Evening star., 1945-07-26
Soviet Relief Request
For 100000, 900 Is
Presented 10 UNRRA
BY JOSEPH H. BAIRD.


A $700,0Oo.OOO relief program
Tor Soviet Russia has been sub
mitted by Moscow to the United
Nations Relief and Rehabilita-
tion Administration and is now
being studied by appropriate
UNRRA committees.
UNRRA Deputy Director Roy F.
Hendrickson, disclosing this at a
press conference late yesterday,
announced that total UNRRA ship
ments to war-devastated countries
through June 80 totaled 1904 ,298
long tons of supplies valued at $685.
b63, 1000. OF this, 1,069, ,639 long tons
worth $223, ,038, 900 originated in the
Western Hemisphere. There was no
breakdown as to the specific amount
coming from the United States, but
UNRRA relies on this country as its
main source of supply.
Mr.. Hendrickson said the United
States now pays 10 per cent of
UNRRA'S operating expense and 40
per cent of its administrative cost.
To critics he observed:
In the last war we paid 100 per
cent. We are getting off a little
cheaper this time"
The Russian request, long expected
but received only Monday, was made
through Was Andreevich Klentsov,
the U. S. S. RS alternate delegate to
UNRRA. The Russians presented
no schedule of goods or the time in
which they are to be delivered, but
Mr.. Hendrickson said that this in
formation was expected later.
In accordance with it's usual prac-
tice, JNRRA will submit the request
to its Committee on Supply and
Committee on Finance, which must
determine whether the Soviet Union
is entitled to receive relief under
the organizations bylaws. Canadian
Ambassador L. B. Pearson, chair
man of the Supply Committee,
already is studying the request, Mr..
Hendrickson said.
In reply to a question, Mr.. Hend-
rickson said that both foreign ex-
change reserves and gold were taken
Into consideration in determining a
nations ability to effect monetary
transfers in payment for imports.
Russia is known to have an extern
sive goldmining industry, but the
amount of its gold reserve has not
been made public for some years.
Russia Won't Contribute.
AS an invaded country, Mr.. |
Hendrickson explained, Russia is not
expected to make any contribution
to the operating fund of UNRRA,
although it is assessed about 10 per |
cent of the organization's adminiS-
trative expense. According to the |
latest UNRRA financial statement,
Russia has paid 100000 toward
administrative expenses, while an
assessment of S1,550,0o0 is marked
unpaid" although footnote says
that Moscow has informed UNRRA
that 100000 now is being trans
ferred.
Mr.. Hendrickson said that while
UNRRA had not yet received a list
of supplies wanted by Russia, his
experience with leaSe-lend would
indicate that they need primarily
fats and canned meat in the realm
of food.
'1 imagine" he said, that the
Russians need about everything"
Asked if UNRRA observers would
be sent in to supervise the distribu-
ton of supplies in Russia if it's re-
quest we're granted, Mr. HendrickSon
said that while the issue had not
been raised he was sure that OBJ
servers would be sent in accordance
with the organizations general prac-
tice. In fact, he added, UNRRA will
insist on this.
Looking ahead to the general Eu-
ropean relief program this winter,
Mr. Hendrickson estimated that it
would cost between $500, ,000, 900 and
1926 100000 per month. Principal
theaters of operation will be Greece,
Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Poland
and Italy.
The financial statement made
public last night showed these ma
jor contributions to UNRRA's oper-
ating fund: United States, $793 000,-
600; United Kingdom, $319,775, 900;
Canada, $68, 8,844, 1863; Australia, $685.
197,5 500; India, $29, ,342 OPT, and New
Zealand, $8,432, 500.
Congress has authorized a total
of $1,350,000,000 for UNRRA, of
which about $3.50 900 900 remains 10
be appropriated.