EUROPE’S URGENT NEEDS

Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22459, 21 September 1944, Page 7

EUROPE’S URGENT NEEDS

SCRAPING BOTTOM OF BARREL SERIOUS SHORTAGE OF GOODS MONTREAL, Sept. 18 “The United Nations are scraping the bottom of the barrel for several basic supplies needed for the relief of the war-wrecked countries,” said Mr Lehman to the U.N.R.R.A. Conference. Making the first public report summarising the needs, Mr Lehman said clothing for Europeans and Chinese would be so scarce that U.N.R.R.A. was planning to collect used clothing in the United States on the greatest possible scale. For six months after Germany’s fall 182,000,000 yards of woollen textiles had been requested. Thus far only Canada had allocated 2,500,000 yards. The U.N.R.R.A. feared that woollen garments could not be delivered in Europe until the winter of 1945-46. Of 560,000,000 yards of cotton textiles needed, thus far, there was only a tentative allocation from Brazil of 92,000,000 yards. U.N.R.R.A. planned to ask the United States for 300,000,000 yards. The outlook for knit goods and knitting yarn was so bad that none had been offered from any country. Shoes needed numbered 78,500,000 pairs, with material for repairs to 48,000,000 pairs. Thus far only 12,000,000 pairs had been located. Supplies were so short that U.N.R.R.A. planned to purchase all the lowerpriced shoes available in the United States. Worry About Food Mr Lehman said there was a similar worry about food for Europe, although supplies of wheat and rye were ample. Of these 3,178,000 tons were needed in the first six months. At the same time Europe would need 864,000 tons of meat, fish, cheese and eggs but supplies were extremely scarce. U.N.R.R.A. was able to negotiate only 136,000 tons of canned pork in the United States and 7700 tons of canned fish from Canada. Two hundred thousand tons of fats and oils were required for soaps, of which the United States would furnish 50,000 tons. Of laundry soap Canada was delivering 17,500 tons in 12 months. Milk supplies were so short that no allocation had yet been made. Sugar to be supplied in 1945 was expected to be 1,000,000 tons below the demand exclusive of U.N.R.R.A.’s needs. Mr Lehman cautioned the United Nations not to be deceived by reports from the liberated areas indicating that suffering was not as great as was previously thought. He pointed out that such reports were far outweighed by others indicating that the enemy was more ruthless than had been known or anticipated.