357.AD/10–1150
Memorandum by the Secretary of State to the President
Subject: Proposed United States Action in the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council in Connection with Korean Relief and Rehabilitation.
Problem:
The United Nations by the resolution adopted in the General Assembly October 7 has in effect assumed responsibility for the relief and reconstruction of Korea. The General Assembly in its resolution requested the Economic and Social Council to develop plans for relief and rehabilitation on the termination of hostilities and to report to the General Assembly by October 28. It is necessary for the United States Delegation to the Economic and Social Council, which will meet October 12, to propose or support organizational arrangements for subsequent decision by the General Assembly.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that you approve the following measures:
- 1.
- Establishment by the United Nations of a United Nations Korean War Damage and Reconstruction Agency to be financed by member states in accordance with a scale of contributions under which the United States would pay up to 70% of the total contribution. Although no accurate estimates are available, it is believed that necessary total expenditures may range between $200,000,000 and $300,000,000 a year for approximately three years or perhaps a smaller annual expenditure for a longer period of time.
- 2.
- Appointment of an Administrator as the head of the Agency responsible to the General Assembly who would be a person commanding the confidence of the American Congress and the American people, and who would himself be an American or have as a Deputy an American citizen.
- 3.
- The establishment of an Advisory Committee to the Administrator on which the United States Government would be represented.
- 4.
- Provisions in connection with the Agency which would make it possible for the Economic Cooperation Administration personnel to be transferred or detailed to the Agency to work under the Administrator as part of his international staff and which would make it possible for the Administrator to use the Economic Cooperation Administration facilities in establishing economic programs and for making necessary arrangements for the procurement and shipment of services and supplies especially as relates to the utilization of the United States contribution and procurement of supplies in the United States.
- 5.
- The preparation of legislation to provide a United States contribution which would permit the President to apply funds appropriated by the Congress either as a contribution to the United Nations program or, if the President should consider it necessary to the achievement of United States objectives, directly for expenditures by the United States Government; and legislation which would permit funds presently appropriated to the Economic Cooperation Administration to be used in Korea as part of the United States contribution to the United Nations.1
- The source text bore the manuscript notation: “Approved 10/11/50 Harry S. Truman”.↩