International Cotton Advisory Committee

1962 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 665-666

The 21st plenary meeting of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) took place in Washington from May 9 to May 23, 1962. In the Committee of the Whole, attention was given to the world supply and demand situation, government actions affecting cotton, and steps needed for the further advance of the world cotton economy. A statement, prepared by a working group headed by Mr. Edouard J. Senn (France), developed from the discussions of the committee, presented the following observations, among others: 1) The overall statistical situation in raw cotton remained strong. Acreage had risen to a new peak; cotton consumption was at a record high level; there had been a reasonable degree of price stability in world cotton markets; and most countries would probably dispose of the bulk of their exportable supplies. World stocks were likely to decline to their lowest level since 1953. The committee recognized, however, that the over-all reduction in cotton stocks in the period under review had been brought about mainly by reason of partial crop failures in certain countries and that, with normal yields in these countries, the relationship between supply and demand could well have been reversed. 2) Cotton consumption continued to break new records with each successive season, but undue optimism had to be tempered by an awareness of the intense competition from the manmade fibers which had brought about a decline in cotton's share of the total textile market. 3) The profit margins of cotton textile manufacturers, as well as of producers, were also limited by rising costs and by the highly competitive nature of the textile industry. 4) In the opinion of the committee there was no doubt that the restriction of acreage in the United States had been a major factor in the orderly liquidation of the cotton surplus and in the return to a better balance between world cotton supply and demand. 5) The committee noted with considerable interest the statement of the United States delegation that attention was currently being given to a number of plans to introduce a greater element of freedom in the manner of cotton production and to reduce or eliminate the differential between domestic and export prices in the United States. 6) The committee also welcomed the reassurance by the United States delegation that in formulating its cotton policy the United States would always have in mind the interests of other nations and seek to avoid any dislocation of the world cotton market.

1958 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 558-559 ◽  

The seventeenth plenary meeting of the International Cotton Advisory Committee was held in London June 2–8, 1958. Following discussion of a document on recent developments in the world cotton situation prepared by the standing committee and the secretariat's annual review of the world cotton situation, the meeting made the following statements. The world production of cotton during 1955–56 was an all-time record of 42.7 million bales; the production during 1956–57 was reduced to 41.3 million bales. Although there was an increase in production outside the United States in 1957–58, the reduction of about 2 million bales in the United States brought world production down to 39.3 million bales. The consumption of cotton exceeded production by about 1 million bales during 1956–57 and the current year's estimates pointed to a further disappearance of about 2 million bales in excess of current production. Delegates discussed cotton production in the United States, noting the drastic decline in production due to a reduction of acreage and, to a smaller extent, unfavorable growing conditions, the responsible and careful manner of surplus stock disposal, and the advantages which would follow from a lowering of the domestic cotton price. During the discussion reference was also made, inter alia, to the undesirable effects of dual pricing systems, export subsidies, and special currency arrangements.


1957 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 700-701

The International Cotton Advisory Committee held its fifteenth plenary meeting in Washington, D. C, from May 8 through 17, 1956, under the chairmanship of Mr. Marvin L. McLain (United States). Sixty-two governments were represented, 32 as members of the Committee and 30 as observers. The Committee received a report from the Standing Committee on the present world cotton situation and the Secretariat's annual review, heard statements by member countries and observers, and held an extensive discussion of the world cotton situation, in which it attributed the present imbalance between supply and demand and the consequent build-up of world cotton stocks to the 1) existence of relatively high cotton prices, 2) marked improvement in cotton production techniques, and 3) economic progress in a number of underdeveloped countries, bringing new areas into cotton production. The conference felt that changes in United States government policy would lead to an improvement in cotton's competitive position and would offer some disincentive to uneconomic cotton production. At the same time, the Committee warned against any sudden or substantial decline in cotton prices which would adversely affect the economies of both producing and consuming countries. Finally, the Committee stressed the unsettling effect on world markets of uncertainty regarding the future level of cotton prices. With respect to the price question, the Committee recommended reasonable short-term stability to facilitate orderly distribution of crops and longer-term price flexibility to permit adjustments in cotton supply and demand.


