NOT INEVITABLE

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 103, 29 October 1945, Page 7

NOT INEVITABLE

DISASTER IN EUROPE

SIR A. SALTER'S CHALLENGE (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, October 26^

There was no material destruction or world shortage which made inevitable the millions of deaths which it was predicted would occur in Europe this winter through cold and starvation, said Sir Arthur S,alter> speaking in the debate in the House of Commons on the Consolidated Fund No. 1 Bill.

If a tragedy on this scale occurred the reason would have to be found in the sphere of organisation, administrative defects, and in political and psychological factors. He contended that coal mines were able to provide all the coal needed, that there was ample cargo tonnage available for transport, and that there was sufficient motor, transport in the hands of the British, American, and Canadian armies for distribution.

Even now, if representations were made with sufficient urgency it might be possible to have the mass' removals in eastern Europe carried out more in accordance with the Potsdam decision and postponed beyond the worst period of the winter.

STOPPING DEPORTATIONS

. Mr. Michael Foot said Russia should be associated with Britain in representations to the Polish, Czech, and Hungarian Governments to stop the winter deportations of Germans. "We are not demanding that the Germans should take' a place in the queue ahead of our allies. We are protesting against a wanton and deliberate creation of a new sore when all Europe is crying out from its wounds," he said. "I don't think frontiers and spheres of influence are as important as they used to be, with the development of science," said Mr. Ernest Bevin in reply. "I don't believe transfer of territory means so much in security, but there it is". Nations which have been attacked look for security, and that has a great bearing on their attitude."

Recalling the reaent Council of Foreign Ministers, Mr. Bevin said the Americans raised the question of Europe's waterways. Parts of the rivers were clear, others were not,'but America was willing to bring machinery and clear them- It was a humanitarian thing to do. He "believed it would not endanger Russia, or any other country-

Referring to Yugoslavia, which before the war fed a great part ot Europe's huge populations, Mr. Bevm said food production there was limited because, for some reason he could not understand, they were maintaining a great army of 400,000 to 600,000. The Minister- of Food, Sir Ben Smith, who also replied to the debate, said the food position was not consistently bad throughout Europe. There were even regions where the diet in some respects was better than in Britain.

By the end of December Britain alone would have sent 1,000,000 tons of food to Europe. This was only possible by imposing considerable sacrifices on her own people. Unfortunately, world food supply prospects were seriously disquieting, with serious deficiencies in all the main foods.