International Materials conference

Extract

A report of the activities of the International Materials Conference during its first operative year was issued in March 1952. Concerning the accomplishments of IMC during the preceding year the report stated, “The major accomplishment … was the development of plans for international distribution of the materials in short supply and securing their prompt acceptance by the participating countries”. The plans for the distribution of metals recognized three categories of needs, namely: 1) defense, 2) strategic stockpiling, and 3) essential civilian consumption. These allocation plans, which were to be administered by the member countries, the IMC not having actual materials at its disposal for direct distribution, were designed to include the total production at the disposal of the member countries, and the report stated that, for the most part, the allocations had been carried out as planned. In many cases the commodity committees also recommended to their members the adoption of conservation and end-use control measures for those commodities. The report also noted an increase in market stability and a downward trend in prices during the preceding period. In discussing plans for the ensuing year, the report anticipated continued shortages, necessitating plans for distribution, in the commodities with which IMC dealt. However, it held, the activities of the various committees would gradually take on a more long term character as the immediately pressing problems were solved, and “In the field of production, studies of future requirements and probable availabilities, based upon programs for increasing production already under way, will be required.”