WORLD PROBLEMS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23114, 31 January 1945, Page 4

WORLD PROBLEMS

International Exchange Of Information Means Of Solving Difficulties

Details of the functions of the United States office of War Information in its plan for the exchange of information in regard to the solution of international problems were explained by Mr Sydney Greenbie, the noted author and lecturer, who is the Special Assistant to the Hon. K. S. Patton, United States Minister in New Zealand, and general representative of the United States Office of War Information in New Zealand, during an interview with a “Timaru Herald” representative yesterday. “The Office of War Information was formed as a direct result of war conditions,” Mr Greenbie explained. “Previously, the nations of the world had picked up odds and ends of information and ideas about each other that in most cases were wrong. That system was built up on both the bad and good work in world conditions, based on rather haphazard information, and we failed to come to a thorough understandifig of the peoples of the world. Thus a plan had been evolved for the direct exchange of material, and by studying various developments in many countries much could be achieved in solving world problems. “We are not interested in merely creating so-called good will in terms of generalisation,” Mr Greenbie continued. “What we are interested in is in making available to each other the technique and skill by which we have achieved our own maturity.

“One of the most interesting things I have noticed in New Zealand is that vour people have taken great interest in the Tennessee Valley Authority. Wherever I go I find people who are keenly interested in the Tennessee Valley hydro-electricity, nitrate plants, flood control, irrigation and reclam-

ation, etc. About 700,000,000 dollars have been spent on the Tennessee Valley development, embracing seven States, and the idea is that we wish to place at your disposal any knowledge we have gained in regard to checking erosion and flood control. “Our idea behind the Office of War Information is not ‘blah’ or to try to make an impression, but to help in the solution of social problems, housing, drainage, irrigation, proper methods of ploughing, child welfare, etc., and to exchange with each other the means by which we have achieved maturity. By this means it will develop good relations between the nations, as peoples who are helning each other will naturally be friendly. Social Service “Before I left the United States,” Mr Greenbie continued, “i consulted Miss Katherine F. Lenroot, cmei or the Social Service Division of the Children s Bureau, Department or Lacour, Washington. “Miss Lenroot said that she kept in toucn with New Zealand about cmld weliare, and had been much interested to know the reasons why there was such a low rate of infant mortality in the Dominion. Miss Lenroot could not keep up to the minute in regard to information on child welfare, and she asked me to send her further details of the most recent developments. If we have any new technical knowledge our data is forwarded to the Latin-American countries or any other country which we can help. “Realising that there was much concern in regard to housing development in New Zealand, it was my job before coming to the Dominion,” said Mr Greenbie. “to secure information of the. Federal housing methods by which we have caught up with our housing needs.

“The exchange of information is fundamental to the proper working of our scheme and the promotion of friendly feelings between nations. It is not a question of charity on our part to help to lift the standard of living of the world. If we do not help to solve the problems of Asia, India and China we may find that one day they will drag us down to their standard of living. It is that approach to international relations that we are trying to work out. For the last 20 years I have been lecturing throughout America on the Far East. I do not know whether the problems were too vast, but how much better it would have been if we had had an understanding of the problems of Asia and saved ourselves the development of Japanese aggression.

“The idea,” Mr Greenbie concluded, “is to share the knowledge we have and to endeavour to equalise the living conditions throughout the world. We can help to modify conditions which have created misunderstandings and bitterness among the nations of the world."