EUROPEAN FOOD SITUATION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 196, 1 June 1946, Page 5

EUROPEAN FOOD SITUATION

MR MORRISON GIVES FURTHER EXPLANATION No Wheat Given Away (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 31. Mr Herbert Morrison, replying to Mr Churchill, said that the debate appeared to be more peaceful than he expected. “ I was looking forward to things being a little bit the other way.” Mr Morrison said Mr Churchill had needlessly and rather persistently brought politics into this matter. Mr Morrison added that he had not given away 200,000 tons of wheat. “You can’t give away what you haven’t got.” Mr Attlee had authorised him to say that Sir Ben Smith had not left the Government on a disagreement. He was not forced out. There was no disagreement on policy. There was no precedent for an explanation to the House.

The present food emergency had been foreseen ,in a general way by the Hot Springs Conference three years ago, said Mr Morrison. Even with an intensive effort, Britain was growing only about half her own food, and therefore she was the most vulnerable country in the world in a famine. It was no use talking as though the British Government was a world Government able to purchase and produce enough food to feed the United Kingdom and other countries.

“In this food business there is; nothing in the experience of this Government which reminded the Prime Minister, myself and others of the time when we sat in Mr Churchill's Cabinet in the Dunkirk days when all news was bad,” said Mr Morrison. “On the ground of self-interest, political economic and military, it is inevitable that Britain must seek to keep the ocupied area in Germany with the minimum food necessary to sustain life.” Mr Moi-rison* continued: “When I •went to America, stocks in, Germany were so low that by to-day there would not have been a ton of bread or grain in the British zone. As a result of the Washington talk?-, this threat to British prestige and to the security occupation was averted. The quantity of grain recommended for the British zone in Germany from May to September is* 675,000 tons. Since the Washington discussions, America has found it possible to make available appreciable quantities of wheat and coarse grain for India and for the British zone in Germany for early shipment. I do not think that these are insignificant advantages for the sacrifice of 200,000 tons of wheat. The quantity -of wheat, and coarse grain recommended for India from May to September is 1,165,000 tons, exclusive of the allocation of rice by the Combined Pood Board. In spite of the world crisis, India’;?; Jost-rice imports have been more than made up by wheat supplies.” Mr Morrison said it was impossible for Britain alone to shoulder the responsibility of feeding 20,000,000 in the British zone in Germany and 400,000,000 hungry Indians. Britain since the last autumn had diverted to Germany 4,905,000 tons of cereal© and to India, 104,000 tons. Asking for the support of the House for. the new, Food. Minister, Mr Strachey, Mr Morrison said he was going to have a difficult and tricky job, and would have plenty of trouble. Mr R. S. Hudson, former Minister for Agriculture challenged Mr Morrison’s statement • that a world-wide frame-work had been created, for the fight against famine . “Is it. worldwide? Has he got Russia in?” he asked. “The main difficulty in Europe is an iron curtain. There is reasonably adequate food for all people * inthe countryside west of the iron curtain. The real reason for the shortage in the towns is that the grain producing

areas east of the iron curtain are shut off.” ; One of the main reasons for the famine conditions was the acceptance of supply through a single channel. Buying through a single agency meant the loss of, all/ the advantages obtained when there were many people with their fingers on the pulse of the world markets. Mr Hudson warned that Britain would be without bread if any interruption occurred before September. “You cannot feed the people on victory parades or dreams while queues grow longer, shortages are increasing and the real cost of living is steadily rising.” Mr Strachey, replying to the debate, announced that the Government had authorised the Ministry to proceed at once with the preparation of a scheme of bread and flour rationing. The Ministry was consulting interested parties such as the T.U.C. and the bakery trade. The scheme should be ready by the end of June, when the Government would have decided whether to operate it. Mr Strachey explained that it was expected that by the end of June the Government would he better able to review the overall supply position. Unquestionably, the decision would he to ration bread and flour if there was 1 the slightest risk of any actual shortage, of fundamental foodstuffs. The Government would not, flinch from a hard decision. Mr Strfichey added that Britain should get through without rationing bread if the many complex factors in the situation went well, but most of these factors' were beyond the control of the Government. The Government did not believe that voluntary schemes could be effective. The question would 1 be to devise the fairest method of rationing." The- Government had been accused of sacrificing too much, but ' other critics had pressed for more • sacrifices, to feed the world’s hungry - people. Mr Churchill followed and said Mr ' Morrison’s information had been ■ vague and muddled. He added that he ! intended moving a token amendment ! -to show that his party disapproved • of the Government’s policy, but de- ■ clarations on rationing had persuaded : him not . to. give a vote which might; ’ be taken as opposing rationing with- ! out - clue consideration. A Commoners cheered when Mr Churchill announced that he would not- • move an amendment.