Dickenson County herald. [volume] (Clintwood, Va.) 1939-195?, 1944-05-18
WNU Service, Union Trust Building
Washington, ID. G.

WNU Service, Union Trust Building
Washington, D. G.
While the bombs are bursting over
Europe, it is pretty hard to think
of postwar activities. America just
doesn't like to do it. Furthermore,
it is perfectly natural that, after our
experience in the last war, when we
talk about relief for Europe, we
feel we don't want to play the role
of ''Uncle Sap again.
The one organization which has
gone ahead with very definite, spe-
officially delimited plans for civil
ian international activity, is the
United Nations Relief and Rehablh-
tation administration. Forty-four ma
lions have combined to set up this
organization and finance its work.
The United States part in this or
ganization has the specific authorize
ton of Congress. But it never could
have had this backing if it hadn't
been for the wholehearted coopera-
ton of certain men in Congress
whom nobody by the greatest
stretch of imagination could label as
internationalists. One Of them
largely responsible for the I'm
opposed authorization by congress
for the $50, OOO,0 900 which is Ameri-
cas- contribution to the UNRRA
fund was Sen. Arthur Fl. Vanden-
berg, a member Of the foreign re-
lations committee, who cannot be
described as an ''internationalist."
He supported UNRRA in this way
after a long and careful consulta-
ton with the State department con-
corning the administration obliga-
tons which the United States had to
accept if it joined this body of A
nations. Vandenberg was supported
by representatives Of the delegation
from Ohio, among others, middle
western state not noted for inter-
national tendencies.
I asked member of the UNRRA
staff why he thought these people
were convinced that the United
States ought to take part in this
manitarian movement which al
though it proclaimed ultra-practical
aims might naturally be doubted
by the cynical.
Nobody who has read the linita-
tons which this organization has
placed upon itself could have the
crust to oppose it," was his answer.
Selling Point
At that moment, took this rather
categorical statement with grain
of salt. Later, after talking with
Morse Salisbury, who is well known
over the air to many of the readers
of this column and all of the listen
ers to the Farm and Home Hour"
] must admit I was sold.
Morse Salisbury gave up an i'm
portant position in the department
of agriculture which he had held
through various administrations to
handle the public relations for
UNRRA under former governor of
New York Herbert Lehman, it's ad-
ministrator. broke in on him when
he was puzzling over the question of
an emblem or flag or a designation
for UNRRA-somebody thought it
ought to have a distinguishing in
sigma but he was unconvinced and
then he said something to me which
is important to remember.
Here is one governmental insti-
tuition - governmental in the sense
that A nations are backing it
which, instead of wishing to per-
petuate itself, as most bureaucratic
units are said to do, has for it's chief
aim-self liquidation. Like the boys
in the front lines, it wants to get
the job done and then quit"
The object of UNRRA is to do
what it can to resolve to normalcy
the chaos produced by the war and