Evening star., 1946-12-13
IL, S.-Soviet Deadlock
In UNRRA Persists
las Session Nears End
By MoIcoIm Lomborne, Jr.

By Malcolm Lomborne, Jr.
C. Tyler Wood, United States del
egate to the 48-nation UNRRA
Council, said today the committee
working on a policy statement on
the future of remaining relief pro-
grams was "still wrangling over
words" as delegates attempted to
wind up their session in the Shore
ham Hotel before tonight.
The United States and Russia
have been deadlocked over the pol
icy, to be followed by UNRRA in
disposing Of the agency's remaining
$625 900 900 in relief funds.
Mr.. Wood said the resolution now
being drawn up by a special COM
mittee may reaffirm the power Of
the nine-nation Central Committee
(Which includes both the United
States and Russia) to reshuffle any
relief programs when there is "a
clear reason" for the change. Such
action, however, requires a unani-
nous vote of the Central Committee.
Wants to Make Stand Clear.
Mr.. Wood told reporters between
plenary sessions this morning that
he wanted to make sure the United
States was not placed in the posi-
ton of being accused of taking an
unclear stand on future UNRRA op-
erations. The Russian delegate, N
I. Feonov, made such charge al
the opening meeting Tuesday.
Today's first session was marked
by a brief f1areup by the Russian
delegate on the question of re-
turning persons displaced from their
homeland by the war. 1t came when
j. B. Brigden, Australia's delegate,
moved adoption of a resolution ex-
pressing appreciation of the work of
voluntary organizations in the fields
Of repatriation and, related UNRRA
activities.
Mr.. Feonov said he would vote
for the resolution but that he wished
to point out mot all" the voluntary
agencies made a contribution but
that some of them worked against
repatriation. The Yugoslav dele
gate made the same reservation.
But on the final vote only Bye
lorussia abstained from voting
The adoption of a preliminary
budget, for administrative operations
during 1947 brought forth reserva-
tions from eight nations that they
may not be able to come through
with their percentage shares next
year. The largest single contributor
of the eight countries involved is
India, with per cent share OF
the total budget.
U. S. Share is 40 Per Cent.
The United States share is A
per cent, the same as last year
Mr.. Wood pointed out this did not
mean new funds would be necessar.
from Congress but that it coule
come out of a fund already ap
propriated for UNRRA operations
This was to have been tn
UNRRA Councils sixth and fina
meeting of its two-year life, but a
the insistence of Russia the coun
Gil decided to meet again befor
next June. Mr.. Feonov has suggest
ed a windup meeting in April.
This decision yesterday gave Rus
sia a victory as both the Unitet
States and Great Britain had op
posed any further meetings of tn
full Council. These two countrie
had taken the stand that UNRRAi
windup operations could be taker
care of from here on out by tht
nine-nation Central Committee.
Russia, however. apparently fell
it could get more support for any
further proposals for the agency's
operations if they remained in the
hands of the larger Council.
La Guardia Resigning.
Also on today's program were the
acceptance of the resignation oi
Director General La Guardia, eff.
|fective December 81, and the elec.
ton of Maj. Gen. Lowell w. Rook.
of Arlington, the present deputy
general, to succeed him.
In the clash over the future. of re-
manning relief programs. Mr.. Woot
has taken the stand that the rest Of
the program should be flexible ane
should allow reshuff1ing of alloca.
tions to meet changing needs abroad
For instance, it is understood ths
United States would like to provide
additional relief to hard-pressee
Austria and possibly Italy.
Russia's insistence ON a rigie
schedule. on the other hand, i
primarily based on concern of fu.
ture relief shipments to such coun.
tries as Byelorussia, the Ukraine
Yugoslavia, Poland and Albania.
Reshuffiing Opposed.
Russia has had the support o.
Mr.. La Guardia, who at the very
outset of the meeting Tuesday
warned against 'reshuffling" by any
nation big or small"
The cleavage between Russia ane
the United States has been sc
marked that at one point in another
discussion, when Mr.. Feonov de-
clared he supported the view of the
United States, delegates broke into
applause.