Browning chief., 1944-10-13


last war. Their ability to remain in
occupied Belgian territory depended
on demonstrating to the complete
satisfaction of the German military
commanders that they were neutral
and their conscious effort to act ut
terly disinterested brought about a
really neutral viewpoint.
Of course, this strictly non-parti-
san attitude is not, nor is it expected
to be, adopted by the representa-
tiveS of the member nations, and the
controversy which arose at the re-
cent session concerning UNRRA's
activity in former enemy territory
was due to the play of emotions
which takes place when hate has
been nurtured for long time, as the
Axis nurtured it. According to the
UNRRA rules, no relief can be ad-
ministered in former enemy coun-
try unless majority of the council
so votes and if the enemy country
pays for such services and supplies
as it receives.
1t was natural that some of the
nations which suffered as they did
under the Nazi or Fascist heel,
would be prejudiced.
UNRRA Ready to
MoUe Into Balkans
So much for the solidity of
UNRRA. 1t has only begun to func-
ton, of course, and its latest meet
ing was the first when attention
could be given to matters other
than fundamental policies. 1t is now
in operation and the number of tech
nicians attending was greatly in
creased.
Meanwhile, however, UNRRA men
are ready in Cairo, the moment the
military is able to give the word, to
move into Greece and Yugoslavia
and first, assist the army relief
work and then, when the army is
ready to turn these functions over,
take charge.
Repatriation is a very important
part of any European relief since
millions of people have been evacu-
ated or driven or have fled from
their own homeland and are scat
tered about the world. UNRRA has
taken over the work of the Middle
East Refugee relief and has charge
of the placement and maintenance of
$4,000 Greeks and Yugoslavs in Pal
estine and Egypt.
1t has a new camp located in AL
geria where the climate represents
less of a change than the desert
from the homeland of the refugees.
The poor people suffer enough in
morale, they are either women, chill
dren or disabled men, not the ideal
grouping for cheerful society and
life on a desert is not popular with
many people even when they have
congenial company.
UNRRA's accomplishments so far,
the excellent press it has had and
the enthusiasm with which it has
been received-even the few unpleas-
ant stories circulated about tall
indicate that it is a going concern
even though it is only intended to
be temporary one.
We might go down the list of other
conferences, past or pending, and re-
port good deal of progress on most
of them: the Breton Woods None
tary conference, the one on food and
agriculture, both resulted in the Gre
alton of permanent organizations. A
meeting of the ministers of educa-
ton of the United Nations held last
April in London, l am told, will
undoubtedly contribute to the pro-
motion of wider educational opportu-
mites of education.
A general economic conference,
recently called by Secretary Hull,
and one on aviation are yet to be
proved.
1t is only when you get into realm
of the military or the political that
you begin to run into snags. 1t
might be argued that the reason
for this is that military and politi.
cal goals are purely selfish.
Petroleum may be in continuous
process of formation in the beds OF
CULTS and oceans, according to Pro
fessor Denis L. Fox of the Scripps
Institution of Oceanography He re-
Gently analyzed many samples OF
mud, some with an estimated age OF
5000 years, and found them well
supplied with well-preserved pig
mented organic materials. He also
found some of the muds inhabited
by bacteria which are able to di-
rectly synthesize petroleum.