Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 57 Part 2.djvu/746

 1382 April 22, 1942 [E. A. S. 384] Washington Wheat Meeting. Draft Convention. Post, p. 1384. uubmlission of I)raft (Convenltiol to pro- posed colnfrence. Wheat for relief in war-stricken, etc., areas. Arrangements in ef- fect. INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS OTHER THAN TREATIES [57 STAT. Memorandum of agreement between the United States of America, Argentina, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom respecting wheat. Initialed at Washington April 22, 1942; effective June 27, 1942. And related papers. MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT 1. Officials of Argentina, Australia, Canada and the United States, wheat exporting countries, and of the United Kingdom, a wheat importing country, met in Washington on July 10, 1941 to resume the wheat discussions which were interrupted in London by the out- break of war in September 1939 and to consider what steps might be taken toward a solution of the international wheat problem. 2. The discussions at Washington, which extended over a period of many months, have made it clear that a satisfactory solution of the problem requires an international wheat agreement and that such an agreement requires a conference of the nations willing to partici- pate which have a substantial interest in international trade in wheat. It was also recognized that pending the holding of such a conference the situation should not be allowed to deteriorate. The Washington Wheat Meeting has recorded the results of its deliberations in the attached Draft Convention in order to facilitate further international consideration of the subject at such time as may be possible and to provide a basis for such interim measures as may be found necessary. 3. The Washington Wheat Meeting has recognized that it is im- practicable to convene at the present time the international wheat con- ference referred to above. Accordingly, the five countries present at that Meeting have agreed that the United States, so soon as after consultation with other countries it deems the time propitious, should convene a wheat conference of the nat ions having a substantial inter- est in international trade in wheat which are willing to participate, and that the Draft Convention above mentioned should be submitted to that conference for consideration. 4. In the meantime there should be no delay in the provision of wheat for relief in war-stricken and other necessitous areas so soon as in the view of the five countries circumstances permit. Likewise it is imperative that the absence of control measures over the accumula- tion of stocks in the four countries now producing large quantities of wheat for markets no longer available should not create insoluble problems for a future conference. Accordingly, the five countries have agreed to regard as in effect among themselves, pending the conclusions of the conference referred to above, those arrangements described in the attached Draft Convention which are necessary to the administration and distribution of the relief pool of wheat and to the control of production of wheat other than those involving the control of exports

