[Excerpt from Federal Register, vol. 29, No. 193, Oct. 2, 1964] TITLE 15-COMMERCE AND FOREIGN TRADE Chapter III-Bureau of Internal Commerce, Department of Commerce-Subchapter AMiscellaneous Regulations RULES GOVERNING OFFICIAL UNITED STATES ASSISTANCE TO SPONSORS OF INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITIONS HELD IN THE UNITED STATES Part 367 is added to read as follows: Sec. 367.1 Background and purpose. 367.2 Screening of applications; rules established. AUTHORITY: The provisions of this Part 367 issued under President's letter of May 19, 1964, to the Secretary of Commerce. 367.1 Background and purpose (a) The United States Government anticipates that there will be a Bicentennial Exposition in the year 1975 or 1976, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the American struggle for independence. It will be essential to the success of this exposition that there be widespread official participation by foreign countries. This in turn will require that the anticipated Bicentennial Exposition be approved by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). (b) The BIE is an international organization established by the Paris Convention of 1928 to regulate the conduct and scheduling of international expositions in which foreign nations are officially invited to participate. The United States is not now a member of the BIE. However, over 30 other nations, including almost all of Europe, are members. Under BIE rules, member nations may not ordinarily participate in international expositions unless the expositions are approved by BIE-and while expositions in nonmember countries such as the United States may be approved, expositions in member countries take priority over them. Thus BIE approval is a practical necessity, if there is to be widespread foreign participation in the contemplated Bicentennial Exposition, and United States membership in BIE would be advantageous in securing such approval. (c) Accordingly President Johnson has directed (1) that the possibility of United States membership in the BIE be explored; (2) that BIE approval of a bicentennial exposition in the United States in 1975 or 1976 be immediately requested; (3) that so far as possible United States Government assistance to international expositions in the United States be limited to those which do not conflict with each other or with the anticipated Bicentennial Exposition. (d) In pursuance of the latter objective, President Johnson has instructed the Secretary of Commerce to screen all applications for United States Government assistance to international expositions to be held in the United States. Currently international expositions are planned for some sixteen United States cities during the next twelve years. To carry out their plans the sponsors of some or all of these expositions may ask the United States Government (1) to assist in obtaining BIE approval of their expositions; (2) to officially invite foreign governments to participate or; (3) to participate financially in the expositions, through the building of a United States pavilion, or otherwise. 367.2 Screening of applications; rules established (a) To facilitate reaching a judgment as to what, if any, assistance might appropriately be rendered to the sponsors of proposed international expositions held in the United States, the following rules are hereby established: (1) Sponsors of international expositions who desire assistance from the United States Government in connection with their plans for such expositions must apply to the Department of Commerce, specifying the nature of the assistance sought. (2) Requests for assistance must be consistent with the anticipated holding of a Bicentennial Exposition in 1975 or 1976, and with the obtaining of BIE approval for such exposition. (3) There must be substantial financial support from the local government, the State government, and private interests in the community in which the proposed exposition is to be held. (4) If U.S. Government assistance in obtaining BIE approval for the exposition is sought, the proposed exposition must appear to conform to the BIE frequency rules for expositions of its type.1 (5) If the proposed exposition is of a type regulated by the BIE, requests for the United States Government to officially invite foreign countries to participate will not be acted upon prior to approval of the exposition by the BIE. (6) Where the direct financial support of the United States Government is sought (through the building of a United States pavilion or otherwise), the role of the Executive Branch of the government will be limited to advising the Congress, at its request, of the Executive's views as to the advisability of such participation. It will be the responsibility of the exposition sponsors themselves to obtain the necessary legislation. (b) Sponsors of expositions who desire assistance or have questions with regard to the preceding rules may communicate to U.S. International Expositions Review Committee, Bureau of International Commerce, Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. Dated: September 24, 1964. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, Jr., Mr. SINKIN. Mr. Chairman, I would like to, if I may, put a letter in the record from the President who, in 1964, wrote us: The New World nations are brothers in history, friends in commerce, and partners in aspiration. San Antonio's "Fair of the Americas," HemisFair 1968, will celebrate this partnership. Dedicated to the advancement of social, economic, and cultural well-being of all peoples of the Americas, it will be a living example of our Nation's policy of inter-American cooperation. I would like to express the appreciation of myself and my colleagues for the time you gave us for our formal presentation, and to Congressman Gonzalez for the tremendous amount of work that he has done for us here. