DREAD PROSPECTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25345, 29 October 1945, Page 6

DREAD PROSPECTS

HUNGER AND PRIVATION PLIGHT OF EUROPE EPIDEMICS THREATEN By Telegraph—Pr€ss Association —Copyright LONDON. Oct. 27 "Hunger and privation for millions of homeless and starving people in Europe are more devastating than war," said the Foreign Secretary, Mr Ernest Bevin, replying in the House of Commons to a debate on the plight of Europe. He said that Germany was in a state of complete anarchy, and added: "It is almost beyond human capacity to solve this problem quickly."

Mr Bevin said that Britain had gone to the limit of her powers by cutting down her own rations in order to send food supplies into stricken Europe. B\ the end of this your she would have sent in 1,000,000 tons since I) Day. Allied Co-operation Urged

Imminent danger of epidemics threatened great numbers of people as winter rapidly approached, the Minister said, and he appealed for closer co-operation between the Allies in the zones of occupation in Germany. They must do everything in their power to build up and strengthen the health defence line in Europe. Every resource that could be brought to bear to save the ordinary man and woman in the stricken countries from a terrible fate must be brought into immediate operation. Millions of deaths which it had been predicted would occur in Europe this winter through cold and starvation could not be attributed to material destruction or to world shortages, said > Sir Arthur Salter (Independent — Oxford University) in opening the de- ' bate on the Consolidated Fund No. 1 ! Bill in the House of Commons. If a i tragedy on this scale occurred, the reason would have to be found in tho sphere of organisation and administrative defects, also in political and psychological factors. Goal and Transport Sir Arthur contended that the coal mines were able to provide all the coal iijeded. There was ample cargo tonnage available for transport, and 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 decisions and postponed beyond the worst period of the winter. Mr Michael Foot (Labour— Plymouth) said that Russia should be associated with Britain in representations to the Polish, Czech and Hungarian Governments to stop winter deportations of Germans.

Creation of a New Sore "We are not demanding that tho Germans should take a place in the queue ahead of our Allies," he said. ' "We are protesting against the wanton and deliberate creation of a new sore when all Europe is crying out from its wounds." Europe's troubles were the culmination of nearly 30 years of war, and unless definite steps were taken and every means utilised there was danger of a terrible epidemic breaking out during the winter, said Mr Bevin in reply. The present conditions were a development of Hitler's policy. It was obvious that the .Hitler regime intended that if it could notwin the war it would leave Europe in complete anarchy. Mr Bevin urged members not to be too hard on countries such as Poland and Czechoslovakia in the matter of deportations. Such countries could not be expected to handle everything perfectly within six months of the beginning of their improvised organisations. Political Considerations A system had to be devised to take the place of the Government in Germany. It might have been bettor if zones had not been created, but there were grave political considerations .which he did not want to introduce "into the debate. .'"I do not think frontiers and spheres of influence are as important as they ■used to be with the development of science," said Mr Bevin. "I do not believe the 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." Mr Bevin said Britain could do little by herself to relieve the conditions. She was doing everything to feed the Germans in the British zone, but that had to be balanced against the British people's resistance to their supplies being cut. More wheat must be supplied if disaster was to bo avoided. TJnrra's Responsibilities

TJnrra was growing in strength and efficiency, but its responsibilities were also growing. Unless the United States Congress carried a vote of £450,000,000 to Unrra the situation in a few weeks would be disastrous.

Recalling the recent Foreign Ministers', Council, Mr Bevin said the Americans raised the question of Europe's waterways. He thought that if the strategy of spheres of influence could be eliminated nothing could do so much to rehabilitate Europe as the Oder, Rhine, Elbe and Danube Commissions. Parts of the rivers were clear and others were not, but America was willing to bring machinery to _ clear them. It was the humanitarian tiling to . do. He believed that it would not endanger Russia or any other country. Referring to Yugoslavia, which before . the war fed a great part of Europe's huge population, Mr Bevin said that 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. Sir Ben Smith, Minister of Food, who also replied to the debate, said the food position was not consistently bad throughout Europe. There were even regions where the diet was in some respects better than in Britain. The great quantities of food sent from Britain to Europe were made possible only by imposing considerable sacrifices on tho British people. Unfortunately world food supply prospects were seriously disquieting, with serious deficiencies in all main foods. THREE GUN HOLD-UPS CRIME WAVE IN SiYDNEY MAN SHOT THROUGH CHEST (Reed. 6.30 p.m.) SYDNEY. Oct, 27 the crime wave in Sydney continue* suburbs V TaVnTJht gUn A h ° Itl " Ul)s in thc struck down and shot a waTchmaiTat the Balmain timber yards, a bullet from the rifle going through tho watchman's c \f, A woman at Bover Heights was robbed at gun-point of £4O by a youth wearing the uniform of an American officer. At Glebe two armed men held up a taxi-driver and escaped with £l6. Detectives believe the crime wave is jijkely to last for several years Thev nf lrn P° I ssib, ° to , estimate the " lit. revolvers and pistols either lljn possession of Sydney's underwor d available to it, but there might easily [be thousands. Most of f e ItatESs i VG brou «. ht from hattlo +ives w.r - v servicemen. Dotecliave K«J ere i--j i afc sub-machine guns iutom > hidden by criminals for