SPECTRE OF FAMINE

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 April 1946, Page 5

SPECTRE OF FAMINE

150,000,000 People of Europe STEPS TO MEET CRISIS

(Rec. 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, April 19. “One hundred and fifty million people between the Russian frontier and the English Channel —mostly in the lower-income groups must have overseas supplies in the next four months if widespread famine is to be averted," said Mr. Herbert Hoover, broadcasting to the world from Cairo to-night. He added that it was estimated that about 11,000,000 tons of cereals alone would be needed for Europe and Asia in the four months, whereas the normal commercial supplies were only 6,000,000. If his proposals were adopted, he added, the United States would supply the famine areas with about 44 per cent, of the total, Canada 20, the United Kingdom 10, Australia 10, Argentina (via the co-opera-tion of other States) 4, and Russia 12. Mr. Hoover recommended: 1. That the United States should requisition as during wartime enough wheat to assure exports to famine areas; 2 That such a programme would entail the reduction to zuuu grammes (less than half a lb of bread daily) in America, which had supplementary foods. , 3. All other nations throughout the world now exceeding a oread ration of 300 grammes daily should reduce it to that amount. Mr. Hoover said he realised that this would be a hardship in countries such as Britain, Holland, Denmark, and Yugoslavia. 4. The British should release about 500,000 tons of breadstufls because they had that much extra in reserve compared with before 5. A reduction by 40 per cent, in the foodstuffs being exported to Latin America. The Russian contribution to the common pool might also be raised to 300,000 tons per month “as a great human service. 6. Priority of supplies should be given to the smaller liberated ’ ’ ™ ’ most.

nations because they had suffered Mr Hoover said that if all the suggestions were carried out they would result in procuring slightly more than 10,000,000 tons. “I just didn’t see any place from which to get the last 10 per cent, needed,” he added. He realised that 44 per'cent.'would be a great burden to America, but “I believe the American people will do it, for by so doing,they will save lives.” Mr Hoover told reporters that he believed personally that the problem was certainly worth the United Nations Security Council’s attention, as food was essential for preserving world stability. The needs for the occupied countries had been worked out at the lowest level. “For practical reasons,” he said, “our armies cannot continue in the occupation of starving peoples. Our soldiers just cannot take it.” Mr Hoover estimated the European food needs at 1500 calories daily. He believed that at this dangerous base, which compared with America’s 3200 and Britain’s 2800 most adults would come through the four months before the harvest, but no doubt they would be weakened morally and physically. “It is a sad job,” he concluded, “to make such a base, for under it many children and aged people will fall by the wayside.”