A—2a

September, 1947, are of the order of 4,000,000 tons of grain, 200,000 tons of sugar, 650,000 tons of fat, 360,000 tons of meat and animal proteins ; while, expressed in terms of dollars, the shortage is of the order of $1,300,000,000 ; deduct, sav, $300,000,000 to $400,000,000 still available from UNRRA's 1946 budget, and a gap" of the order of $1,000,000,000 remains. These figures are, of course, subject to change ; happily, the latest crop reports at the time of writing show improvement rather than deterioration. Though it may be optimistic to expect such changes to do more than reduce the degree of the need, the U.S.A. delegation, supported to some extent by that of the United Kingdom, deprecated the too ready acceptance of estimates of shortages. They further maintained that the real problem is more one of finance, and particularly of foreign exchange, than one calling for supplies on a relief basis, and that insufficient allowance had been made for increasing ability of some countries to pay for imports by the rapid improvement in their export trade. The possibility of foreign exchange resources being increased materially by individual remittances from abroad was also mentioned and the suggestion made that the flow of remittances could be stimulated by the removal of exchange restrictions. As with food, so with other needed supplies, and in particular those required for agricultural production. UNRRA-has brought, and is bringing, splendid help. There is anxiety for the future. Future Relief Needs Full and frank discussions took place in the Committee on Policy; for a time these were apt to divide the disputants between receiving countries and contributing countries ; but agreement was reached unanimously in the Committee, as in the full Council later, in a resolution which may be quoted in full. It read : " A Resolution relating to Future Relief Needs " Whereas "1. By their agreement to the terms of the Atlantic Charter the United Nations have accepted the establishment of general economic well-being as one of the objectives of their association ; "2. In pursuance of that objective UNRRA was established in order to meet the needs of the liberated peoples in the emergency period following their liberation; " 3. UNRRA's resources, supplementing the efforts of the liberated peoples to help themselves to the greatest possible extent, have permitted the liberated countries to make marked progress upon the road to economic recovery ; " 4. UNRRA's funds will soon have been fully utilized toward meeting the needs for which it was designed, and it was made clear that no further contributions in addition to those contemplated under Resolution 80 would be made available to UNRRA; "5. Since the foundation of UNRRA, there have been established or are being established permanent agencies of the United Nations, including the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the International Monetary Fund, in order to promote economic well-being amongst the nations ; " 6. Difficulties, including lack of adequate foreign exchange, may nevertheless be experienced in 1947 by liberated countries in different degrees in ensuring that the basic essentials of life, particularly food and supplies for agricultural production, may be provided to the peoples while still maintaining that progress toward economic recovery which is a prerequisite to the success of the United Nations' co-operation ; " 7. Such difficulties may result in hardship and suffering in some countries unless prompt international action is taken by the General Assembly of the United Nations ;

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