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SECOND PAN AMERICAN CONFERENCE ON HIGHWAYS

MESSAGE

FROM THE

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

TRANSMITTING

REPORT FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE WITH ACCOMPANYING PAPERS, TO THE END THAT LEGISLATION MAY BE ENACTED AUTHORIZING AN APPROPRIATION OF $15,000 TO ENABLE THE UNITED STATES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SECOND PAN AMERICAN CONFERENCE ON HIGHWAYS TO BE HELD AT RIO DE JANEIRO IN JUNE, 1928

DECEMBER 12, 1927.-Read; referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations, and ordered to be printed

To the Congress of the United States:

I renew the request I made of the Sixty-ninth Congress, that legislation be enacted authorizing an appropriation of $15,000 to enable the United States to participate in the Second Pan American Conference on Highways, which had been fixed to be held at Rio de Janeiro in the calendar year 1927, but which was postponed to meet at the same city in June, 1928.

A joint resolution for this purpose passed the House of Representatives on January 17, 1927, and was favorably reported to the Senate by the Committee on Foreign Relations, but failed to be reached in the Senate before final adjournment of the Sixty-ninth Congress.

The attention of Congress is invited to the accompanying report of the Secretary of State, and House Document No. 631, Sixty-ninth Congress, second session, therewith inclosed, in which the facts regarding this conference are set forth.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

December 12, 1927.

CALVIN Coolidge.

The PRESIDENT:

A joint resolution (H. J. Res. 329), providing for the expenses of participation of the United States in the Second Pan American Conference on Highways, which was fixed to meet at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in July, 1927, but which has been postponed until June, 1928, passed the House of Representatives on January 17, 1927, and was favorably reported to the Senate by the Committee on Foreign Relations, but, due to the pressure of business before the Senate during the closing days of the session, was not reached in that body before final adjournment.

This resolution was introduced in pursuance of the recommendation made by the President in his message to Congress of January 8, 1927, which is contained in House Document No. 631, Sixty-ninth Congress, second session. That document fully sets forth the facts regarding this conference and shows the great interest taken in United States participation, not only by the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture, but by the automotive industry in the United States as well, as a means looking to the promotion, through highway education and construction and motor transportation in the American States, of valuable economic and trade development.

In a letter dated November 11, 1927, the Secretary of Commerce states that from the point of view of our foreign trade it is desirable that the matter should be again brought to the attention of Congress, and that Congress should provide for a strong delegation to the conference.

In view of this and of all the considerations set forth in the document mentioned, the undersigned, the Secretary of State, has the honor to recommend that the request made of the Sixty-ninth Congress for legislation authorizing an appropriation of $15,000 to enable the United States to participate in the Second Pan American Conference of Highways, to open at Rio de Janeiro in June, 1928, be submitted to the Seventieth Congress. To this end there are furnished herewith, for the information of Congress, copies of House Document No. 631, above mentioned.

The undersigned is advised by the Director of the Bureau of the Budget that the request is not in conflict with the financial program of the President.

Respectfully submitted.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Washington, December 9, 1927.

FRANK B. KELLOGG.

[House Document No. 631, Sixty-ninth Congress, second session]

To the Congress of the United States:

I recommend to the favorable consideration of the Congress the inclosed report from the Secretary of State, with accompanying papers, to the end that legislation may be enacted authorizing an appropriation of $15,000 to enable the United States to participate in the Second Pan American Conference on Highways to be held at Rio de Janeiro, in accordance with the recommendation of the

Secretary of Agriculture and the Acting Secretary of Commerce joined in by the Secretary of State.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

Washington, January 8, 1927.

The PRESIDENT,

The White House:

CALVIN COOLIDGE.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Washington, January 7, 1927.

At the Fifth International Conference of American States, held at Santiago, Chile, in April, 1923, a resolution was adopted to hold an automobile road conference at a time and place which the governing board of the Pan American Union might determine, for the purpose of studying the most adequate means for carrying out an efficient program for the construction of automobile roads in the various countries of America, and between such countries. The date. and place of the conference was fixed for 1925 at Buenos Aires. Subsequently, in 1924, in preparation for that conference some 37 delegates, representing 19 Pan American countries, visited the United States and made an extensive study of highway improvements. This visit was followed by a communication from the Argentine Government inviting the Government of the United States to send delegates to a Pan American Highway Congress to be held at Buenos Aires in 1925. On the recommendation of the. President, the Congress enacted a joint resolution (Public Resolution No. 72, 68th Cong., approved March 4, 1925) authorizing the appointment of delegates to enable the United States to participate in the Congress. An appropriation of $15,000 for the expenses of participation was also authorized.

