The CHAIRMAN. This bill is recommended by the Bureau of the Budget and also by the Secretary of Agriculture, and there will be inserted in the record at this point the letter of the Secretary of Agriculture regarding the measure. (The letter referred to and submitted by the chairman is as follows:) Hon. GEORGE H. MOSES, Chairman Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads, JANUARY 27, 1928. United States Senate. DEAR SENATOR: Further reference is made to letter of January 4, from the clerk to your committee transmitting a copy of S. 1718 for the information of the department and such suggestions concerning the subject matter of the bill as the department might wish to make. This bill would authorize the President to detail engineers of the Bureau of Public Roads of this department to assist the governments of Latin-American Republics in highway matters. It is believed that the purpose of the bill is very commendable. All of the Latin-American Republics have engineers highly trained in the technique of road building, but few of them have had the opportunity of obtaining practical experience in carrying on any considerable program of highway construction and maintenance. Timely and valuable assistance, therefore, may be rendered these countries by the United States by furnishing advice and assistance to help their own engineers and highway officials supplement their theory of highway building with information as to the practical operations involved in properly designing highways and bridges and in the economic handling of materials and equipment in their construction. Such assistance can be rendered only by men who have had large experience in actually handling the details of the necessary operations. It is believed that the assignment of engineers in accordance with the provisions of the bill would make available to the Latin-American countries the experience acquired by our own engineers during the last 15 to 20 years from intensive road building which has been in progress in this country. It is further believe that the detail of experienced engineers in the manner proposed by the bill would serve to stimulate and cement a more friendly relationship and a better understanding with our sister Republics of the North American continent. Furthermore, it is not believed that any additional appropriation would be necessary to enable the department to make the necessary detail of engineers for the first year at least, unless a larger demand than is anticipated for such details should be made, provided the department should be authorized to use for that purpose the administrative funds available under the Federal Highway Act. The department, therefore, would recommend favorable action on the bill. Sincerely, W. M. JARDINE, Secretary. Submitted to the Bureau of the Budget, pursuant to Circular No. 49 of that bureau, and returned to the Department of Agriculture under date of January 25, 1928, with the advice that the legislation proposed in S. 1718 is not in conflict with the financial program of the President. The CHAIRMAN. Senator Oddie, do you wish to put into the record a statement with reference to your measure? Do you wish to make it orally or just put it into the record? Everything is being printed. We have a small number of Senators present, but everything is being printed for their advantage. Senator ODDIE. I have some material for the record. When this was discussed at the last meeting of this committee, Senator McMaster requested some further information before he would be satisfied. I spoke to him to-day and he said he wanted to be assured that there would be no duplication of salaries; that these engineers who would be loaned to the countries to the south of us, on their request, would be paid by those countries and not by our Bureau of Public Roads at the same time. I would like to have the bill reported out. The CHAIRMAN. Then do you wish to put into the record certain matters? Senator ODDIE. I have some letters: The report from the Bureau of Public Roads in the Department of Agriculture, signed by Mr. MacDonald, Chief of the Bureau of Public Roads; a letter from the Pan-American Union signed by the Director General, Doctor Rowe; and a letter from the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce, signed by Mr. Pyke Johnson; also a letter from the Rubber Association of America. The CHAIRMAN. Those documents will be inserted in the record. (The documents referred to and submitted by Senator Oddie are as follows:) DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS, Washington, D. C., February 25, 1928. Memorandum re S. 1718, a bill by Senator Oddie to authorize the President to detail engineers of the Bureau of Public Roads of the Department of Agriculture to assist the governments of the Latin American Republics in highway matters: (1) A report recommending favorable action on this bill was forwarded by the department to the chairman of the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads of the Senate, on January 27, 1928. The report of the department carried the indorsement of the Bureau of the Budget. (2) The bill is in line with the recommendation of the President. (3) Chapter 334, acts of the Sixty-ninth Congress, first session, authorizes the President to detail officers and enlisted men of the United States Army, Navy, and Marine Corps to assist the governments of Latin American Republics in military and naval matters. This bill was approved May 19, 1926, copy attached. (4) The proposed measure, S. 1718, would only authorize the President to detail engineers to assist the governments of other Republics of the Western Hemisphere in highway matters, in the manner now provided for detailing officers and enlisted men to assist in military and naval matters. (5) The Department of Agriculture has received in the past, requests for assistance in highway matters with which it has not been able to comply, or even make satisfactory recommendations. It would be of no assistance to any other government to detail engineers except those of the highest qualifications and broadest experience in the handling of highway administration, and the men best fitted are those ranking high in the organizations of the Federal and State