Evening star., 1943-07-11
Allied Relief Pahey
Slated for August in
Saratoga Springs, NY.
Br BLAIR ROLES.

BY BLAIR BOLLES.
The State Department has de.
cided tentatively to convene a Unitee
Nations conference in Saratoga
Springs, N. Y, in mid-August fol
action by the Allied governments
on the draft of an agreement fol
establishing United Nations relief
and rehabilitation administration, II
was reported yesterday.
The agreement was submitted tc
the governments June 10, and since
then it has been criticized by the
Netherlands government and Sena-
tor Vandenberg, Republican, OF
Michigan.
An explosive session at Saratoga
Is generally predicted here by
spokesmen for the exile govern
ments, which are deeply concerned
that the proposed agreement calls
for establishment OF a central COM
mittee to be manned by representa-
tives only of the Big Four"-United
States, Great Britain. USSR and
China. It is said that none of the
other United Nations was consulted
about the agreement during con-
versations here last winter and
spring that resulted in its framing.
Many of the smaller governments
have given to the State Department
informal reports of their concern.
Talks Completed in May.
The talks were completed in May.
Dean Acheson. assistant Secretary
of State, who represented the
United States in the four power
discussions about the makeup Of
the united relief agency, urged that
South American country. particu-
larly Brazil, be admitted to the
Central Committee. Lord Halifax,
representing Great Britain, advocat-
ed the adnittance. Of one of the
British Commonwealth nations, par
ticularly Canada, to the Central
Committee.
Ambassador Litvinoff, speaking
for Russia, maintained throughout
the talks that the committee should
be limited to the four powers, and
in the end, for reasons not re-
vealed, his view prevailed. China
was represented by Ambassador Wei,
but he maintained an attitude Of
neutrality on the question whether
the Central Committee should be
democratized by broadening or kept
limited to the four major powers.
Lord Halifax toward the end of
the conversations proposed con-
cretely that the central committee
have seven MEMBERSHIP four
powers drafting the agreement, one
dominion, one South American gov
ernment and one other European
government-either Poland, or pref
erably, the Netherlands. because the
Dutch had interests both in Europe
and in Asia. This was abandoned
under strong Russian objection.
Dutch Protest.
Ambassador Litvinoff, who de-
parted for Moscow shortly after the
talks, won another point during the
discussions by insisting that the
decisions of the central committee
be unanimous. Mr.. Acheson and
Ambassador Halifax argued the wis
dom and validity. in terms of DEM
ocratic procedure, of majority de-
cisions, but again they were forced
to give in for unknown reasons.
Ambassador Loudon Of the Meth
erlands submitted a note to the State
Department June % in which his
government protested that the limi-
tation on the size of the central
committee did mot seem compatible
with democratic principles.
Senator Vandenberg told the Sen
ate July that the failure Of the
administration to make arrange
ments for submitting the agreement
to the Senate for ratification was,
in his estimation, a circumvention
of constitutional arrangements.
The State Department has given
no reply to the Dutch government
and has not commented publicly on
Senator Vandenberg's complaint.
Secretary Hull conferred at the
Capitol on July 7 with Senator VAN
denberg on the constitutional prob
lem OF whether the draft agreement
was a treaty and should be rati-
fled by the Senate His position
was that it was not a treaty. On
July 8 he told his press conference
no serious hurdle to the projected
United Nations conference had
arisen.
Arguments Outlined.
The smaller United Nations are
said to base their position on these
considerations;
/. The countries receiving relief
and rehabilitation are to be billed
for what they get and therefore all
should have a voice in the arrange
ments.
2. An attempt by four strong pow
ers to dominate the interests of their
allies, no matter how small, appears
incompatible with the Allies talk of
a war for freedom and the princi-
piles of the Atlantic Charter.
The draft provides for an estab-
lishment of a council to meet
mot less than twice a year." with
the central committee given the
power to make interim decisions
about policy. The small powers fear
that the council meetings will have
authority to do little more than ap-
prove the actions of the committee
and the executive agency.
Lehman Mentioned as Head.
The executive agency is to be
headed by a director general, who
is to be nominated unanimously by
the Central Committee. The coun-
Gil is to be given the privilege of
voting on the committees nominee.
The director general is Empowered
by the draft agreement to appoint
an unlimited number Of deputy
directors general.
Herbert Lehman, head Of the
United States Office of Foreign Re-
lief and Rehabilitation Operations,
is being considered for the post Of
director of the new agency. The
name of Sir Frederick Leith-Ross,
head of the Inter-Allied Committee
on European Postwar Relief, is also
heard for the new job.