1960 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 697-697

The International Lead and Zinc Study Group held its second session, attended by delegates from 23 countries, in Geneva, September 12–15, 1960, according to the press. Mr. G. J. MacMahon (United Kingdom) presided over the session, the main purpose of which was reportedly to review the current statistical situation in lead and zinc. In regard to lead, the Study Group was stated to have observed that, after taking into account net trade with the centrally-planned economies, the balance between new supplies and demand showed a statistical surplus of lead metal of 21,000 tons for 1960 and 26,000 tons for 1961, with producers' stocks of lead metal at the very high level of 334,000 tons in July of the current year, divided about evenly between the United States and the rest of the world. New supplies, the report continued, appeared to be in better balance with anticipated demand than in recent years, but statistics, which as of the end of June showed metal stocks in the hands of producers to amount to 276,000 tons, did not indicate any immediate prospect of a significant change in stocks. With regard to zinc, it was announced that the steady rise in consumption was expected to continue in 1960 and 1961, and an even greater increase in production was forecast, although most. delegations were said to feel that action by the Study Group was not necessary, since stocks in many countries were at normal levels or below. In reply to concern expressed by some delegations about the continued existence of protective restrictions and about releases from noncommercial stocks, governments were urged not to impose additional barriers to trade in this field, and both governments and industries were urged to avoid any course which might frustrate the efforts being made to bring about a satisfactory balance between supply and demand.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 413-414
Author(s):  
Carlyn Vogel ◽  
Debra Dobbs ◽  
Brent Small

Abstract Spirituality is difficult to define as researchers assign it different meanings and individuals’ perceptions can vary. For example, spirituality may connect to religiosity, while others consider religiosity a less significant part of spirituality. This study investigates factors outside of religiosity that are significantly associated with spirituality to inform the characteristics of the concept. Webster’s (2004) existential framework of spirituality was used to guide variable selection. The National Survey of Midlife in the United States wave three (MIDUS 3; 2013-2014; n = 2,594; Mage = 63.5, SD = 11, range = 39–92) was used to examine individuals’ reported levels of spirituality. Multinomial logistic regression was conducted to examine factors related to low and high levels of spirituality compared to a moderate level. Participants with low spirituality were more likely to be male, less likely to be mindful, mediate/chant, feel a strong connection to all life, to indicate that they cannot make sense of the world, and to be religious. Participants with high spirituality were more likely to be female, have at least some college experience, be mindful, meditate/chant, feel deep inner peace, have a sense of deep appreciation, think that a sense of purpose is important for a good life, and have a high level of religiosity. Framed by Webster’s conceptual model, the current study observed that religiosity is significantly associated with spirituality and that other mindfulness-based aspects are also present within this concept. Incorporating mindfulness with religious efforts will more accurately and holistically address spirituality.


2021 ◽  
Vol 73 (06) ◽  
pp. 10-11
Author(s):  
Dwayne Purvis

As the world reaches a tipping point in its will to address climate change, the industry must find a new way forward, especially in the United States. Many are right to say that oil and gas are not going away; the transition is planned to take 30 years or more and will not decline to zero production. This fact, though, obscures the reality that peaking, then declining, demand for oil—gas is another story—will structurally change and globally redistribute the industry’s exploration and employment. The story of oil supply and demand began its race to the top 150 years ago. “Shortage” and “glut” have meant that paired growth got out of sync, not that there was a real loss of production. For many decades the world has needed about 1 million B/D more each year than the previous year, but on a percentage basis growth has slowed. At the same time supply from previous years declines about 5 to 6% per year, arguably higher in recent years. The treadmill for new supply has been running hot for decades. All major public forecasts in the past year call for oil demand to plateau between now and about 2030 when accounting for ongoing changes to policy. (To be clear, some show a peak in the 2030s in “business as usual” cases, but they also show even sooner peaks if policy and demand changes accelerate). BP’s Energy Outlook 2020 from last fall took the bold—and well-argued—position that peak oil demand is today and that it is only a question of how fast demand declines. “Peak” demand isn’t really a peak like the Matterhorn; it is flatter like a weathered jebel. We know this from the example of the peak oil demand experienced by the developed world. We also know from that experience that forecasting agencies failed to predict the peak OECD oil demand in 2005 literally by decades even as demand turned down. Reversal of demand growth presents a figurative and mathematical inflection point. Though existing production continues, growth becomes negative, and the pace of the new-supply treadmill plummets. When the need for new supply approximately halves, the Pareto principle tells us that the number of new projects required will fall more than half. Thus, the need for those industry professionals preferentially tasked with finding new oil supply—geophysicists, exploration geologists, drillers, reservoir engineers, landmen—may fall quickly. Other disciplines like operations that service existing production will face only the headwinds of cost reductions and then the long, slow slide toward mid-century targets. The United States via its swarm of large and small companies has dominated the global supply story for more than a decade with its unique shale revolution, but it had previously shriveled to a second-tier producer. Fig. 1 shows 55 years of oil production history. Fig. 1a shows the US supply deconstructed to its functional parts while Fig. 1b shows ascendent producers on the same scales.