Governments. Because of the large program of highway work now under way in the United States, there is such a demand for engineers of the highest training and experience that they are not, except under unusual circumstances, available for employment by the foreign governments. It would be possible, however, to detach such engineers from active duty for a limited period for assignment to the official personnel of other governments, were these men to understand that upon their return they would resume their positions and would not have lost an opportunity for advancement because of this foreign service. (6) No enduring system of roads, or any other system of public improvements, can be built and developed by the engineers of another country. The other republics of the Western Hemisphere have engineers of high technical training, but they have not as yet had the opportunity to gain experience with the unusual development of mechanical power and mechanical equipment applied to highway building in the degree that it is being used in this country. They have not had the same opportunity for experience in the development of an organization to administer a wide system of highways necessary to cover big areas. fundamental necessity of constant and efficient maintenance is one of the principles which was most difficult to learn and to put into effect in this country. It is one of the most valuable principles that can be transplanted by the right type of engineers to our sister republics. The (7) This Nation can not keep itself apart from highway development in the other countries of Mexico, Central and South America. Its nationals are now actively engaged in a variety of ways in matters intimately connected with the development and utilization of highways. Many of these relationships are mutually desirable. The situation, however, is not free from many undesirable aspects tending to destroy confidence and promote in place of friendship between the United States and these other countries a lack of confidence, and even much ill wlll. Nor is this ill will unjustified by some of the situations which have developed. But, on the other hand, lack of understanding is a more fertile cause of lack of friendship than any other. (8) In 1925 the delegation on the part of the United States to the First Pan American Road Congress held at Buenos Aires had conferences with the presidents and highway officials of the principal governments of Central and South America. Without exception their attitude was one of eagerness to extend and develop improved highways throughout the individual countries. Their attitude was highly typical of the attitude of officials similarly placed in this country before the present tremendous program of highway building began. With such an attitude prevalent throughout these countries, the United States now has the opportunity to undertake a highly constructive purpose which has the possibility of cementing friendships through service, of helping to promote peace through easier policing of the countries by reason of adequate highways, and of assisting in the improvement of economic and social conditions by reason of more adequate transportation. (9) The greatest assistance the United States can extend to the other republics is in helping to improve transportation conditions. While the proposed measure is only one of the means to this end, it will be a highly effective one over a term of years. Respectfully submitted. (The bill referred to in the foregoing quotation is as follows:) [PUBLIC-NO. 247-69TH CONGRESS] [S. 1480] AN ACT To authorize the President to detail officers and enlisted men of the United States Army, Navy and Marine Corps to assist the governments of the Latin American Republics in Military and naval matters Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and hereby is, authorized, upon application from the foreign governments concerned, and whenever in his discretion the public interests render such a course advisable, to detail officers and enlisted men of the United States Army, Navy, and Marine Corps to assist the governments of the Republics of North America, Central America, and South America and of the Republics of Cuba, Haiti, and Santo Domingo, in military and naval matters: Provided, That the officers and enlisted men so detailed be, and they are hereby, authorized to accept from the government to which detailed officers and such compensation and emoluments thereunto appertaining as may be first approved by the Secretary of War or by the Secretary of the Navy, as the case may be: Provided further, That while so detailed such officers and enlisted men shall receive, in addition to the compensation and emoluments allowed them by such governments, the pay and allowances whereto entitled in the United States Army, Navy, and Marine Corp and shall be allowed the same credit for longevity, retirement, and for all other purposes that they would receive if they were serving with the forces of the United States. Approved, May 19, 1926. THE DIRECTOR GENERAL PAN AMERICAN UNION, Hon. TASKER L. ODDIE, MY DEAR SENATOR: I understand that the measure providing for the appointment of highway engineers for service in those Latin American countries that may request the assistance of such engineers, will shortly come before the committee. I hope that this measure will receive the favorable consideration of the committee and that it will also receive the approval of Congress. The Pan American movement rests on the basis of mutual helpfulness and cooperation between the Republics of the American Continent and on the principle of having the benefit of the experience of each placed at the disposal of all the Republics. I feel that the adoption of this measure will constitute a real service to the cause of Pan Americanism, inasmuch as it will place at the disposition of all the other Republics the experience of the highway engineers of the United States. I beg to remain, my dear Senator, Most sincerely yours, P. W. ROWE. NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, Hon. TASKER L. ODDIE, MY DEAR SENATOR ODDIE: I am directed by Mr. Roy D. Chapin, president of the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce, to inform you that at the last