Evening star., 1941-11-11

Women nHear
Appleby
Agriculture Aide
Tells of British
Farm Program
By GRETCHEN SMITH.

Food in England is limited both
in quantity and variety. but no one
goes hungry and conditions are
better today than they were a year
ago, Paul H. Appleby, Undersecre-
tary of Agriculture, said yesterday.
Mr.. Appleby, who returned last
month from a visit to England,
where he went to study the food sit
uation, spoke at the regular lunch
con meeting of the Womans Ma
tional Democratic Club. He told
how he visited towns, cities and
rural districts and described the
intensive farming program OF the
English, where women are employed
on the 100000 acres of land now
under cultivation. The speaker said
that one common purpose-to win
the war-has united the British
more strongly than ever in their
history: that with the realization of
every persons Importance in achiev-
ing its purpose, the government al
lows no distinction in rationing the
essentials of life.
Every Briton must stay alive and
well and strong to produce the
| things needed to win" he said
Therefore, the first concern Is to
see that no one goes hungry so
long as there is food to split up all
around"
Milk is at premium, Mr.. Appleby
said. with practically all fresh milk
rationed to babies. young children
and nursing mothers. While there
is plenty of bread and potatoes,
England needs foods like meat, eggs
and cheese. and looks to the United
States to supply them.
Community kitchens are super
vised by the government, the speaker
continued, and in cases of bombingS
food is supplied to bomb sufferers
at a small fee. Those who cannot
pay the fee are fed at government
expense, he added. Some persons
employed at hard labor are permit
ted a more generous ration than
others, Mr.. Appleby said, but pur-
chasing power makes no difference
in government rationing. Children
of the wealthy do not enjoy the
abundance of milk and fruit and
other such foods as in prewar days,
but children of Britain's poor are
better off than before, Mr.. Appleby
said.
Clothes are also closely rationed,
he continued, even the Wealthiest
finding it necessary at times to
patch their clothing, THE wealthy"
Mr.. Appleby added, ARE getting
poor fast" Excess profit taxes and
heavy financial burdens in property
upkeep are forcing many Of the
wealthy to go into their capital. No
one gives any thought to the cost
Of the war. he added.
"I didn't see one that cared to
talk about that" he said. Their
one thought is to win the war-that
is all"
The democratic spirit in England
is stronger than ever, Mr.. Appleby
said, and although newspapers are
greatly reduced, a large part Of
space is given to arguments OF
readers, citicizing or praising actions
Of the government.
The right to strike by labor is
strongly upheld by the government,
the speaker said. They want to
maintain the right to collective bar
gaining" he explained land where
as some strikers are thrown into
Jail for interfering with national
defense, the rights of other strikers
have been upheld"
Mr.. Appleby described the attitude
Of the British toward this country
as one of intense appreciation.
They are toe deeply moved to talk
about it." he concluded. They be-
lieve there should have been closer
collaboration between the two ma
tions before and that it should be
much closer in times to come"
Mrs. Jerry Voorhis, wife of Rep
resentative Voorhis, presided and
introduced the speaker. With re-
servations closed last Friday, over
rs persons were turned away" from
the luncheon, Mrs. Voorhis said.
Among those attending were R. M.
Evans, Administrator OF the Agri-
cultural Adjustment Administration,
who went to England with Mr.. Ap-
pleby; Mrs. Florence Kerr, Assistant
Commissioner, Work Projects Ad-
ministration, and Mrs. Ellen Wood
ward, of the Social Security Board.