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (The complete text of the President's letter follows:) THE WHITE HOUSE, Washington, August 6, 1964. Mr. WILLIAM SINKIN, President, HemisFair 1968, San Antonio, Tex. DEAR MR. SINKIN: The New World nations are brothers in history, friends in commerce, and partners in aspiration. San Antonio's "Fair of the Americas," HemisFair 1968, will celebrate this partnership. Dedicated to the advancement of social, economic, and cultural well-being of all peoples of the Americas, it will be a living example of our Nation's policy of inter-American cooperation. I wish you every success in your plans for this truly American fair, which will not only be a symbol but a product of our unity. Sincerely, LYNDON B. JOHNSON. 1 The BIE frequency rules require that an interval of 15 years must elapse between "General Expositions of the First Category" held in a particular country, and an interval of 10 years must elapse between "General Expositions of the Second Category" held in that country. For "Special Expositions" an interval of 5 years must ordinarily elapse between special expositions of the same kind, or 3 months between special expositions of different kinds. The BIE defines General Exposition of the First Category as an exposition dealing with the progress achieved in a particular field applying to several branches of human activity, at which the invited countries are responsible for erection of their own pavilion. A General Exposition of the Second Category is a similar exposition in which no country has the option to construct or build its pavilion. Special expositions are those which deal only with one particular technique, raw material, or basic need. More detailed BIE classification and scheduling criteria and regulations are contained in the Paris Convention of 1928. Applicants not having a copy may obtain one by writing to U.S. International Expositions Review Committee, Bureau of International Commerce, Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. Mr. FASCELL. We probably have some questions. Mr. GONZALEZ. Mr. Chairman, may I add this, that both Senator Ralph Yarborough and Senator John Tower have introduced an identical bill in the Senate. They both testified yesterday on the Senate side on behalf of the bill and had intended and had so suggested to us that they would be present this morning, if their schedule permitted. I would like at this time, also, to introduce Mr. John Daniels, who is the general counsel for the HemisFair and is also here. I don't know if he has a statement at this time, or whether he just wishes for me to present him. Mr. DANIELS. It is well covered, I think. Mr. GONZALEZ. Another thought. At this time I think I will ask Mr. Sinkin to mention what negotiations are being initiated to see what use the San Antonio HemisFair even now can make of some of the facilities in the U.S. pavilion in the New York World's Fair. It may be that even at this stage the San Antonio HemisFair can be helpful in redeeming some of the investment of the U.S. Government in the New York World's Fair pavilion. Mr. SINKIN. Just a short comment, Mr. Chairman, that we have been in touch with those who run the U.S. pavilion and have asked them for an inventory of what may be available to us in terms of what we are trying to say and do in San Antonio. We recognize there are some fine things up there, and we really hope we can put those to use in our own fair in the U.S. pavilion. Mr. GONZALEZ. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. We will be delighted to try to answer questions, if you have any. Again, to sum up as I began, I thank you very much, because I recognize that you have made a very special effort here, to allow us to have this hearing this morning. Mr. FASCELL. Mr. Burleson, do you have any questions? Mr. BURLESON. Mr. Chairman, I believe your city of Miami has plans for a fair and exposition. As indicated by the geographical area on the slides and also by reason of the theme in its central application, I don't believe there would be competition between the two. Has a date been set for the Miami fair? Mr. FASCELL. Just as fast as they can start construction. Mr. BURLESON. Right away? Mr. FASCELL. Right away. Mr. BURLESON. Seriously it would not compete with any activity in my opinion at all because of its nature, both geographical and other wise. Mr. Gonzalez, may we clarify the matter of financing of this undertaking. As I understand it, of the $8 million subscribed, partially raised, you have already spent about a million dollars. I believe Mr. Sinkin testified that with the $30 million bond issue by the city of San Antonio, the $41 million appropriated by the State of Texas in the last legislature, it adds up to, as I get it, $422 million. I assume that $8 million is outside and is in addition to the bond issue? Mr. GONZALEZ. Absolutely. In fact, it is a little bit more now, isn't it? Mr. SINKIN. The amount of private subscriptions? I would say it is a little over $8 million because they keep coming in every day, Congressman. Two weeks ago another $25,000 one came in. It has been volun tary, because we stopped going out for underwriting almost a year ago. The more subscriptions we can get, of course, the more we have underwritten and we have our risk distributed. Mr. BURLESON. Your bond issue is in effect and that amounts to at least $421⁄2 million. The purpose of that is to let the record show what the local community and the State of Texas are doing. In this measure before us you are asking for $250,000 for planning of the U.S. exposition at the HemisFair. This sum is that estimated for the cost of planning of the U.S. exhibits