meeting of the board of directors of that organization a strong resolution was passed indorsing the principle contained in your bill to authorize the President of the United States to send engineering advisors to the countries of Latin America. In the discussion which preceded the adoption of this resolution, the point was made that nothing could be done by the United States which would be of more value to sound highway development in the countries of the Pan American Union than to place at their disposal the experience and information which this country has acquired during the past quarter of a century in highway work. Our people believe that the consulting advice which could be given through the United States Bureau of Public Roads will be of immeasurable value in all phases of highway development, and they are hopeful that early action can be had upon the measure because of the very definite results which they expect it to bring, both in good will and from an economic point of view. A further indorsement of your measure, on behalf of the automotive industry is contained in the appearance made by Mr. A. J. Brosseau, chairman of the highway committee at the recent hearings of the Committee on Roads in the House. At that time too, the American Association of State Highway Officials and the American Road Builders Association gave this proposal their cordial support, as I am sure you will find every responsible group interested in international highway relations will do. I am, sir, sincerely, PYKE JOHNSON. RUBBER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, Hon. TASKER L. ODDIE, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: We have received advices respecting the principle contained in your bill that would authorize the President to send engineering officers to the countries of Latin America. On behalf of our board of directors and officers, we desire to indorse the principle embodied in the suggested legislation. Our board and officers believe that if early action can be had on this legislation, very definite results may be expected from the standpoint of increasing the good will, and also from an economic standpoint. We further believe that this country, under this legislation, can be of great assistance in the extension of proper highway development in the South American countries through placing at their disposal information and experience that has been acquired here since the inauguration of the National Highway program. Very truly yours, A. L. VILES, General Manager. Senator ODDIE. Mr. Chairman, referring again to S. 1718, which was discussed heretofore, the question of the duplication of salaries of the engineers who might be detailed by the Bureau of Public Roads to South and Central American countries was discussed. I asked the Director of the Bureau of Public Roads to give me a statement about it, and I have just received his letter which I would like to have placed in the record. The CHAIRMAN. That may be done. Senator PHIPPS. I want to call attention to the proviso on page 2, beginning at line 9, on the point raised by Senator McMaster, that these engineers should not receive double salaries. Senator ODDIE. I am perfectly willing to have it amended to that effect. Senator PHIPPS. It reads that While so detailed such engineers shall receive, in addition to the compensation and emoluments allowed them by such governments, the pay and allowances whereto entitled in the Bureau of Public Roads of the Department of Agriculture and shall be allowed the same credit for longevity, retirement, and for all other purposes that they would receive if they were serving with personnel of the United States. You mean that they are to receive their full salaries in addition to what they may receive by way of salaries from the foreign governments? Senator ODDIE. My understanding was that they were not to receive double salaries. That point had not come up until this morning. Senator PHIPPS. The bill provides that they shall, definitely. I wanted to call your attention to that, Senator. The CHAIRMAN. In executive session that may be considered. Regarding your other measure, Senator Oddie, I will have put into the record at the appropriate place the favorable report of the Department of Agriculture. (The letter presented by Senator Oddie is as follows:) Hon. TASKER ODDIE. United States Senate. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS, Washington, D. C., March 31, 1928. DEAR SENATOR ODDIE: The proposed bill providing for sending engineers to Latin American countries is necessary to supplement other proposed legislative action, to make possible carrying into effect resolutions adopted by the recent Pan American Congress, and to place the United States in a position to render assistance in highway matters which it has not been able to do in the past. It is not proposed to send engineers from this country for any long detail to other countries and the salary provision is necessary under the circumstances. Highway engineers have their opportunity in the United States not in foreign countries, now. To send the type of men who are necessary (and only a few would be required) the Government must be in a position to send its own employees under orders. The most desirable engineers, in general, will not be available otherwise. These men will have to maintain, if married, establishments in both countries, or else be put to the very considerable expense of moving at short intervals. The provision for payment of salaries is exactly the same as now prevails in the legislation providing for detail of Army engineers to foreign countries, except that Army, Navy, and Marine Corps officers in general are much higher paid than are engineers in the employ of the Government, but in no case is the provision an unreasonable one. It is believed that this legislation is in line with the President's recommendation that we in the United States do everything possible to assist the other nations of this continent in highway development. The Department of Agriculture indorses this legislation but does not desire it without the salary provision in the measure. Very truly yours, THOS. H. MACDONALD, Chief of Bureau. Senator ODDIE.. There is another bill of mine, Senator. |