Speech #780061275

Notes on the open door in China were handled exclusively by the Executive. without congressional participation. In 1889 and 1890. The immigration agreement with Japan in 1907. the grant of special Japanese rights in China in 1917. the armistice of November 11. 1918. and in the same category the socalled trade agreements embodying Secretary Hulls philosophy of world tradeall were in fact treaties. but were not submitted to the Senate for its concurrence merely because the Executive. for convenience sake. chose to call them agreements. In 1907 President Theodore Roosevelt made an agreement with bankrupt Santo Domingo whereby the United States controlled that countrys customhouses to prevent similar action on the part of European creditors. President Roosevelt wrote In his autobiography: I put the agreement into effect and I continued its execution for 2 years before the Senate acted. * * * But It is far preferable that there should be action by CongressHe addedso that we might be proceeding under a treaty which was the law of the land and not merely by a directive of the Chief Executive which would lapse when the particular Executive left office.