Evening star., 1946-08-17
La Guurdio's S Geneva
Blost Annoys Britons
Soviet Delegate Feonov Grins
At UNRRA Council Fireworks
BY Doris Fieeson

BY Doris Fleeson
GENEVA, Aug 16.-CBy Wirelessl -
The report on displaced persons at the
United Nations Relief and Rehabilita-
ton Administration council meeting
here ignited five-alarm fire. Thirteen
solid hours of spadework by the top
brains of the Council failed TO produce
unanimous agreement on the form the
resolution concerning the DPS should
take.
Surprising nobody, the Soviet Union,
the Ukraine. Poland and Yugoslavia
would not accept various paragraphs
and whereases which transferred
UNRRAs function to the International
Refugee Organization. Their objection is
fundamentally due to IRO emphasis on
resettlement. These countries want
their nationals repatriated and they
feel, with considerable justice. that if
the prospect of resettlement appears
their nationals will run like hares to
greener pastures.
The result of the effort to please
everybody and displease none was 1000
words of tact, all of the five- dollar,
court-of appeals variety, including nine
whereases. Director General La Guardia
tried to abolish the whereases but the
weary drafters OF the document, who
had procured the .high-powered senti-
ments out of their sweat and toll, If not
tears, Indignantly refused to comply.
Heart of the yerbiage.
The heart of the verbiage was that
UNRRA should continue to operate
among displaced persons until the IR0
or some other appropriate body could
take over. provided. however, it should
not continue beyond June 80. 1947. This
was the American proposal on the first
day OF UNRRAs meeting here. The
Americans were defeated, however, on
the effort to make UNRRA closure
April 30, not June.
Complete support Of repatriation and
firing of all personnel who impeded it
were pledged, as were rations for so
days to returnees, better propaganda
for repatriation, and sympathetic treat
ment for the unfortunates.
Late in the day worldly word battle
began, with Mr.. La Guardia, in the
lead-off position, giving one Of his
pyrotechnical displays which have
aroused amazement and incredulity
among Americans for 30 years. Butch
took fire from resolution in the decla-
ration that UNRRA's displaced persons
work should go to the IRO or any other
appropriate body, whether interna-
tional or not" Beneath this word pile
he found lurking his old enemy-the
Army, which he says cannot handle
human problems He took on all nations
in his excoriation of the phrase quoted,
asserting it was vicious, Intentional
and malicious"
Taunts Directors.
Where were you, Feonov? And you,
Mattes?" ne taunted those constitu-
tional objectors, the Russian and the
Yugoslav delegates. The program OF
| the Army is to throw these people
loose on German economy, and that
JneHuS tlc NUCLEUS Ol IlcW + dSCIel
organization in Germany"
While others gaped. the ordinarily
mild British career diplomats stiffeneo
angrily amid flood of personalities
and eloquence.
Mr.. La Guardia said the American
people trusted its Army for military
duties but not for human work. Sir
George Rendel of the British delega-
ton undertook to state that the British
taxpayer was putting more into the
support of displaced persons In the
British zone of Germany than UNRRA
was and said he objected to slurs upon
motives of the British. Philip Noel
Baker said sarcastically that Mr.. La
Guardia had spoken with the modera-
ton that he had learned to expect from
the director general. With some irony
he added that he would recall, in future
days, Mr.. La Guardias pledge that
Americans would always look after these
unfortunate people regardless of what
other nations did
Mr.. La Guardia's voice sank almost
to a whisper as he called on his wife
to shoot him with the gun he used in
the World War if he ever failed to
become indignant at injustice and in
humanity.
BY this time the British were In a
well-bred frenzy, the Canadian Minister
to the United States, Lester Pearson,
was smiling ruefully. most of the dele
gates were bewildered and RuSsia's
mouthy Feonov permitted himself
broad grin.
The phrase was stricken out-unani-
mously-and a welcome recess taken
for dinner by the fatigued delegates,
North American Newspaper Alliancs1