POST-WAR RELIEF

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 274, 19 November 1943, Page 5

POST-WAR RELIEF

FINANCING ORGANISATION Recd. 7 p.m. Rugbv, Nov. 15. The advisers to Mr. Herbert Lehman, Director-General of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, have decided to sponsor a formula whereby U.N.R.R.A. will be financed through assesments of 1 per cent, of the national income of the participating countries, states a message from Atlantic City. There are no indications on what year these will be based, but some reports say that 1940 will be selected. A Washington message says that President Roosevelt has sent a message to Congress asking for authorisation to appropriate funds to permit the United States to participate in U.N.R.R.A., and said that he would specify the amount following the close of the Atlantic City meeting.

It is understood that the United States share will be between 1,000,000,000 and 1,500,000,000 dollars.

The President said the length of the war might be materially shortened if. as each occupied country was freed, the people were enlisted as allies of the United Nations, as had happened in Africa, Sicily, and. Italy.—B.O.W. Reed, 7 p.m. Washington, Nov. 15.

President Roosevelt’s message to Congress stated that each nation would determine the amount and character of its contribution. It was hoped that, a small fraction of the national income of the contributing member States would be sufficient to help the liberated peoples to rebuild their homes, factories and farms. It explained that the U.N.R.R.A. agreement provides only the framework for giving first aid in Ihe liberated areas. U.N.R.R.A. will heln to furnish the medicine, food, clothing, and basis necessities to restore the strength of liberated people deliberately stripped by the enemy.

The message said that as the occupied areas were freed their peorffn were being enlisted In the ’AH’ w armies’ support. Already a new French Army had been created and increasing number in Sicily and Italy were falling in. Besides the United Nations, millions more were waiting to strike at the enemy. “They do not want charity, therefore aid to the liberated peonies during the war is a matter of military necessity as well as humanity. Other measures will be necessary but the U.N.R.R.A. ran lay the foundation for a solution of reconstruction problems.”