MORE AID URGED

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29827, 21 May 1962, Page 7

MORE AID URGED

Higher Living Standards (N.K.PA.-Reuter —Copyright). WASHINGTON, May 18. The managing director of the United Nations special hinds, Mr Paul G. Hoffman, predicted yesterday “that 15, perhaps 20, of the lessdeveloped countries will make a break-through from poverty to decent living standards by 1970.” Mr Hoffman, who was the first administrator of the United States Marshall Plan, urged, in a speech before the World Food Forum in Washington, an increase in aid to under - developed nations. United Press International reported. He said the momentum built up in achieving the break-through would “perhaps make a reality of this century's greatest dream—and that is that by the year 2000 poverty, illiteracy and chronic ill-health will have been wiped from the face of the earth.” He said that economic development progress, particularly in agriculture, would determine whether the world moved toward peace or chaos. Mr Hoffman cited Ethiopia and the Sudan as examples of countries which would be greatly benefited by assistance in agricultural development. The final plenary session of the World Food Forum was devoted to an analysis and forecast of trends in world agriculture during the next century. The general theme of the three-day session had been a review of achievements in the 100 years since the U.S. Agricultural Department was established. Delegates came from many overseas countries to the oonfersnos.