UNITED NATIONS PLEDGE AID

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21947, 15 February 1946, Page 3

UNITED NATIONS PLEDGE AID

AVERTING FAMINE

DOMINIONS’ HELP

EXTRA FOOD SUPPLY

BEVIN'S ELOQUENT PLEA (11 a.ra.) LONDON, Feb. 14. The United Nations’ General [Assembly to-day accepted the Big Five’s resolution on the world food shortage, urging all

Governments and peoples to take drastic action to remedy the situation. The Australian delegate, Mr. J. A. Beasley, said that his country was risking her own fodder position to send grain to Britain. Australia intended to increase her wheat acreage tnis year by 38 Der cent to help out, he added. The Canadian representative declared that Canada would ship 1,000,000 bushels of wheat every working day. Canada had reduced her butter ration from 6 to 4ozs. weekly in order to ease the position for Britain. . Greece had only been able to survive through the shipments of wheat received from Canada, the Greek delegate informed the assembly. “Position Alarming”

"In November. 1945, when the food and agricultural • organisation held its first meeting at Quebec,” said Mr Bevin, “papers were presented showing there was likelv to be a world shortage of cereals. This was followed by a further examination at Washington and the latest figures rather show a worse position than was anticipated. I do not exaggerate when I say the food position is really alarming.”

Mr. Bevin then gave the basic food position. “In the first six months of 1946. wheat and flour, which the nn porting countries need to import from .Overseas will amount to more than 17.000,000 tons, and the supply which :an be expected from all countries igainst this requirement will be about 12.000.000 tons, leaving a deficit of 5,000,000 tons.’’ Mr. Bevin said he wanted to maice !t clear he was only referring to sup plies which could be moved across the ieas.. These did not include supplies ivhich neighbouring countries might jbtain overland. There would be a jood deal of exchange overland :e----iween one country and mother, but when that was done there would still be a terrific deficit in the total supplies.

Indian Crop Failures

Mr. Bevin added that in the 17,000 DOO tons mentioned. UNRRA’s requirements were included for the cour tries supplied by UNRRA. Therefore, the 12.000,000 tons to be suppi.ed included the whole amount which the exporting countries in both hemispheres expected to be able to ship. “We shall have later and more precise figures soon, but the fact remains that' the whole Continent of India tomes into the picture—the monsoon has failed. Mr. Bevin reminded the United

Nations of the failure of the South At'rij can crops. He said the deficiency i might even be greater than the 5,000.000 tons already mentioned. The rice position also was apparently worse than originally calculated. The deficiency in rice could not be less than 2,000,000 tons. “The rice position may mean that within the next few months 1.000.000.000 of the world's population would face famine,” he said. “That is a really terrific figure which calls on the whole of

the United Nations, irrespective of their own difficulties and political considerations, to show resolute determination to avoid. I believe that the Governments throughout the world, recognising their dependence, will collectively face the situation and avoid catastrophe.” Millions Below Average Diet

Mr. Bevin asked the Assembly to remember that the figure 1500 calories daily for the diet of Europeans was only the average. Many millions were below the average. \

"It is impossible to know and understand the number who are hungry, ’ he said. "In addition, there is the Far East where the figure must be terrifically large. "This is a disturbance of the world's whole economic life. The statesmen must rise to their responsibility and take steps to save the mass of humanity from suffering which is not of their seeking. With the available supplies under proper distribution. starvation in many areas may be avoidable. We must see that _ every pound and every ounce of food is properly used and not wasted. “I say it is insufficient to make a pious resolution. I make a most earnest appeal to the delegates. They must make sure that their Governments make it part of their policies to tackle this problem. Civilisation itself depends on a resolute solution of the food problem. “In addition, we cannot deal with reconstruction unless the next four months are surmounted successfully.” Britain and America have already - -eased the extraction rate of wheat and other countries were awakening to the problem. It was very important to make wheat directly available to humans in a crisis of this kind. Famine the Enemy "I am aware that all like variety.” he said “It is very nice to eat our food in the form of meat, chickens, and eggs, but in face of famine the whole value of food is of overriding importance. It is better to have the survival of the peoples of the world on a monotonous diet than have no survival at all. We must, as regards food, consider the war as still being on until we can beat the enemy —famine. ‘I regard the resolution before the Assembly as a call to the nations in the greatest common cause that ever faced us,” he said He called for resource, ingenuity, ability and organisation so that millions of humans could survive and contribute to and enjoy the future happiness of mankind He pleaded that the greatest attention should be paid to the growing of food in order to tide over next winter.

“Nature has intervened as if she had imposed on us a penalty for our stupidity in fighting,” he said.

Mr E. Stettmius outlined the steps that the United States was taking to conserve grains and to prevent “as talas possible the calamity threatening so many parts of the world.” He added that starvation bred unrest and the effects lingered on long after the causes were removed. France Very Hungry

Mr Stettinius appealed for the unanimous approval of the resolution and also for whole-hearted application of its principles. Dr Wellington Koo outlined the position in China where the shortage of food had been acute during eight years of war. The immediate px-ospect was for further cuts. M. Bidault (France) summed up France's situation. Fie said the French Government has no assurance that it would be able to meet requirements which had already been pitilessly reduced. bringing the French within the category of a very hungi-y people.”