at the fair. It is assumed that whatever is approved to be constructed will be of a permanent nature and to serve a need in the future. Does this accurately describe the plan? Mr. GONZALEZ. In this legislation, yes. This is specific. This is not an open end bill. It is specific because we feel it is proper for the United States to first ascertain through a scientific and logical examination of this to what extent the national interest is involved and to that extent we would like to have it supported. Mr. Dingwall was suggesting that he would like to have an opportunity to comment on that question. Mr. DINGWALL. The Congressman is exactly correct on this matter. There are two other matters in this legislation which are of vital importance to HemisFair. The legislation, first of all, endorses the project as a matter of national interest. Second, it authorizes the President at a proper time to extend invitations to foreign governments and the authorization of a study fund, which you have commented on, sir. These first two, the endorsement and the authorization for invitations are essential steps in our view, essential steps leading to consideration of the project in a formal session of the Bureau of International Expositions, which we hope can be taken this November in Paris. I will say we will be on the agenda if this endorsement and the authorization of the President as contemplated by this legislation have been enacted by the Congress. Mr. BURLESON. I think you have made a very impressive presentation. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. FASCELL. Mr. Gross. Mr. GROSS. Mr. Chairman, is it proposed to have someone from the Department of Commerce testify? Mr. FASCELL. We have departmental reports, Mr. Gross, on this project, both from the Department of Commerce and the Department of State, and those will be made a part of the record at this point, without objection. (The departmental reports are as follows:) Hon. THOMAS E. MORGAN, Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, D.C., August 11, 1965. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This is in reply to your July 7, 1965, request for the views of the Department with respect to H.R. 9247, a bill to provide for participation of the United States in the HemisFair 1968 exposition to be held at San Antonio, Tex., in 1968, and for other purposes. The legislation would authorize the President through the Secretary of Commerce to cooperate with the State of Texas to determine the extent to which the United States will be a participant in and exhibitor at the exposition. The legislation would also authorize the President to invite the several States of the Union and foreign countries to take part in the exposition. In this respect it is understood that the organizers of HemisFair hope to have it approved by the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE) in Paris as a special exposition on the theme of "Confluence of Civilizations" in the Americas, to run for 6 months of 1968. The Department of State has no objection to the enactment of this legislation. The Bureau of the Budget advises that from the standpoint of the administration's program there is no objection to the submission of this report. Sincerely, DOUGLAS MACARTHUR II, Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations (For the Secretary of State). GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Washington, D.C., August 13, 1965. Hon. THOMAS E. MORGAN, Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This is in reply to your request for the views of this Department with respect to H.R. 9247, a bill to provide for participation of the United States in the HemisFair 1968 exposition to be held at San Antonio, Tex., in 1968, and for other purposes. The legislation would provide for recognition by the United States of HemisFair 1968. It would also authorize the President, through the Secretary of Commerce, to cooperate with the State of Texas with respect to HemisFair, to conduct a study to determine the extent to which the United States shall participate, and to invite the several States of the Union and foreign countries to take part in the exposition. The legislation authorizes the appropriation of $250,000 to carry out its provisions. The Department construes H.R. 9247 as leaving the President free to refrain from inviting foreign countries, whether by proclamation or in any other manner, in the event the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE) does not approve HemisFair 1968. In the absence of BIE approval of this international exposition, any official invitation by the United States to foreign countries could jeopardize the U.S. Government's effort to obtain BIE approval of our bicentennial exposition planned for 1975 or 1976. Assuming that the foregoing construction is correct, this Department would have no objection to the enactment of this legislation. We have been advised by the Bureau of the Budget that there would be no objection to the submission of this report from the standpoint of the administration's program. Sincerely, JAMES L. PARRIS, Acting General Counsel. Mr. GROSS. Are they favorable? I think it would be well to have someone from the Department here to answer a few questions. Is the $422 million raised for the purpose of this HemisFair? Mr. GROSS. From all sources? Mr. GONZALEZ. Yes. The State legislature has actually appropriated $4 million with a proviso at the next session they will attempt to appropriate an additional $3 million. The local community, as I said before, on the theme of HemisFair, overwhelmingly approved the local bond issue. I would like to comment on that because we are kind of proud of this, inasmuch as it has made a maximum use of the investment of the Federal Government |