Speech #840057557

I want you to know that my colleagues and I devoted painstaking conscience and care in designing this proposed legislation in order to provide not only a small measure of relief to our own harassed domestic sugar industry. but .also to assure expanding trade relations with our Caribbean neighbors. Our Congress has given no man cause to doubt its intent to continue the policy of encouraging foreign tradethat policy under which Cuba has since 1902 been the recipient of countless trade and tariff privileges. A look back into the history of American sugar legislation shows that in 1934 the first really workable Sugar Quota Act became law. This was a measure which. aside from providing other benefits. effected the rescue of the Cuban sugar industry from certain economic ruin and guaranteed Cuba a huge. growing. and exceedingly profitable market for its sugar in the United States. In this act. and in its successor of 1937. the American market was divided percentagewise.