APPEAL TO RUSSIA FOR FOOD WAS TOO LATE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 118, 23 May 1946, Page 5

APPEAL TO RUSSIA FOR FOOD WAS TOO LATE

STALIN’S REPLY TO TRUMAN

Recd. 8 p.m. London. May 22. The Moscow radio last night broadcast Generalissimo Stalin’s reply to a recent letter from President Truman on the world food crisis. Generalissimo Stalin expressed regret Mr. Truman's appeal was not made three months earlier, when Russia might have done something about joining international efforts to solve the food crisis. Instead, the appeal did not come until midway, when the Soviet Government had already M committed itself to sending large ■ quantities of food to France and other countries, and when the Soviet w Union's resources were already decreasing.

As far as co-ordinating the work of the Soviet Union with other grain exporting countlies was concerned, Generalissimo Stalin has informed President Truman that the Soviet Government has no objection in principle to this proposal, but it wall require special study. The radio summarises President Truman's letter thus: “Some time ago Generalissimo Stalin received from President Truman a message saying there is at present a food crisis, and expressing the hope that the Soviet Government would assign to U.N.R.R.A. a certain quantity of grain. President Truman 'also expressed the hope that the Soviet would be in a position to co-ordinate its action with other grain exporting countries for better ut’lisation of grain resources.”