Sherrod Brown: “the first question--and I will read a portion of their answer because I think it is quite relevant to this question of…”

“the first question--and I will read a portion of their answer because I think it is quite relevant to this question of this treaty's impact on reducing competition. The question is, under the U.S. antitrust law, is it permissible for 26 competing producers and purchasers of a particular commodity to form a single organization for the purpose of regulating their business activities? That was an effort to sum up in a question what this rubber treaty, this rubber agreement, is designed for. The American Law Division, I thought, would have a good handle on what U.S. law is, and if this happened outside of the support of the U.S. Senate in the treaty arrangement, would this agreement be legal under antitrust laws? Is what we are about to approve something that is legal under the antitrust laws? Or are we, by approving this treaty, making something that is illegal permissible? Their answer will be in depth in the Record, but I want to quote briefly from their response because I think it is direct and to the point.…”