840.50 UNRRA/6–1845: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Greece (MacVeagh)
Washington, July 9,
1945—6 p.m.
663. Department has informed Lehman personally substance of your despatch 1192 of June 18th on British influence over UNRRA in Greece and has urged Director General to discuss this problem with you while he is in Athens between July 13th and 20th. You are requested to discuss your views and conclusions frankly with Lehman and it is hoped that corrective measures will be taken by him.50
Grew
- Governor Lehman arrived at Athens on July 13 and departed on July 22 for Belgrade. The Ambassador in Greece transmitted an account of the visit in despatch 1348, July 25, 1945, which stated in part: “With me he [Governor Lehman] showed himself particularly interested in the top management of his local organization, and while he seemed anxious at first to argue the advisability of this Embassy’s joining the British Embassy in advising the Greek Government in connection with UNRRA affairs, appeared later to understand the point of view developed in my despatch No. 1192 above referred to. I explained to him at length the superior position enjoyed by the British here in consequence of their political and military tutelage over the country, and emphasized that American advice can, in my opinion (and in accord with the Department’s instructions,) be most effectively rendered if given independently of an association inevitably overshadowing in Greek eyes. I assured him that the Embassy is ready to support UNRRA unofficially but directly with Mr. Varvaressos or other Greek Government officials whenever asked, the amount of such support being entirely in UNRRA’s hands. With a man of the calibre of Colonel Hoskins at the head of the local organization, I said I would have no anxieties whatever on this score, but I pointed out that hitherto, while the Embassy has been instructed not to offer advice unasked, lest it give the impression that the United States was attempting to control a strictly international organization, the successive directors of UNRRA have taken a passive attitude, expecting the Embassy to take the initiative in guiding them. Consequently I begged him to tell Mr. Maben to come freely to me in the future, and this he did in my presence, though so far without result. (840.50 UNRRA/6–1845) Lt. Col. Harold B. Hoskins was Adviser on Economic Affairs, assigned to Missions in Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia; resident at Cairo. For further data on his proposed appointment as head of the UNRRA Mission to Greece, see footnote 77, p. 240.↩