28. DISCUSSIONS REGARDING EXCHANGE OF MEDICAL FILMS: Note From the Acting Secretary of State to the Soviet Ambassador at Washington,2 March 17, 1955 3

The Acting Secretary of State presents his compliments to His Excellency the Ambassador of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and has the honor to refer to discussions that have taken place concerning the possibility of arranging for exchanges of medical films between the Soviet Union and the United States. Such discussions were held by Professor B. V. Petrovsky, member of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Academy of Medical Sciences, and Major Paul W. Schafer, Medical Corps, Walter Reed Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, during the Second World Congress of Cardiology held in Washington, D. C., in September 1954, and subsequently between officers of the Soviet Embassy and Major Schafer.

It is understood from the discussions referred to above that the Soviet Union desires to exchange medical films with the United States. On the basis of such an understanding the United States is prepared to participate in such an exchange with the Soviet Union.

As a first step in effecting such an exchange there is enclosed a list of films which can be made available to the Soviet Union in the near future. The Soviet Government is requested to indicate which of the films on the attached list it desires: following the receipt of such indication the requested films will be transmitted to the Soviet Govern

ment.

It is believed that the most feasible method of effecting a reciprocal exchange of films would be for the Soviet Government in presenting the list of films which it desires from the United States to submit a list of Soviet films which it is prepared to make available to the United States. The United States Government would then indicate which of the Soviet films it desires, and such films would subsequently be transmitted to the United States.

The proposal for an exchange of medical films is made by the United States Government on the understanding that the films made available by both Governments will be on a six-month loan basis and that the films made available by each of the Governments during the six-month period will be comparable.

Enclosure:

List of United States Films.

List of United States Films

1. Combined Abdominal and Right Thoracic Approach to Carcinoma of the Mid Esophagus

2. Congenital Malformations of the Heart

3. Patent Ductus Arteriousus

4. Intravenous Anesthesia with Barbiturates

5. Ether Analgesia for Cardiac Surgery

1 Herbert Hoover, Jr.

2 Georgi N. Zaroubin.

3 Department of State Bulletin, Nov. 14, 1955, p. 785; see also Soviet note of Sept. 5, 1955 (ibid., p. 786).

6. Cancer: Problem of Early Diagnosis (Series)
7. Anemia

8. Diseases of the Ear, Nose, and Throat

9. Nephrosis in Children

10. Surgical Repair of Direct Inguinal Hernia

29. EXCHANGE OF AGRICULTURAL DELEGATIONS: Note From the American Embassy at Moscow to the Soviet Foreign Ministry, May 17, 1955 1

1

The Embassy of the United States of America presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the U. S. S. R. and has the honor to refer to the Ministry's note of March 10, 1955 concerning the proposal by the Des Moines Register of Des Moines, Iowa, that an exchange of agricultural delegations be arranged between the Soviet Union and the United States.2 Reference is also made to conversations in connection with such an exchange held between representatives of the Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on May 4 and May 6, 1955.

As the Ministry was advised on May 4, the United States Government takes a favorable view of the proposed exchange of agricultural delegations between the Soviet Union and the United States. In view of the decision by the Soviet Government to designate an official delegation to participate in an exchange, the United States Government is prepared to grant official visas to the members of a Soviet delegation of approximately ten agricultural specialists upon notification by the Ministry of their names and official status.

The United States Government believes that the most advantageous time for the Soviet delegation to visit the United States from the standpoint of agricultural conditions would be during midsummer. It is, therefore, proposed that the Soviet delegation plan to be in the United States from approximately July 10 to August 10, 1955.

In view of the official status of the Soviet delegation, the United States Department of Agriculture will assist in making general arrangements for the tour of the Soviet group in the United States. It is contemplated that the central part of the tour would be concentrated in the State of Iowa, where Iowa State College, at the request of the United States Government, is willing to undertake to make appropriate arrangements for the reception and itinerary of the Soviet delegation. The University of Minnesota will also be included in the itinerary and other visits to areas and installations outside of Iowa of interest to the Soviet delegation from an agricultural standpoint may be arranged within the general framework of the proposed

tour.

1 Department of State Bulletin, June 6, 1955, pp. 932-933. See also Soviet note of May 20, 1955 (ibid., June 13, 1955, p. 970) and statement of June 2, 1955, by the Departments of State and Agriculture (infra).

The Soviet note of Mar. 10 (not printed) expressed the view that an exchange of agricultural delegations could be advantageous and requested the U. S. Government's opinion concerning such an exchange. [Footnote in Bulletin.]

The composition of the American farm delegation to visit the Soviet Union, which will have unofficial status, will be determined in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, Iowa State College and other nonofficial institutions and organizations concerned with agricultural matters. The United States Government would be pleased to have an indication from the Soviet Government as to the approximate size of the American delegation it would be prepared to receive and the most appropriate time for the American delegation to observe Soviet agricultural methods.

Although, as indicated above, the U. S. Department of Agriculture will have general advisory responsibility for arrangements regarding the tour of the official Soviet delegation, it is the desire of the U. S. Government that the members of the Soviet group have the widest possible opportunity to observe at first hand the functioning of U. S. farms and installations servicing agricultural needs. With this object in view, and keeping in mind the technical interests of the Soviet agricultural experts, a program will be developed for the visit of the Soviet delegation which will permit the members of the delegation to familiarize themselves with U. S. farming methods in the total environment in which they operate. In the State of Iowa, which possesses a great diversity of agricultural conditions, the Soviet delegation will be shown the methods and procedures used in connection with the production of corn and raising of pigs and other livestock, as well as the central role played in agricultural production by family owned and operated farms. In the U. S. the most efficient level of agricultural production has been developed on the basis of such units, operating on their own initiative, and utilizing as they see fit the various agricultural services provided by local, state, cooperative and Federal Government entities.

