EMERGENCIES ARISING IN THE DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR SERVICE. An increase of this appropriation from $75,000 to $200,000 is requested. The Secretary of State will take pleasure in appearing before the Committee on Foreign Affairs at the proper time to explain the needs for this increase. INTERNATIONAL BUREAU OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. This is an annual obligation imposed on the United States by the international convention of May 20, 1875, approved by the Senate on May 15, 1878, and proclaimed by the President on September 27, 1878. The contribution which each signatory government is required to make to the maintenance of the international bureau established by the convention mentioned is based on population, and the contribution of the United States ($2,895) is constant and is the same amount as has been appropriated in previous years. INTERNATIONAL BUREAU FOR THE PUBLICATION OF CUSTOMS TARIFFS. This is an obligation imposed on the United States by the international convention concerning the formation of an International Union for the Publication of Customs Tariffs, signed at Brussels, July 5, 1890, approved by the Senate December 13, 1890, and proclaimed by the President December 17, 1890. The expenses of this bureau fluctuate and the share of the United States in the annual expenses has varied from $1,300 to $1,500. The share of the United States for the year ending March 31, 1915, was $1,317.84. INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY COMMISSION, UNITED STATES AND MEXICO. Of the total amount of $48,452.04 estimated for this object, $9,952.04 are needed on account of the expenses of the American Section of the International Boundary Commission and $38,500 to continue the work relating to the distribution of water. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1916, the sum of $14,000 was appropriated in the Diplomatic and Consular act to enable the International Boundary Commission to continue its work under the treaties of 1884, 1889, and 1905, but of this amount the sum of $8,000 was assigned by the act to the work relating to the distribution of water, under the protocol of May 6, 1896, between the United States and Mexico. The $6.000 remaining of the appropriation" to enable the commission to continue its work under the treaties of 1884, 1889, and 1905," has been found insufficient for the purpose and it is likely that a deficiency will be incurred. Of the amount ($9,952.04) requested to enable the commission to carry on this work for the fiscal year 1917, $7,952.04 are for fixed expenses as follows: The balance ($2,000) is contingent and should be provided and used only to meet imperative work that may be required on the American side of the border. Should conditions become such, by the reestablishment of diplomatic relations with Mexico, as to require the reestablishment of the International Boundary Commission, it will become necessary to submit hereafter an additional estimate of appropriation for a United States commissioner and assistant engineer, and a slight increase for traveling expenses and for rent. The $38,500 requested for the continuance of the work relating to the distribution of water are $30,500 in excess of the amount appropriated for the same purpose for the fiscal year 1916, and are made up of the following items, which, in the judgment of the commissioner in charge of the water work, are absolutely necessary. 1. Topographic survey of the proposed reservoir and dam, recently located by a reconnaissance, Pecos River, Tex....... 2. Topographic survey and map of a reservoir channel of the dam site recently surveyed and located in Devils River...... 3. To check up, if necessary, the maps, plans, and report, made and submitted, free of charge, at the commissioner's request, for a proposed dam and reservoir in the boundary, partly in Brewster County, Tex., below the mouth of the Conchos (Mexican), the largest flood tributary of the boundary... $10,000.00 5, 000. 00 5,000.00 4. To locate a gravity canal site in the lower boundary, Texas, side and 5. To continue the hydrographic part of the "water work," including sal- $8,500.00 10,000.00 1. Commissioner.. 2. His stenographer. $3,000.00 3. Water engineer and disbursing officer for boundary and water funds...... 1,800.00 4. One to three observers and gaugers of water. 2,700.00 Total..... 38,500.00 BOUNDARY LINE, ALASKA AND CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. Under this heading an increase of $75,000 is asked for. An itemized statement of the probable expenditures of the American boundary commissions is furnished by the United States commissioner, as follows: 1 The increase in the number of hands an 1 cooks is rendered necessary on account of the increased amoun: of cutting in opening the vista along the international boundary in the Maine Highlands. Estimated unexpended remainder of previous appropriations at end of fiscal year 1916...... Total to be appropriated for fiscal year 1917. $35, 660.00 32, 910.00 49, 265.00 117, 835.00 2,835.00 115,000.00 The commissioner gives the following explanation for the difference between the estimates submitted for the fiscal year 1917 and the expenditures for the fiscal year 1915: "The work of locating the international boundary along the highlands of Maine, which is most difficult and expensive, is being prosecuted as vigorously as the funds available for this