Executive Order 3601—Relief for Russia

By virtue of an act of Congress entitled "An Act for the Relief of the Distressed and Starving People of Russia," approved December 22, 1921, I, Warren G. Harding, President of the United States, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of said act hereby appoint the Secretary of Commerce, James P. Goodrich, of Indiana, Edward M. Flesh, of Missouri, Edgar Rickard, of New York, Don Livingston, of South Dakota, as a commission to be known as the "Purchasing Commission for Russian Relief," and designate such Commission as the agency for the purpose of the purchase, transport, and delivery of "corn, seed grain, and preserved milk, for the relief of the distressed and starving people of Russia, and for spring planting in areas where seed grains have been exhausted." Overseas transport to be under the provisions of said Act. I hereby authorize said Commission to purchase said commodities from time to time and in such amount as may be found necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act and not exceeding the amount mentioned in said Act. I further authorize and direct the United States Grain Corporation to act as the fiscal agency of said Commission and to pay out of its available funds all bills and obligations incurred, but all under the direction of said Commission in the purchase, transport, and delivery of the aforesaid commodities, provided, however, that the total amount so expended by the United States Grain Corporation for such purposes shall not exceed the sum of $20,000,000. I further authorize and direct the American Relief Administration, to accept from the Purchasing Commission for Russian Relief the said commodities so purchased and transported and to distribute the same in Russia for the purposes set out in this Act, and by such methods and means and to such places and persons as it in its discretion may determine. On the completion of the work contemplated in said Act and herein designated, the said Grain Corporation shall render to the President of the United States not later than the 15th day of December, 1922, an itemized and detailed report of the expenditures incurred by it, and the said American Relief Administration shall not later than said date submit to the President a report of the work conducted by it under the authority of said Act and this Executive Order. WARREN G. HARDING THE WHITE HOUSE, December 24, 1921.