Evening star., 1946-03-21
Cleavage Develops
At UNRRA Session
Over Food Power
BY the Associated Prs.s

BY the Associated Press
ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., Mar, q
"A sharp cleavage developed to.
day among the Big Five powers ovel
Russian Chinese backed effort Il
curtail the allocating powers Of tn,
combined Food Board which con.
trolls the flow of food supplied fol
world consumption by Canada
England and the United States.
Opposing the move were thu
United States and Britain, sup.
ported by Canada. These three
countries comprise membership o1
the board which had been under
constant attack since delegates from
Al nations convened here Friday
for UNRRAs Biennial Council
meeting.
Just where france stood re-
manned temporarily uncertain. As
sistant Secretary of State win Clay
ton, however, called attention yes
terday to Russia's plan to sell wheat
to France-"reportedly for United
States dollars"
Resurvey Is Probable.
Mr.. Clayton said this would mean
q probable resurvey of the amount
of wheat allocated to France from
the amount available for parceling
out by the combined Food Board.
Under the boards present schedule,
France was to have received 1,800,-
900 tons from the United States and
Canada.
There was no question where
China and Russia stood on the is
sue. The Chinese delegate told the
conference bluntly yesterday he was
full OF anger" against the board,
saying that some of its ALLEGATIONS
cannot be justified on any
grounds" Nikolai Feonov of Russia
took a similar position earlier.
The Russian-F French wheat trans
action described by Mr.. Clayton Of
fered clearcut example of the
difficulties involved in the contro-
versy over the powers Of the board,
which has announced its existence
will be continued at least until the
end of this year.
UNRRA Must Enter Request.
At present, UNRRA-as the
spokesman for countries with lean
larders and skinny purses-must
enter its request for aid on their be-
half to the combined Food Board for
ALLEGATION OF supplies from the three
member nations.
To the board must come nations
such as France-likewise with short
food supplies, but with money or
exchange in trade to pay for the
goods they receive. The board also
controls shipments to wartime neu-
trails.
The showdown applied likely to
come on resolution presented to
UNRRA's council by Poland, which
has asked Canada, England and the
United States to give UNRRA the
final say on what it needs and to
see to it that the money-poor coun-
tries get an even break in the allo-
cation of supplies with those which
can afford to pay.
Reasons for Appeal.
Against this background there re-
mained the appeal of Director Gen.
eral Herbert Lehman for an increase
In the Combined Food Boards men,
bers, suggesting in particular that it
should include Russia. From Lester
Pearson, Canadian Ambassador to
the United States, and Mr.. Clayton
came two differently worded but
similas reasons why they would like
to see Russia on the board.
Mr.. Pearson described Russia as
q great food-producing country and
expressed hope that UNRRA's mem-
ber nations would be supplied with
full information" on what contri-
buttons the Soviet could make to-
ward relieving hunger throughout
the world.
Mr.. Clayton expressed hope-on
the basis of the plan to ship grain
to France-that "the Soviet Union
may be in position to give IA
vorable reply to the UNRRA request
(for aid in the form of grain) and
thus align itself with the United
States and other supplying coun-
tries"