840.50 UNRRA/8–2345
Memorandum by the Director of the Office of International
Trade Policy (Wilcox) to the Adviser to the War
Areas Economic Division (Dort)
[Washington,] August 23, 1945.
I am attaching a personal letter from Mr. Carl B. Spaeth, Acting Diplomatic
Adviser of UNRRA, regarding the current situation of UNRRA relief in
Yugoslavia. Would you please see that this letter reaches the interested
officers, not only in your Division, but also in SE.86 As I
understand Ambassador Patterson is now in Washington, it might be helpful to
see that his attention is drawn to this statement of the issue, as presented
by Mr. Spaeth.
[Annex]
The Acting Diplomatic Adviser to UNRRA (Spaeth) to the Director of the Office of International Trade
Policy (Wilcox)
Washington, 20 August,
1945.
Dear Clair: As you know, there have been
charges from time to time that UNRRA relief in Yugoslavia is being
distributed on a discriminatory basis, and it is true that until
recently we have had difficulty making arrangements for our own
observers to follow the distribution process. However, the Yugoslavian
Government recently granted the necessary permits to our observers, and
we have now had a cable from our mission in Belgrade of which the
following is a close paraphrase:
“Observers free to move within their assigned areas. Temporary
difficulties experienced on account of passes and lack of
personnel transport now overcome. Observation of distribution in
all states receiving UNRRA supplies has been continuous. Because
of transport difficulties it has not been physically possible to
distribute supplies equitably to all areas of need. For example,
Dalmatia, because of proximity to ports, has received greater
share than Bosnia, North Croatia, and Slovenia. This situation
now improving due to improved rail communication, arrival of
additional motor transport and use of Sibenik and Trieste as
receiving ports. In all areas observers give
no evidence of discrimination though because of autonomy of
local government units in distributing supplies methods vary
somewhat between different localities. General
situation to date is that supplies have been far short of actual
need in all areas and distributions have had to be sporadic. In
many ports supplies so small as to permit only small
distribution to small percentage of population classified as
being in greatest need. No evidence of any
discrimination and any discrimination in so
classifying. Main criticism is lack of information from
Central Government on distribution plans and policy.[”]
[Page 1021]
In view of the fact that Ambassador Patterson and others of the
Department have expressed concern about the charges of discrimination,
you may wish to draw this letter to their attention.
Sincerely yours,
