Evening star., 1945-03-23
Soviet Blocks
U. 5. Studyof
PoIand's Needs
Visa Refused, UNRRA
Names Russian to
Garry Out Mission
BY JOSEPH H. BAIRD.

tlOn mas 1alled to obtain a visa
from Soviet Russia for an Amer
lean to head a commission to
administer relief in Poland and
consequently has appointed a
Soviet citizen to survey that
country's needs. it was learned
authoritatively today.
One Of UNRRA's deputy directors,
Michail Menshikov, with staff OF
assistants, will go to Poland soon to
gather data on food, textiles and
other commodities needed to reha-
bilitate that country.
This development is significant in
view OF the insistance Of the Rus
sian delegation to the UNRRA Con-
ference in Montreal last September
that relief activities in Poland should
be carried out under the aegis OF
the Moscow-controlled Lublin pro-
visional government.
Gregg Quits Organization.
j. p. Gregg, who was designated
last November to head the UNRRA
mission of inquiry, has resigned
from the relief organization. 1t was
learned. He was associated with
the Hoover relief mission in Poland
following. the World War. Before
joining UNRRA, he had beer chief
of staff of the operating division of
the War Production Board and
prior to that had served for num-
ber of years in the State Depart
ment as adviser on reciprocal trade
agreements. A native OF Portland,
Greg, Mr.. Gregg lives at 2123 Tun-
law road and Is 53 years old.
UNRRA oflcials refused to con-
arm reports In Polish and American
a. .~~ass that Mr.. Gregg had resigned
As d ->sult Of the refusal Of the
Russian government to grant him 4
transit visa to visit Poland. Mr..
Gregg was out Of town and could
not be reached for comment.
These facts, however, were con-
firmed by UNRRA:
That last November UNRRA re-
quested Of the Soviet Russian gov
ernment the issuance of a transit
visa for a mission Of inquiry, includ-
ing Mr.. Gregg, to pass through So
Wet territory and survey the need of
relief in Poland.
No Answer to Request.
That no answer was ever received
directly from the Soviet Foreign
Once in Moscow.
That in February the Lublin gov
ernment informed UNRRA that the
mission would be welcomed.
Meanwhile, Polish sources here
said that Moscow, which sponsors
the Lublin Committee, had taken
the position that Russian must
replace Mr.. Gregg as head of the
UNRRA mission if it was to visit
Poland. ..
In response to inquiries. Director
General Herbert Lehman of UNRRA
authorized the statement that Mr..
Menskirov would head the mission
to Poland. His aides, however, ex-
planned that the Russian omcial
would not administer relief. which
will be entrusted to a later delega-
ton, but only would survey Poland S
needs.
UNRRA Plans Statement.
UNRRA is planning later today to
issue an official statement which
will read, in part:
Deputy Director Michael Men
shikov will head temporary
UNRRA delegation to discuss with
the provisional government of Po-
land arrangements for relief. Mr.
Lehman said that Mr.. Menshikov
would act as the personal repre-
sentative OF the director general
during his visit to Poland"
Mr.. Lehman added that the Polish
provisional government was the only
authority with whom Mr.. Menshi-
kov and his aides would deal.
This decision obviously resulted
from the decision of President
Roosevelt, Prime Minister Church
Ill and Premier Stain at the Yalta
Conference that the Big Three
would accept the Lublin Committee
augmented by democratic elements
both within and without Poland, as
the future government OF that coun.
try.
Lehman Sends Cablegram.
Mr.. Lehman, UNRAA said. had
sent a cablegram to Prime Minister
Edward Osabka- Of the
Lublin provisional government, IN
which he said:
Il wish to assure you Of UNRAA's
deep desire to be Of every possible
aid to your gallant people"
Members Of Mr.. Menshikov's mis-
sion win be Frantisek Weisl, execu-
tive assistant; Clifford Wilson, CHIEF
supply officer, and other UNRAA
lpersonnel from Its London office.
Mr.. Menshikov joined UNRAA In
November, 1913. Previously he had
served with the Soviet government
as an expert on foreign trade.