At the conference at Buenos Aires plans were inaugurated and are now being extensively carried out for the promotion of highway education and the development of highway construction and motor transportation in the Pan American countries. A voluntary organization has been formed, known as the Pan American Confederation for Highway Education, through which these efforts are being directed. The movement is predicated upon the desire to give helpful assistance to Pan American States in developing motor transportation and making possible its many and valuable economic advantages. The development of modern highways and the use of motor transportation implies an economic gain and a large benefit in actual trade for the countries involved.

The first Pan American Conference on Highways at Buenos Aires selected the city of Rio de Janeiro as the place for the meeting of the second conference. The Government of Brazil has now fixed July 17, 1927, as the date of the opening session of the conference, and through its ambassador at Washington has invited the Government of the United States to be represented by delegates in the conference. The invitation has had the consideration of the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture, the result of which is set forth in the letters from the Secretary of Agriculture and the Acting Secretary of Commerce, copies of which I have the honor to inclose. It will be

observed that both officers deem it highly desirable that the United States should take part in the conference and that for this purpose an appropriation of $15,000 should be made.

In view of the laudable aims inspiring the invitation from the Government of Brazil, the possibility of valuable economic and trade development as a result of the improvement of highways and the cordial and unstinted support which this movement has received from business men in this country, it is believed that this Government should be represented at the forthcoming conference and still continue to encourage this important enterprise. The undersigned, the Secretary of State, has the honor, therefore, to recommend that the Congress be asked to enact legislation authorizing an appropriation of $15,000 for the expenses of delegates of the United States to the Second Pan American Conference on Highways to be held at the city of Rio de Janeiro in the calendar year 1927.

A copy of a letter from the Director of the Bureau of the Budget stating that the request is not in conflict with the financial program of the President, is herewith inclosed.

Respectfully submitted.

FRANK B. KELLOGG.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE,

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY,
Washington, December 8, 1926.

The SECRETARY OF STATE,

Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR MR. SECRETARY: I have received your letter of December 4, with which you inclose a copy of a note from the ambassador of Brazil extending an invitation by direction of his government to the United States to be represented at the Second Pan American Conference on Highways to be held in Rio de Janeiro in July, 1927, and in which you ask for an expression of the views and wishes of this department.

I believe it would be highly desirable for this country to be represented at the conference referred to in your letter. I am familiar with the plans and aims of this and the First Pan American Conference on Highways which was held in Buenos Aires in October, 1925, and this department in conjunction with the State Department and the Department of Agriculture has given assistance in many ways in promoting the plans growing out of the first conference.

In preparation for the first conference a group of some 37 of the leading highway engineers from 19 of the Pan American countries. were brought to this country in June, 1924, through the assistance of the automotive industry and the road machinery and fuel groups who contributed the funds to defray the expenses. These engineers were given full opportunity of observing the construction and use of American highways in all phases and of the development of motor transportation, and later most of them attended the first conference on highways held in Buenos Aires. This Government was represented by official delegates at that conference.

At the first conference held in Buenos Aires plans were inaugurated and are now being extensively carried out for the promotion of highway education and the development of highway construction and

motor transportation in the Pan American States. A voluntary organization has been formed, known as the Pan American Confederation for Highway Education, through which these efforts are being directed. The same private groups who furnished the funds to bring the Pan American engineers to this country are financing the project, and it is receiving the support of this department, the Department of State, and the Department of Agriculture. The Pan American Union has also given cordial support and assistance in carrying out this project since its inception. The movement is predicated upon the desire to give helpful assistance to the Pan American States in developing motor transportation and making possible its mapy and valuable economic advantages. The development of modern highways and the use of motor transportation implies an economic gain and a large benefit in actual trade for the countries involved which will increase from year to year with the development of such transportation.

In view of the cordial and unstinted support this important movement has received from the industries named and from business men in this country and the possibilities of valuable economic and trade development, I believe this Government should be represented at the conference to be held in Rio de Janerio and should continue to encourage this important enterprise. I am informed that the expense of sending delegates in this instance would be covered by an appropriation of $15,000, and suggest that this sum be sought for the purpose.

Very truly yours,

J. WALTER DRAKE, Acting Secretary of Commerce.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
Washington, December 11, 1926.

The SECRETARY OF STATE.

MY DEAR MR. SECRETARY: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 4, file No. A-W/515.4 D 2/—.

The invitation extended by direction of the Government of Brazil is in accordance with the informal invitation, extended by the delegates representing Brazil, to the First Pan American Congress of Highways to hold the second meeting of that body in Brazil in 1927. This department was very much interested in the first conference and was represented in the official delegation on the part of the United States by the Chief of the Bureau of Public Roads. It is the judgment of this department that the invitation of the Government of Brazil offers an opportunity to further helpful and worth-while contacts with the Republics of Brazil, Central and South America. I very much hope therefore that the United States will accept the invitation and will be represented at this conference.

Thanking you for the courtesy of permitting this expression of opinion on the part of this department, I am,

Yours very sincerely,

W. M. JARDINE, Secretary.

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