840.50 UNRRA/7–3045: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Hurley)
1172. (1) This Government will propose to the UNRRA Council at its forthcoming meeting in London, August 7, that the present contributions to UNRRA be doubled so that the Administration can complete the relief programs presently contemplated for Eastern Europe and the Far East. We are using in this tentative budget the present UNRRA Chinese program as screened in collaboration with CNRRA22 which amounts to approximately 817 million dollars exclusive of shipping.
(2) Above for your confidential information. You will be kept informed of developments. There have been indications that some of the FEA23 representatives in China have informed Chinese Government officials that FEA rather than UNRRA would be the main channel for supplying China’s relief needs.24 It is realized that such rumors weaken the position of both UNRRA and of CNRRA. In view of this Government’s decision to seek full support for UNRRA activities in the Far East, you may wish to emphasize to members of your staff the line which will be followed in London and to request avoidance of discussing the relative position of UNRRA and FEA in future Chinese supply programs until the Council has taken a final decision on our recommendation.
- Chinese National Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, a special agency-set up by the Chinese Government in January 1945 “to conduct negotiations and relationships with UNRRA and to administer and coordinate postwar relief and rehabilitation operations in China.” See Woodbridge, UNRRA, vol. ii, p. 374.↩
- Foreign Economic Administration.↩
- In telegram 1357, August 14, 1945, 5 p.m., the Ambassador in China stated that he was sure none of the local representatives had made such a statement but that he was informed that an FEA official visiting China made statements which might be so interpreted, although he doubted they were as categorical as indicated (840.50 UNRRA/8–1445).↩