year will permit, and it is proposed to prosecute it more vigorously next year, as it has been found that large field parties are much more economical than small ones when the results of both are compared. "On assuming the office of boundary commissioner last May, I was much embarrassed for the reason that the present appropriation, entitled 'Boundary line, Alaska and Canada and United States and Canada,' carries no provision for the rental of offices in Washington, D. C., and the Comptroller of the Treasury Department informed me verbally he did not believe that bills for the purchase of office furniture could be legally paid from the appropriation. "Fortunately, I have been able to retain the use of a room in the House of Representatives Office Building, which has been occupied for some time by employees of the international boundary commissions, and Dr. Jones, Superintendent of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, has been most helpful in every way and has kindly provided room for some of the boundary employees temporarily. "A short time ago Mr. Elliott Woods, Superintendent of the Capitol, notified me that I would have to vacate the room that I am now occupying in the House of Representatives Office Building, as it was needed, and on my explaining to him the position in which I am placed, he has kindly promised to place at my disposal other limited space in the House of Representatives Office Building for use by the boundary commissions until after the appropriation for the next fiscal year becomes available." The commissioner adds:" "These estimates contemplate the prosecution of the work by one large party on the international boundary between Rainy Lake and Lake Superior, and the final establishment of monuments in that region, when the precise location of the boundary line is agreed upon by the commissioners, and by two large parties in the Maine highlands for the purpose of reestablishing the boundary line, cutting the vista, measuring, monumenting, and mapping that intricate boundary through a most difficulty country. "In addition to which, provision is made in the estimates for engraving and printing maps required by the treaty." INTERNATIONAL BUREAU AT BRUSSELS FOR REPRESSION OF THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE. This is an obligation imposed by article 82 of the general act concluded at Brussels July 2, 1890, as cited in the item. This general act was approved by the Senate on January 11, 1892, and proclaimed by the President on April 2, 1892. The annual share of the United States in the expenses of the special bureau fluctuate. For the year 1914 it was $104.60, the lowest annual payment made. INTERNATIONAL PRISON COMMISSION. This is not a conventional obligation, the United States having become an adherent member of the International Prison Commission by reason of an appropriation made by Congress for the purpose in 1896. The diplomatic and consular act for the fiscal year 1913 contains the following provision: "The United States shall continue as an adhering member of the International Prison Commission and participate in the work of said commission," and provides for the annual payment of the expenses "out of any money which shall be appropriated from time to time by Congress. The subscription of the United States as an adhering member of the commission is $900 and is constant. Out of the balance of $1,650 remaining of the appropriation of $2,550 for the fiscal year 1915, there were expended for expenses $533.08. The large balance remaining is explained by the facts that owing to the war in Europe no meeting of the International Prison Commission was held during the fiscal year 1915 and that there was no commissioner of the United States from February to July 1, the vacancy occasioned by the death of Dr. Henderson, the United States commissioner, not having been filled. INTERNATIONAL BUREAU OF THE PERMANENT COURT OF ARBITRATION. As cited in the item, this is a conventional obligation. So far the sum of $1,250 has been annually appropriated to meet the share of the United States in the expenses of the bureau. By the Diplomatic and Consular act for the fiscal year 1916, this amount was appropriated to meet the share of the expenses of the United States in the bureau for the calendar year 1914 and that amount has been paid for that purpose, but the department has since been informed that the expenditures for that calendar year required an increase of the United States' quota to $1,911.31, which will necessitate asking for a deficiency appropriation of $661.31. INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON ANNUAL TABLES OF CONSTANTS, ETC. This is not a conventional obligation. As shown by the item, the international commission was established by the Seventh International Congress of Applied Chemistry in London and continued by the eighth congress, which met at New York in 1912. The appropriation of a contribution by the United States toward the publication of the annual tables of constants was made on the initiative of Congress and not on the request of the Department of State. The amount asked in the present estimates for the annual payment of this contribution is the same as that appropriated by the diplomatic and consular act for the fiscal year 1916 and paid to the commission as the contribution of the United States in 1915. The department understands that the contribution is constant and does not