REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 75 



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 hun- 

 dred or more publications. Furthermore, some foreign establish- 

 ments 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 au- 

 thorities state that, in view of the difficulties of railroad transporta- 

 tion, 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 



