Proclamation 2223—Emergency Due to Flood Conditions—Free Importation of Food, Clothing, and Medical, Surgical and Other Supplies for Use in Emergency Work

By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

Whereas there have recently occurred and are occurring disastrous floods in various localities in the valleys of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and tributaries thereof, resulting in great loss of life and property and causing much sickness, suffering, and privation among the residents of the stricken localities, making it necessary for charitable, philanthropic, relief, and other organizations to extend aid on a large scale to the flood sufferers;

And Whereas section 318 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (46 Stat. 696) provides:

Whenever the President shall by proclamation declare an emergency to exist by reason of a state of war, or otherwise, he may authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to extend during the continuance of such emergency the time herein prescribed for the performance of any act, and may authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to permit, under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe, the Importation free of duty of food, clothing, and medical, surgical, and other supplies for use in emergency relief work. * * * ;

Now, Therefore, I, Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, acting under and by virtue of the authority vested in me by the foregoing provisions of section 318 of the Tariff Act of 1930, do by this proclamation declare an emergency to exist, and I do hereby authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to permit, during the continuance of such emergency (the termination of which will be determined by the President and declared by his Proclamation), within such limits and subject to such conditions as he may deem necessary to meet the emergency, the importation free of duty of such food, clothing, and medical, surgical, and other supplies as he may designate and under such regulations as he may prescribe, when imported for use in such emergency relief work.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington this 1st day of February in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and thirty-seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and sixty-first.

FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT

By the President:
CORDELL HULL
Secretary of State.