Ukrainians Rely On UNRRA

Northern Advocate, 26 September 1946, Page 5

Ukrainians Rely On UNRRA

(Rec. 2 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 25. Ula-aine next year is likely to need outside aid as much as this year, said Mr Paul White, leader of the UNRRA mission to the Ukraine, in a statement issued at Kiev, and reported by The Times’ Moscow correspondent. He added that Ukrainians are likely to be severely shocked when they discovered that UNRRA assistance was being terminated.

Steelworkers and mineworkers in the Donetz Basin regarded UNRRA supplies as a reward for their war effort. Ukraine showed abundant evidence of the serious effects of drought. Some farms produced only a quarter of the normal grain yield and many had lost their entii'e vegetable crop. Reuter’s correspondent touring the Ukraine with an UNRRA-sponsored party, says workers are more than 50 per cent dependent on UNRRA for supplies, especially of food. Decisive action would be necessary to save Ukrainians from the threat of malnutrition,

Ukrainians apparently are unaware that there is no. alternative to UNRRA. Most took the view: “Someone will provide.” The character of UNRRA shipments ali-eady is changing, fx-om food to industrial equipment, but, accoi'ding to The Times correspondent, while the Ukraine needs 40,000 tractors, it has received only 6000 from home sources and 900 from UNRRA.