REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 73 



As explained in previous reports, the disparity between the number 

 of publications sent abroad and those received in return is not so 

 great as would appear from the above figures. Packages sent abroad 

 in many instances contain only a single publication, while those re- 

 ceived in return often comprise several volumes — in some cases the 

 term " package " being applied to large boxes containing a hundred 

 or more publications. Furthermore, some foreign establishments 

 send their publications directly to their destinations in this country 

 by mail and not through exchange channels. 



As I have already stated, shipments were resumed during the year 

 to Germany. Relations have also been reestablished with Austria. 

 The steps taken by the Institution toward the reopening of ex- 

 changes with Roumania and the establishment of relations with the 

 newly formed Government of Jugoslavia, referred to in my last re- 

 port, have not yet led to a successful result. The Roumanian authori- 

 ties state that, in view of the difficulties of railroad transportation, 

 the service can not at the present time be reorganized, but as soon as 

 those difficulties are overcome the Roumanian Government will at 

 once resume the service. The Government of Jugoslavia, in a note 

 received near the close of the year, states that it will be glad to renew 

 the interchange of publications as soon as the Belgrade Exchange 

 Bureau is reorganized. Conditions in Russia and Turkey have not 

 yet reached a state where steps can be taken to renew the exchange 

 of publications between those countries and the United States. 



Reference was made in my 1920 report to the fact that an exchange 

 of publications had been inaugurated with the Czechoslovak Repub- 

 lic. As a matter of record it should be stated here that notification 

 was received through the Department of State from the Belgian 

 ambassador in Washington of the adherence of the Government of 

 Czechoslovakia to the exchange conventions concluded at Brussels on 

 March 15, 1886. One of those conventions provides for the inter- 

 national exchange of official documents and scientific and literary 

 publications; the other, for the immediate exchange of the official 

 journal, parliamentary annals, and documents. Articles II and IX 

 of the conventions provide that the States which have not taken part 

 in the convention are admitted to adhere to it on their request, this 

 adherence to be notified diplomatically to the Belgian Government 

 and by that Government to all the other signatory States. 



I am glad to report that the Polish Government has also adhered 

 to the Brussels convention providing for the establishment of a sys- 

 tem of international exchanges and that the Bibliotheque du Minis- 

 tere des Relations Exterieures, at Warsaw, has been designated to 

 assume charge of the Polish International Exchange Service. Under 