Super Bomb ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 71-86
Author(s):  
Ken Young ◽  
Warner R. Schilling

This chapter examines the controversy's real or assumed moral and political aspects. Moral repugnance inflected the scientific judgments of Oppenheimer's General Advisory Committee, triggering discussion of the relative moral significance of thermonuclear bombing, the use of the atomic bomb, and the mass urban bombing campaigns of 1942–1945. More immediate concerns centered on the impact a decision to develop thermonuclear weapons might have on the pattern of international relations. Given a paucity of intelligence, the effects on the Soviet Union's own weapons program, and thereby on the United States' vulnerability, could only be guessed at. The chapter thus considers if the development of the Super would restore the status quo ante-1949 or lead to a thermonuclear arms race and ultimate stalemate—or even the end of the world.


2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 353-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Juris

The World Social Forum process has sought to provide an "open space" for diverse movements to exchange ideas, interact, and coordinate as they build another world. Despite this inclusive impulse, many of the forums have been disproportionately white and middle class. Through an ethnographic account of the 2007 United States Social Forum (USSF) in Atlanta, I examine one high-profile attempt to overcome this lack of diversity by establishing what I refer to as an "intentional" space. I argue that the intentional strategy pursued by USSF organizers achieved a high level of diversity in racial and class terms, but de-emphasized the role of the forum as a "contact zone" for translation, sharing, and exchange among diverse movement sectors. However, given the strong desire to overcome past exclusions among participants, the privileging of intentionality over openness and horizontality was widely viewed as legitimate, which has important implications for democratic practice.


Author(s):  
Chris Draffen ◽  
Yee-Fui Ng

Regulators and governments around the world have been active of late in considering the best method by which to hold accountable foreign influence on political processes. Australia’s response to this issue was to pass a package of laws, including the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Act (‘FITSA’), which creates a new public register for those acting on behalf of a foreign principal. This article compares FITSA against the US Act on which it is based: the Foreign Agents Registration Act (‘FARA’). It shows that, largely, FITSA is better targeted than FARA towards ensuring that actors that merit registration are caught by its provisions. However, FITSA does not entirely address the potential risks inherent in this style of law. The authors argue that despite the objective of transparency inherent in such schemes, they may ultimately have a disproportionate effect on actors with access to fewer resources. Accordingly, the article proposes high-level principles to rethink this form of regulation based on refocusing foreign agent schemes to their underlying justification, recasting the regulatory net, and recalibrating discussions about ‘foreigners’.


1996 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 73-87
Author(s):  
Alan J. Dubinsky ◽  
Abdalla Hanafy

Exporting has become a popular means for businesses to augment sales and profitability and for countries to improve their gross domestic product and balance of trade. As a complement to export selling, high-level government officials increasingly are providing export promotional assistance to their nations’ industries. Much of what is known about this “high-level government selling, “ however, is based on conventional wisdom and anecdotal evidence. This article reports the results of a study that examined non-U.S. politicians’ export selling efforts. Data were obtained from surveys of foreign embassy diplomats in the United States. Findings offer insights into what government officials are doing to stimulate sales of their countries’ exports.


1992 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 329-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis McNamara

The development of South Korea's cotton manufacturing industry during the First Republic (1948–1960) is examined as a way to better understand the process of “reincorporation” of a peripheral state into the postwar capitalist world system. An examination of the character of cotton manufacturing in South Korea, and the role played by the United States in reincorporating the former Japanese colony into an American-dominated world system, suggests the process was largely one of “constrained bureaucratic expansion.” The study illustrates how the earlier process of incorporation under Japanese hegemony shaped subsequent reincorporation under American suzerainty. Additionally, the analysis underscores the importance of geopolitical factors, and the interaction of the local situation with the world system in shaping the process of reincorporation.


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