fluctuate. BUREAU OF INTERPARLIAMENTARY UNION FOR PROMOTION OF INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION. This is not a conventional obligation, but one which seems to have been taken on the initiative of Congress. The contribution of the United States toward the maintenance of the union is constant and is fixed at $2,000 a year. INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE. The payment of the quota of the United States for the support of the International Institute of Agriculture at Rome is a conventional obligation incurred by membership in the convention, signed June 7, 1905, for the creation of the institute. The amount assessed against the United States is fixed by the convention and is $8,000 per annum. It is also a conventional obligation under the convention mentioned that the United States should be represented by one member on the permanent committee of the institute. The amount of the salary to be paid to him, however, is fixed by Congress and has been $3,600 a year. The third item under this head-viz, for the payment of the quota of the United States for the cost of translating into and printing in the English language of publications of the institute-is not an obligation under the convention. In view of the fact, however, that, as is customary in international organizations of this character, the publications and proceedings of the institute were printed in French they were of little or no value to agriculturists in the United States and Great Britain. For this reason the United States and Great Britain have each undertaken to contribute the sum of $5,000 to the institution for the purpose of having all of their publications printed in English as well as in French. INTERNATIONAL RAILWAY CONGRESS. On February 13, 1903, Secretary of State Hay requested of the Congress, through the Treasury Department, authority for the adhesion of the Government of the United States to the International Railway Congress and that a sum of $400 be appropriated annually as this Government's quota toward its support. It was pointed out by Secretary Hay that in order to adhere it would be required of the United States to pay annually, on April 15 of each year, the sum of $400 so long as it remains a member, and that the expenses of a session are distributed over five years, so that it would be expected that this Government's membership would continue for that time at least. The sundry civil act approved April 28, 1904, appropriated the sum of $400, and a like appropriation has been made yearly since. The second period of five years' membership in the International Railway Congress terminated with 1914. Congress having appropriated for this Government's membership in the International Railway Congress for the years 1915 and 1916, this Government would seem to be committed to membership for at least three years more. This is not a conventional obligation, but is one in which the good faith of the United States is concerned. INTERNATIONAL SANITARY BUREAU. This bureau was created by reason of a resolution adopted on January 29, 1902, by the Second International Conference of American States, which met in the City of Mexico. The expenses of the bureau are borne among the various members on the basis of population, and on this basis the quota of the United States is and has been since the creation of the bureau $2,830.79 annually. The Pan American Union has charge of the disbursement of the entire fund, and informs the department that out of the appropriation of $2,830.79 for the fiscal year 1915 there was an unexpended balance turned into the Treasury of $2,087.05, due to the postponement by reason of the war of the meeting of the International Sanitary Conference, which had been fixed for December, 1914, and January, 1915, at Montevideo. INTERNATIONAL OFFICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH. This, as cited in the item, is a conventional obligation. The annual quota of the United States toward the support of the International Office of Public Health is fixed by article 11 of the by-laws annexed to the arrangement signed at Rome on December 9, 1907. It is $3,015.62 annually and does not fluctuate. INTERNATIONAL SEISMOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION. This association is the result of a meeting of the official representatives of the Governments in 1903, through whom the association was established. The United States joined the association in 1906. By the terms of the agreement, to which the United States is a party, the United States is obligated to remain a member of the association until March 31, 1916, when it may withdraw if six months' previous notice is given. If notice of intention to withdraw is not given, the United States is obligated to remain a member for an additional four years. The annual contribution of the United States toward defraying the expenses of the association is constant and is $800. INTERNATIONAL RADIOTELEGRAPHIC CONVENTION. This is a conventional obligation under the radiotelegraph conventions signed at Berlin on November 3, 1906, and at London on July 5, 1912. For the calendar year 1914 the share of the United States' expenses of the radiotelegraphic service bureau at Berne, Switzerland, was $2,000. Payment has not been called for for the calendar year 1915, but the amount asked for in the present estimates, $1,000, is the same as that appropriated by Congress for the calendar year 1916. |