Evening star., 1947-05-26
House Unit Approves
U. 5. Membership in
U. n. Refugee Group
Saving of $50, 500, 900
Seen as lRO Absorbs
Functions of UNRRA
BY the Associoied Press

The House Foreign Affairs
Committee approved unani-
mously today a bill to permit
American membership in the
international Refugee Organi-
zation and figured this will save
the United States $56,50O, 900
next fiscal year.
THE IRO is a United Nations
Organization which will take over
the problem of war refugees and
displaced persons now being cared
for by occupying armies and the
expiring United Nations Belief and
Rehabilitation Administration.
A committee report, recommend
ing the bill to the House. quoted a
letter from Secretary OF State Mar
shall saying Lewis Douglas, anlbas-
sador to Britain, will be the United
States representative at the first
session Of the IRO general council.
Douglas Supported.
The report said MIR. Douglas has
the wholehearted confidence of the
committee in this important assign
ment.'
There is no question" 1t added,
"as to the lack of confidence of
Congress generally in the admins
trative personnel of UNRRA."
The committee said it is earn
estly hopeful" a woman may be
named as one of two alternates to
represent America on the council
or on an IRO executive committee.
The Senate passed in March a
bill to authorize membership in
IRO. 1t authorized appropriations
of $75 100000 for the year beginning
July l. The House Committee, with
State Department approval, trimmed
this to $73.50o,o00, mostly to help
pay administrative and operating
expenses.
Cooperation Stressed.
The State Department estimates
that the refugee and displaced per-
sons program will cost this country
$130, 100000 this year, including our
share of UNRRA expenses, a con-
trihution to an inter- governments
refugee committee, and Sis, ,931 900
being spent by the Army.
"Our joining this United Nations
Organization, the committee said,
'is an act of international co-opera-
tion that will save money for the
United States, will carry out our
agreed share in the support. repara-
ton, and resettlement of these vic
tins of war and its aftermath.
without change in our immigration
laws or policies, and will terminate
existing sole United States RESPONSE
bilities for the DPS in the United
States occupied zones" UNRRA
ends on June 80.
Expanding on its criticism of
UNRRA administrators, the commit
tee said:
There is also no question but that
the only civilian personnel expert
enced In running DIP camps are
former UNRRA employees.
u. S. Control Impossible.
There is also no question but that
the charter and the administration
OF an International organization
cannot be dictated or controlled by
an act of the United States Congress.
I'VE believe, however, from the as
surances we have received, and the
character of our representation in
the IRO, that the leadership and
direction of IRO will not contain any
UNRRA personnel, and that the only
UNRRA people who viii come into
IRO will be certain operating per-
sonnel on the working level who
have proven their competence under
trying circumstances"
the Rules Committee was sched-
uled today to decide priority num-
ber for a Republican-sponsored
measure extending in modified form
the State Departments foreign in
formation program. including its
Voice of America broadcasts to
Russia.
The Foreign Af1ans Committee
already has given its okay to the
measure sponsored by Representa-
tive Mundt. Republican. of South
Dakota It is designed to keep
alive-with closer congressional
scrutiny-the radio and some other
phases of the undertaking currently
due to expire June 30.
The House Appropriations Com
mittee turned down a $31 ,O00, 900
State Department request for full
extension of the program, contending
the war-born device never had been
expressly authorized by law.
While MIR. Mundt's bill carries no
money authorization. later approp-
Ration bill Is expected to scale down
the state department estimatE