A—2a

great satisfaction to me to see the various agencies of the United Nations slowly take shape and prepare to assume their responsibilities. These heirs to UNRRA's problems and its responsibilities will have no easy task, but at least each will deal with one distinct group of problems and each can start without loss of time: we will welcome their increasing participation in our problems and the gradual shift of responsibility. But let me underline as heavily as possible the fact that any delay and hesitation in the fulfilment of the promise of the Food and Agricultural Organization, UNESCO, and the International Bank, or any tardiness by the United Nations to commence the necessary operations for example on displaced persons, will lead to disaster. In the expectation that there will be no such delay in that the new organizations will get into operation quickly, I am content to see a term set to UNRRA's work; but a failure to fulfil that expectation by the time UNRRA's work ends would be tragic." Considerable force is lent to the Director-General's warning by the changed circumstances with which UNRRA and the United Nations are .now confronted. Until the end of 1945, UNRRA's operations proceeded substantially according to plan; but since the London decision to cease the shipment of supplies to Europe by December, 1946, and to the Far East by the following March, two new factors have been introduced, First, early in 1946, following the decisions of the Third Council Session, the Administration undertook further substantial responsibilities (in Italy, Austria, Ukraine, Byelorussia, &c.) ; second, the recent deterioration in the food situation in the receiving countries has made it necessary to place a greater emphasis on food-supplies than was originally contemplated, and, as a result, agricultural and industrial rehabilitation supplies have had to be greatly reduced. This latter development, it was pointed out, is the very reverse of the future conditions anticipated at the Third Council Session, and must inevitably delay the efforts of liberated countries to restore themselves, With these considerations in mind, the opinion was voiced by many Council members (including New Zealand) during the Atlantic City session that if UNRRA is to disappear (as it was generally agreed it should at the appropriate time) it should disappear only when the need is past or when some other body, presumably the United Nations, is willing and able to take over what remains of its essential responsibility. The importance, meanwhile, of bringing about the closest possible relations between UNRRA and the United Nations was formally acknowledged by the Council with the adoption of the following resolution in response to a request from the General Assembly that it be furnished with full reports on the work of UNRRA and on the progress made towards economic rehabilitation in the countries being assisted by UNRRA:— " Whereas " The General Assembly of the United Nations on 1 February 1946 by resolution has instructed its Secretary General to seek to make arrangements with the Director General of the Administration whereby the General Assembly may be furnished with full reports on the work of the Administration and on the progress made towards economic rehabilitation in the countries assisted by the Administration; and ut Whereas " The interchange of reports and information of common interest would also greatly assist the work of the Administration and of the United Nations including the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, and of the specialized agencies; it is therefore

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