Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, General: Political and Economic Matters, Volume II

840.50 UNRRA/8–2445

Memorandum by the Chief of the War Areas Economic Division (Gilpatric ⁸⁷) to the Assistant Secretary of State (Clayton)

[London,] August 24, 1945.

I think it wise to confirm the several discussions and conclusions of the Delegation on the subject of the Displaced Persons Resolution as finally passed by the Council.⁸⁸ You will recall that in the draft which we presented to the Policy Committee and that in the British draft which was ultimately revised as the final document, we took the position that the authority of UNRRA to care for displaced persons in ex-enemy areas, with or without the express permission of the governments of origin concerned, was limited to six months, on or before which time the matter would be reviewed by the Central Committee. This decision means that while we all hope UNRRA activities with regard to displaced persons can be liquidated within six months, we are postponing decision as to extension of such activities beyond that time until more facts and details are at hand. I think I am right in stating here that our position was unanimously approved by all of the Delegation who were in London at the time final action was taken.

Several members of the Delegation have pointed out that the position which we have accepted on displaced persons, as outlined above, is at some variance with the understanding reached earlier in our deliberations that we would put a definite limit of six months on UNRRA D.P. operations. I personally do not remember that we reached any irrevocable decision of this nature, and I am sure that I would have personally not concurred because, while I am just as anxious as anyone else to get UNRRA out of the displaced persons operations, I do not think, on the basis of information presently available, that we can set any such definite time limit without the possibility of finding a residual responsibility and no machinery to cope with it. I do think that we all agree that UNRRA should get out of D.P. operations as quickly as ever possible, and if you are in accord, I propose to inform the British and other key governments interested that, in following through on the resolution which the Council passed we do propose to seek termination of UNRRA’s D.P. responsibilities when the situation is reviewed at the end of six months, unless there are compelling justifications for UNRRA continuing such activities. If such is the case, our position will also be that continuation is on a strict ad hoc basis.

87. Mr. Gilpatric was also adviser to and executive secretary of the U.S. delegation to the Third Session of the UNRRA Council, London, August 7–25, 1945.
88. For text of Resolution 71, see Woodbridge, UNRRA, vol. iii, p. 142. For the discussion prior to the vote, see Journal of the Third Session of the Council, pp. 86–92; a summary is given in Woodbridge, UNRRAM, vol. ii, pp. 486–487.