situations under review, initiate studies as to needs for new commodity agreements or other governmental action, review existing and proposed commodity agreements from the standpoint of food and agriculture, and assist in preparing material for FAO's annual review of national agriculture and nutrition programs.)

The amendment proposed by the United States provides for transforming the Executive Committee into a Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization and for assigning it, in addition to the present functions of the Executive Committee, the duties outlined by the Preparatory Commission. The amendment would effect this by substituting a new article for the section of the constitution which now provides for the Executive Committee.

In reviewing the report of the Preparatory Commission last March, the FAO Executive Committee concluded that the entire Conference of FAO should serve as the World Food Council and that the 18-nation body envisaged by the Preparatory Commission should be a Commodity Commission of the World Food Council to be concerned primarily with the coordination of commodity policy between the annual meetings of the larger group. The Executive Committee felt that a constitutional amendment would not be needed to put its proposal into effect but offered a draft amendment in the event the Council should conclude that formal action would be required.

In addition to action on the recommendation for a World Food Council, other important items expected to come up at the Geneva Conference are consideration of the entire report of the Preparatory Commission and the holding of the first annual review of present and proposed agricultural and nutritional programs of member governments in the light of the situation and outlook throughout the world. Member nations have been asked to submit reports to FAO by the end of May, so that the information can be compared and analyzed for presentation to the Conference. It is expected that when food and fiber requirements and production plans are compared on a world-wide basis FAO member nations can take individual and collective action toward best adapting patterns of production to meet the most pressing current and prospective

needs.

The texts of the proposed amendments follow:

OF THE UNITED STATES

The Acting Secretary of State to the Director General of FAO
WASHINGTON, D. C.

April 23, 1946.

SIR: I have the honor to enclose the text of a proposed amendment to Articles V and VII of the Constitution of the Food and Agriculture Organization, together with an explanatory memorandum.

I should like to request that this proposal be placed upon the Agenda of the forthcoming session of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization, in accordance with Rule XXIII, paragraph 2, of the Rules of Procedure of the Organization.

Very truly yours,

DEAN ACHESON

Acting Secretary

The Director General of the

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION

OF THE UNITED NATIONS,

Washington, D. C.

Text of Amendment

1. It is proposed that Article V be amended to read as follows:

ARTICLE V-(THE COUNCIL)

1. The Conference shall elect a Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization consisting of representatives of eighteen Member nations of the Organization. The tenure and other conditions of office of the members of the Council shall be subject to rules to be made by the Conference.

2. The Conference may delegate to the Council such powers as it may determine, with the exception of powers set forth in paragraph 2 of Article II, Article IV, paragraph 1 of Article VII, Article XII and Article XX of this Constitution.

3. The Council shall appoint its Chairman and other officers and, subject to any decisions of the Conference, shall adopt its own rules of procedure.

2. It is proposed that Article VII, paragraphs 2 and 3, be amended to read as follows:

2. Subject to the general supervision of the Conference and the Council, the Director-General shall have full power and authority to direct the work of the Organization.

3. The Director-General or a representative designated by him shall participate, without the right to vote, in all meetings of the Conference and of the Council and shall formulate for consideration by the Conference and the Council proposals for appropriate action in regard to matters coming before them.

The United States Government proposal to amend Article V of the FAO Constitution and to make the necessary consequential amendment in Article VII would result in transforming the Executive Committee of FAO from a body composed of persons selected in an individual capacity to a body known as the Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), composed of representatives of Member governments. The proposal is in general accord with the recommendations of the FAO Preparatory Commission on World Food Proposals, particularly as set out in Chapter 7 of that Report. It is made because of the sincere conviction of this Government that such a step would greatly strengthen the FAO and would enable it to discharge more effectively its obligations.

I. ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNCIL OF FAO

It is proposed that the Council of FAO be composed of representatives of eighteen Member nations of FAO. Details concerning the Council's organization, meetings, terms of office, provision for the attendance of observers, and similar matters should be governed by rules to be made by the Conference, along lines indicated in Paragraphs 251-256 of the Preparatory Commission Report. The Director-General should be entitled to attend all sessions of the Council, without vote. He would also be requested to supply the necessary secretarial assistance to the Council, both during and between sessions, from the Organization's staff. It is the view of this Government that the Council should be an integral part of the Organization, and should not be permitted to become a separate entity within the FAO. This was the clear intention of the Commission as this Government understood it at the time. This Government pointed out informally to the Secretariat that

on this point.

It is proposed that the Council exercise such powers and perform such functions as the Conference may delegate to it. These would include the present functions of the Executive Committee which a re concerned with the entire program of FAO in the field of food and agricultural policy. This Government is studying the various alternatives for continuing the functions of Financial Control now exercised by the Executive Committee, and will include recommendations on this matter in proposed draft amendments to the Financial Regulations.

This Government considers that the recommendation of the FAO Preparatory Commission for an annual intergovernmental review and consultation on national agricultural and nutrition programs is an important one and should be adopted by the Conference. One of the major tasks of the Council would then be to assist the Director-General to prepare the report and agenda for the annual consultations. To do this, the Council would need to review and where appropriate make recommendations concerning technical developments in agriculture, nutrition, forestry, and fisheries; national and international programs and policies in food and agriculture; international trade problems affecting food and agriculture, including agricultural commodity problems; general economic development especially in relation to agricultural and nutrition policies; and methods by which the Organization may carry out its obligations in these fields.

It is proposed that the functions of the Director-General remain as they now are except that his responsibilities will undoubtedly increase because of the enlarged activities which the Council may develop.

The United States Government will submit to the Conference draft amendments to the Rules of Procedure and Financial Regulations, which will embody the above suggestions.

II. THE NAME

The United States Government attaches considerable importance to the name Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization— (FAO) for two major reasons:

1. It is desired to emphasize by the name, as well as by any rules adopted, that the Council is an integral part of FAO. It is the

extension of the Conference and responsible to it. Any name which indicates or implies an independent status from FAO would not be favorably viewed by this Government.

2. Use of this name will emphasize that the Council will be concerned with consideration of all problems and questions within the scope of FAO-i. e. non-food agricultural products, forests and forest products, and fisheries, as well as food products.

III. REASONS FOR PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS

The United States Government recommends that the Executive Committee be reconstituted as a Council of 18 Member governments for the following reasons:

1. As recommendations of international organizations depend on Member governments for their implementation, such recommendations should express not only desirable goals but goals practically attainable. Experience in many fields has demonstrated that governments are most likely to implement by national action those international recommendations which they themselves, or a representative body composed of governments, have had a hand in shaping. This is a major reason why the United States Government favors the establishment of a Council of government representatives.

2. While all Member governments participate annually in the formulation of recommendations which constitute FAO policy, events and conditions change and require constant survey, review and possible further recommendation. A body exercising powers delegated by the Conference, and acting on its behalf, should reflect as closely as possible the Conference itself. Rules to be made by the Conference can provide for the selection of members of the Council in such a way that they will reflect in balanced fashion the interests of all the Members of the Conference.

3. The proposed Council of FAO should be attended regularly by representatives of all Member governments elected to serve upon it. It has been demonstrated that, for unavoidable and often unexpected reasons, individuals selected to serve in their personal capacity on the Executive Committee have been unable to attend meetings regularly. Under a system of personal selection, there cannot consistently be a provision for selection of a successor in case of sudden vacancy. On the other hand, a Member nation