Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-09-24
UNRRA Ready 10 Act
In Liberated Nations,
Council Head Says
BY JOSEPH BAIRD,
Star Stan CORRESPONDENT.


tation Administration Is past its
planning stage and now Is ready
to act" perhaps first in the Balkan.
in aiding the people. of Europe
L. B. Pearson, president of the coun-
Gil, said tonight.
At the end of a week-long series
OF meetings. where the UNRRA
Council has discussed problems ere.
ated as German troops retreat to-
ward their homeland and enslaved
countries are liberated, Mr.. Pearson
declared the agency now was or
the verge of doing something" He
said he was delighted with the
unanimity and progress achieved
here.
Two definite steps were taken to.
day by the Policy Committee, with
approval by the council a mere
formality. The committees actions
were:
Approval Of UNRRA relief fol-
German Jews and other enemy
aliens who have been driven from
their homelands by reason of race
religion or aid to the United Ma
tons and who may be found in lib
Grated territory.
Dodecanese Relief Planned.
Extension of the UNRRA program
to the Dodecanese Islands off the
coast of Turkey, which are under
Italian sovereignty but have a pre-
dominant Greek population.
The resolution to aid the German
Jews in liberated areas took the
form of an amendment to a previous
resolution which provide for
UNRRA assistance to Allied nation
ais in enemy territory. This original
resolution, offered by the British,
already had been amended on an
American motion to include enemy
aliens in Germany who had been
forced to leave their homes because
of race, religion or aid to the United
Nations. 1t was estimated that IS
per cent of the persons coming with
in this class would be Jews in the
Reich.
Today's resolution covers virtually
all religious minorities who have
suffered under Nazi persecution ex-
cept those who have fled to America
or European neutral nations. Mr..
Pearson pointed out that such
agencies as the Inter-Allied Com
mission on Refugees were looking
after them.
Greeks Suggest Action.
The move to aid the Dodecanese
Islands was urged by the Greek
delegation. This probably will be
one of the first active European
projects of UNRRA for, as Mr.. Pear
son pointed out, the islands may be
liberated within the next week
Press reports describe general
German exodus from the area,
which has become untenable for
them In view of Russia's advance
in the Balkans and Allied control
OF the Mediterranean.
BY working Sunday and Monday
Mr.. Pearson said, the council ex-
poets to end its basic task and ad-
journ after a formal session Tues
day. Reviewing the work of the
conference so far. the chairman
who is the Canadian representa-
tive on the council and Canadian
minister to Washington, said:
This has been an ENCOURAGING
meeting. We have done the work
we set out to do. What has been
accomplished here has added to
UNRRA's ability to serve, and has
clarified some doubts.
I'VE have emerged from the field
OF planning and are ready to act.
Last year was very difficult. It was
one of high emotional excitement,
in which UNRRA was on the verge
Of doing something. but was still In
the stage of planning"
Balkans to be First Field
He then went on to say that the
Balkans-p re u ms oily meaning
Yugoslavia and Greece-probab ly
would be the first fields of extensive
UNRRA activity.
Although UNRRAs work In
Europe still is to begin, it already
is operating on a small scale in the
Near East and Africa, where about
10000 persons, mostly Greeks, Yugo-
slavs and German Jews are cared
for until they can be repatriated.
S. M. Keeny Of UNRRA, who
recently headed a commission to
Italy to plan relief program which
has been approved to the extent of
s50,000,000 by the policy committee
described the task ahead there.
He estimated that two-thirds of
the amount allotted to Italy would
go to children and expectant moth
ers who would be given, in addition
to their normal diet, food with q
content of $50 calories daily. He
estimated that this would cost five
cents daily, or about $18 per year
per person. The remainder of the
money will be used for medical sup
plies in dlsease-ridden districts and
for the repatriation of displaced
persons, several hundred thousands
OF whom have emigrated from their
country homes to cities.
Transport Is Main Problem.
The main problem in feeding
Italy, Mr.. Keeny said, is transporta-
ton, as the Germans in retreatine
through the peninsula DESTROYED
rail lines and bridges. With regard
to displaced persons he said that
UNRRA's policy would be to return
them to the land as rapidly a.
possible.
Aside from the councils forma
approval of resolutions alread,
passed by the Policy Committee, thu
conference only has two ma jol
issues before it. One is approva
OF a $ll,l50,000 budget for admin.
istrative expenses during the fisca
year of l945, passage of which /.
considered certain. The second
more dynamic, is a Russian sug.
gestion that priority for relief b.
given those nations which have sui.
fered most and have contributed
most to the war effort.
Mr.. Pearson said that he expected
the Russian suggestion which, from
all appearances, will be opposed b,
the United States delegation, prob.
ably will be considered either to.
morrow or Monday.
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