840.50 UNRRA/12–1245
The Director General of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (Lehman) to the Secretary of State
My Dear Mr. Secretary: In my letter of 3 December to Mr. C. Tyler Wood, I indicated the gravity of the situation with respect to shipments of relief supplies for Italy. Despite the absence of assurance from the United States Government that an additional contribution of $1,350,000,000 will be made by the United States to UNRRA, I have issued instructions that approximately $60,000,000 out of the first United States contribution to UNRRA be made available for the procurement of supplies and shipping services so as to permit the continuation of the present pipeline of relief supplies to Italy in January. However, the availability of this $60,000,000 depends upon the completion of the appropriation of the $550,000,000 now pending. Some of the supplies to be shipped to Italy in January, especially coal, should have been financed not later than December 10. Neither the United States Government nor UNRRA were in a position to finance those shipments by that date. Other supplies should be financed not later than December 15.
I am writing you this letter in order to make certain that you are aware of the fact that our inability to finance the January shipments in time will inevitably result in delays in the January shipments to Italy and I would appreciate it if you would take the necessary steps to acquaint the pertinent officials of the State Department both here and abroad so that they may be aware of the circumstances which have resulted in those delays.
Sincerely yours,