Speech #840121871

In 1952 when a tuna tariff bill was before Congress and when an escape clause action was pending. Japan unilaterally agreed to a selfimposed quota of 12.000 tons of frozen tuna a year. As the danger of quota action by the United States receded the Japanese increased their shipments until in 1955 they amounted. not to 12.000 tons. but to more than 50.000 tons. representing more than a fourfold increase. I am told that the original quota of 12.000 tons was too low. in fact. well below the then current level of Japanese exports of tuna to this country. and thus created an artificial shortage. This fact led to calls by the American importers for more tuna.