Executive Order 3623—Relief for Russia

By virtue of an Act of Congress entitled "An Act to authorize the President to transfer certain medical supplies for the relief of the distressed and famine-stricken people of Russia," approved January 20th, 1922, I, Warren G. Harding, President of the United States, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of said Act, hereby select, designate and appoint the American Relief Administration as the relief organization to receive from the War, Navy and Treasury Departments, and the United States Shipping Board, out of the surplus supplies of said Departments, medicines, medical, surgical and hospital supplies for the relief of the distressed and famine-stricken people of Russia, in an amount not to exceed four million dollars original cost to the United States, and as may be delivered to and accepted by such American Relief Association without cost for transportation to the United States, provided said medicines, medical, surgical, and hospital supplies are delivered to the American Relief Administration within four months from the date of the passage of said Act. I further authorize and direct the American Relief Administration, upon delivery to and acceptance by it of the medicines, medical, surgical and hospital supplies provided for in said Act, to transport to, and to distribute the same in, Russia for the purposes set out in the Act, and by such methods and means and to such places and persons as it, in its discretion, may determine. Provided, that, in making such distribution, the American Relief Administration may, in its discretion, if it believes there are other American relief organizations ministering to the relief of the suffering people of Russia that are better able to distribute such supplies in certain localities than the American Relief Administration, turn over such supplies in such amounts, to such other American relief organizations. I further direct that the War, Navy and Treasury Departments, and the United States Shipping Board, shall report to the President the amounts of medicines, medical, surgical and hospital supplies delivered by each to the American Relief Administration, and the American Relief Administration shall make report as to the disposition made of said supplies. WARREN G. HARDING THE WHITE HOUSE, January 24, 1922.