893.50 Recovery/4–2749
Memorandum by the Deputy Director of the ECA China Program (Nason) to Mr. Robert N. Magill, of the Division of Chinese Affairs
Your request7 for information on ECA’s activities in the Northwestern areas of China, namely Suiyuan, Ninghsia, Sinkiang, and Chinghai Provinces is difficult to reply to in view of the lack of pertinent data in Washington on these operations. They can be considered on the whole, as limited in scope.
During the earlier days of the China Relief Mission, aid to the peoples of the Northwest centered mainly around agricultural, welfare, and medical projects. These projects were financed from the C. N.8 dollar account of the Mission, and all were developed between March [Page 639] and July of 1948. A summary of the projects taken from the final report of C.R.M. is as follows:
Agricultural: Suiyuan—Anpeh Agricultural Work Relief Project. Employed 500 refugees to develop new farm land.
Suiyuan—Lui-lang Agricultural Work Relief Project. Employed 600 refugees to develop new land.
Suiyuan—Wuyen Agricultural Work Relief Project. Employed 1000 refugees on new land.
Welfare: Mongolian Banners Relief Project. Suiyuan Provincial Health Administration—3 projects assisting 2100 refugees with work relief.
Medical: Ikchao Mongolian Health League Station, Paotou, Suiyuan; which included the local purchase of mule carts for mobile working units.
Ulanchab Health Station, Suiyuan (as above).
Suiyuan Provincial Health Administration Project. (5 projects).
Alashan Banner Health Station Project.
Under the ECA program an attempt seems to have been made to get away from the medical and welfare assistance and to try to aid these peoples in food production. To this end, the JCRR has initiated a project on sheep and wool rehabilitation around and in Ninghsia. Unfortunately, we have no particular knowledge in Washington of the stage of progress concerning this program. However, it is being administered by an American member of the ECA staff in cooperation with the local authorities.
ECA has also sent a certain small amount of medical supplies to these areas which are now, we understand, enroute to Tihwa. These supplies total around US$800.00 in value.
No other information is available in Washington at this moment, but, if necessary, a comprehensive study can be requested from the Mission by cable.