U.N.R.R.A.'S WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 3, 5 January 1944, Page 5

U.N.R.R.A.'S WORK

PLANNING COMPLETED

TASK IN WAKE OF ARMIES

Rec. noon. RUGBY, January 4. A full account of the first session of U.N.R.R.A. (the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration) from November 10 to December 12 last year has now been issued as a British White Paper. That decisions of vital importance on bo vast a subject could be reached in so short a time is largely due to the fact that much preliminary work concerning European victims of aggression had been already done.

The successful first session was a great step forward in the big job of international co-operation necessary to assist the authorities of the liberated countries in immediate relief work in the wake of the liberating armies. This and the emergency rehabilitation of public utilities and services, and of agricultural and industrial equipment to enable the liberated peoples to help themselves and the other United Nations as early as possible is an immediate short-term preliminary to longer-term post-war reconstruction. U.N.R.R.A. will become engaged in this relief and rehabilitation on the spot as soon as the United Nations military authorities hand over this task. TERMS DEFINED. The main task of the first session of U.N.R.R.A. was to indicate what kinds of services should be included in the definition "relief and rehabilitation," to lay down the manner in which U.N.R.R.A. would be able to co-ordinate the demands of the various countries, and to see that they obtained due consideration alongside the war demands for goods and shipping, which were in short supply. It was decided under what conditions U.N.R.R.A. would operate in territories still subject to military control, in territories where local government had been restored, and in enemy territories. The services which U.N.R.R.A. would provide in any or all these territories were also denned. It also laid down the manner in which U.N.R.R.A. would collaborate with the British and the United States combined boards and the governmental supply agencies of the main supplying countries. The effect of the decisions was to give the director-general the necessary authority to see that, all countries requiring relief received a fair share of the supplies available. — 8.0. W. _