The Grey River Argus THURSDAY, January 31, 1946. N.Z. AND U.N.R.R.A.

Grey River Argus, 31 January 1946, Page 4

The Grey River Argus THURSDAY, January 31, 1946. N.Z. AND U.N.R.R.A.

It is doubtless a token as much of good fortune as of good neighbourliness that tiiis country has been able to double-up upon its first contribution to the U.X.R.R.A, The members of organisation to do so are as yet a minority, but the needs of the peoples dependent almost entirely on U.N.R.R.A. are as great as ever they were. Many countries are still facing exigencies of the war aftermath which in .years gone by would be reckoned as actual famine. It is only because the past six years have seen hundreds of millions reduced to extreme want that the present world emergency tends in some quarters to be regarded with a degree of complacency. There arc indeed, those who have already so losi sight of Hie destruction by war as to be thinking again in terms oi' tokens, instead of thinking in terms of goods. If there be any temptation to accuse big

Powers of callousness, however., when interest is short-circuited from tiic havoc of the past years to a regard for possible havoc of coming years—from the needs of starving .Europeans to the testing of more powerful atomic bombs, it is as well to remember the burdens of the big Powers. ' The British Government has made many sacrifices for the Continent and in consequence kept people on short commons, ’while the Dominions arc all prepared to do their share for U.N.B.R.A. But it must be acknowledged that the finest post-war lead in liquidating the losses due to conflict has been that of the United. States. When a. halt was called to the LendLease policy, the first reaction was critical, first because of all the advantages other countries derived. and secondly because they had imped Io go on getting them for at least a little longer. Sight since has been lost of the fact that whim President Truman asked Congress to consider as nonexistent the difference between the value of the goods and services provided by Lend-Lease, and the value of those provided by Reverse .Lend-Lease, he asked to be written off the slate the stupendous amount of nine thousand million pounds sterling. This action is one which defies the most sacred dogmas of finance-capitalist economics. It substitutes a moral basis on which to begin the task of world rehabilitation. It has gone further than any other step towards a solution of the debt problem, and yet the fact remain's that for the taxpayers of the United States the cancellation of others’ liability does not cancel their liability. There is obviously a change of heart involved, ami it is a change that must be widened so that the suffering peoples of war-ridden lands shall be enabled to recover their health and strength and to restore their means of livelihood. An example of the tsks in question is the ease of France with a shortage of food, a budget deficit this year of more than £600,000,000, and a currency two-thirds of which has no backing in real wealth. One per cent, of our national income is a sacrifice of small account compared with the sacrifices Avar has imposed upon other countries, but it is enough to induce the nations to allot New Zealand a share in the task of inducing other countries to assist U.N.R'.R.A. In these days when there is a natural inclination to look for a rapid economic recovery, it is well to remember that prosperity is not only comparative, but a tiling to be shared. When others later participate in prosperity, it will be for those who aided them a reflection that to give is more blessed than to receive.