White House Press Release, Message from President Harry S. Truman to the United States Congress

140 HOLD FOR RELEASE HOLD FOR RELEASE HOLD FOR RELEASE APRIL 15, 1947 CONFIDENTIAL: To be held in STRICT CONFIDENCE and no portion, synopsis or intimation to be given out or published until the READING of the President's Message has begun in either the Senate or House of Representatives. Extreme care must therefore be exercised to avoid premature publication. CHARLES G. ROSS Secretary to the President TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES: I transmit herewith a proposal for legislation to author- ize supervision of the exportation of arms, ammunition, imple- NARA ments of war and related commodities, and the importation of arms, ammunition, and implements of war; to provide for the registration, under certain conditions, of manufacturers, expor- ters, importers, and certain dealers in munitions of war; and to provide for obtaining more adequate information concern- ing the international traffic in arms. The principal purpose of this proposal is to supersede the present provisions of law in Section 12 of the Neutrality Act of November 4, 1939. For the reasons outlined below it is believed that the Congress will agree that this section of the present law is particularly ineffective in dealing with current problems and that the Congress will wish to take prompt action to enact a new law along the lines proposed herein. Section 12 of the Neutrality Act provides for: the estab- lishment of a National Munitions Control Board; the adminis- tration of the provisions of that section by the Secretary of State; the registration of those engaged in the business of manufacturing, importing or exporting arms, ammunition, and implements of war; the conditions under which export and import licenses may be issued: the reports which the National Munitions Control Board shall make to the Congress; and the determination by the President of what articles shall be con- sidered arms, ammunition and implements of war. Reports of the activities carried Oil by the Department of State pursuant to Section 12 for the years 1941 to 1946, inclusive, have been sub- mitted to assist the Congress in its consideration of the legis- lation now suggested. Operations prior to 1941 are contained in the first to sixth Annual Reports of the National Munitions Control Board. The proposed legislation contemplates continuing certain of the essential aspects of Section 12 of the Neutrality Act, particularly those pertaining to the administrative framework of the controls now exercised. However, it is different in its objective and it proposes a more flexible and efficient administration. (OVER)