on
which to open negotiations.

These recommendations, including the recommendations to which
there are dissents, have my support. The time has come to move ahead
in the program to reduce tariff and other trade barriers, not only by
extending the coverage of the Agreement to additional countries, as
this conference will do, but also by extending the mutual concessions
among countries already parties to the General Agreement.

As the Chairman of the Interdepartmental Committee has pointed
out in his memorandum, it may be contended that the grave inter-
national situation should preclude further action on particular prod- —
ucts at this time. We are convinced that such arguments are not well-
founded but come from interests which fear without justification
the effects of increased competition from imports. Far from constitut-
ing a reason for hesitation or delay, the gravity of the international
situation is, in our opinion, an added reason for pushing forward
with this program as a means of strengthening the domestic economy
as well as the economies of friendly nations.

The national security interest has been carefully safeouarded and
the Department of Defense concurs with the Committee’s recom-
mendations. Furthermore, care has been exercised throughout to avoid
recommendations which would involve the risk of serious injury to
any domestic industry. oe

I therefore support the recommendations of the Committee and
urge that they be approved.

JAMES. E. Wess

 

394.31/9-2650

Memorandum by the Chairman of the Interdepartmental Committee
on Trade Agreements (Corse) to the President

SECRET _ [| Wasuineton,] September 26, 1950.

There are presented herewith for your approval the recommenda-
tions of the Interdepartmental Committee on Trade Agreements as
to the tariff concessions which the United States should request of
and offer to certain countries in the negotiations which are to open
September 28 at Torquay within the framework of the General A gree-