Looks like the House version of the sugar act in the US will be adopted by the conference committee. This piece of good news was conveyed to me by Ambassador [Ramon] Nolan by long distance telephone at 8:00 AM.
I have ordered that he now work on the World Sugar Quota problem. We now have 60,000 tons quota but the world price is less than the domestic price (Phil) so that this year we sell at a loss. But the long range plan to have 200,000 tons of the world quota so that we have a quota to absorb surplus has to be implemented.
He will bring in some French buyers or brokers to Manila on the World quota matter.
But Delegate Carlos Ledesma is for keeping a reserve of 100,000 tons of sugar to furnish the American market in case of need.
We are now on board the Ang Pangulo with Ambassador James Ingram of Australia and Se Ryum Kim of Korea and their wives. Ambassador [Toshio] Urabe and his wife will join us Saturday by plane from Manila at Iligan as he has to stay in Manila for their National Day tomorrow, Friday. We have the Tantocos also with us. I intend to inspect their pulp and paper plant.
I have called a command conference in Iligan next Saturday morning of all the PC [Philippine Constabulary] Provincial Commanders and their Intelligence and CIS [Criminal Investigation Service] officers, the Zone Commander, the IV Brigade Commander and their staff as well as the civic group to assess the peace and order situation specially in Lanao del Norte.
A rumor circulated in today’s press that Chairman Mao [Zedong] was dead. But Sec. [Francisco] Tatad reports that “reports from Peking negative; Japanese parliamentary delegation fresh from Peking says in Tokyo rumors about Mao’s health impossible to believe. UPI [United Press International] says same rumors found only abroad but not anywhere in China.”
No Official Gazette entry for this day.