The U. S. Government welcomes the opportunity which will be provided by the visit of the Soviet agricultural delegation to present to the Soviet experts these and other aspects of American farm practices.

30. EXCHANGE OF AGRICULTURAL DELEGATIONS: Statement by the Departments of State and Agriculture, June 2, 1955 1

The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and State on June 2 announced that 12 representatives of American agriculture will comprise a delegation scheduled to visit the U.S.S.R. between July 15 and August 15.

Since the visit to the Soviet Union will be unofficial, no provision will be made for payment of travel expenses from U.S. Government funds. The delegation will be broadly representative of American agriculture, and its members will be persons well recognized in farming

1 Department of State Bulletin, June 13, 1955, p. 970. See also statements of June 28 and July 12, 1955, by the Departments of State and Agriculture (ibid., July 25, 1955, pp. 151–152) and Secretary Dulles' comments of Oct. 18, 1955 (ibid., Oct. 31, 1955, p. 689).

and in agricultural research and extension. It is understood that the itinerary will include various rural areas of the Soviet Union and agricultural research and educational institutions.

To date, several hundred persons have expressed interest in making the trip. The national farm organizations, Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa, and other land-grant colleges are being invited to make preliminary nominations. Final selections will be made by a nonofficial public group to be designated.

The visit to the U.S.S.R. is of a reciprocal nature. The Soviet Union is sending to the United States an agricultural delegation of similar size during the approximate period July 10 to August 10. A considerable amount of time will be spent in Iowa, in accordance with the expressed Soviet interest in corn-hog production.

31. PROPOSED RUSSIAN-LANGUAGE MAGAZINE: Note From the American Embassy at Moscow to the Soviet Foreign Ministry, September 9, 19551

The Embassy of the United States of America presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and has the honor to refer to the views expressed by the President of the United States in addressing the Heads of Government of the USSR, France and the United Kingdom at Geneva, on July 22, on the topic of normalizing and increasing EastWest contacts.2 President Eisenhower said in part:

To help achieve the goal of peace based on justice and right and mutual understanding, there are certain concrete steps that could be taken: (1) to lower the barriers which now impede the interchange of information and ideas between peoples...

The Government of the United States believes that publication, by it, of a Russian language magazine for distribution within the Soviet Union, would constitute a concrete step furthering a fuller interchange of information and ideas.

Accordingly, the Government of the United States proposes the distribution within the USSR of an illustrated Russian language magazine, issued monthly, which would be cultural and nonpolitical in character, devoted to an objective presentation of various aspects of American life. The Government of the United States further proposes that distribution of this magazine be effected as follows: 50,000 copies of each issue to be distributed through Soviet distribution channels, with an option to increase this number, with the Government of the United States reserving the right to distribute 2,000 copies of each issue through the Embassy on a complimentary basis, with an option to increase the number.

1

Department of State Bulletin, Jan. 2, 1956, pp. 18-19. See also Secretary Dulles' statement of Oct. 31, 1955 (infra, doc 44); Soviet note of Dec. 16, 1955 (Department of State Bulletin, Jan. 2, 1956, p. 19); and statement of Dec. 23, 1955, by the Department of State (ibid., p. 48).

'Infra, doc. 39.

In view of the cultural and non-political character of the magazine proposed by the United States, it is assumed that the Soviet Government would not request pre-publication review or any other type of censorship, such as that previously imposed on foreign publications as a war-time emergency measure.

The Embassy awaits the favorable reply of the Ministry regarding this proposal and is prepared to discuss the details of its implementation with the appropriate Soviet authorities at an early date.

32. EAST-WEST TRADE: Statement by the Secretary of Commerce, November 3, 1955 (Summary) 1

Secretary of Commerce Sinclair Weeks announced on November 3 a plan to ease controls on private commercial trade in peaceful goods with the European Soviet bloc. In making the announcement Secretary Weeks said:

This plan is designed to carry out further the objective urged by President Eisenhower at Geneva in July "to create conditions which will encourage nations to increase the exchange of peaceful goods throughout the world." 2 At the Foreign_Ministers Conference in Geneva on October 31, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles indicated the intention of the U.S. Government to simplify export control procedures on shipments of peaceful goods to the Soviet bloc.3

Secretary Weeks said that the Bureau of Foreign Commerce is setting up an initial roster of certain peaceful goods which will be exportable to the European Soviet bloc under general license, without prior application to the Bureau. Establishment of the new roster thus will relieve U.S. exporters of the burden involved in applying for individual licenses for commodities included on the

roster.

Strategic goods, which under present policy are not licensed to the Soviet bloc, will be excluded from the new roster. Only peaceful goods will be included, such as are now being approved for export to the Soviet bloc under individual licenses. Examples of commodities recently licensed for shipment to the bloc include tallow, hides and skins, wool rags, cigarettes and tobacco, phosphate rock, pencil slats, and rosin.

Secretary Weeks indicated that the new arrangements are expected to be in effect by the end of the year.

The new procedure will not affect U.S. export controls to Communist China and other Far East Communist points.

1 Department of State Bulletin, Nov. 14, 1955, p. 784.

2 Statement of July 22, 1955; infra, doc. 39.

3 Infra, doc. 44.