Evening star., 1942-01-01
Lifting Of Blockade
To Feed Norway Urged
By Official in Exile
Surgeon General Contends
Move Would Bolster
Morale Against Axis
By BLAIR BOLLES.

BY BLAIR BOLLES.
Food for Norway should be passed
through the British blockade Of
Europe In the interests Of victory
for the Allies, DR.. Karl Evang. high
official of the Norwegian govern
ment- exile, declared today. He Is
Norway's surgeon general Of public
health.
DR.. Evang, whose American offices
are at the Norwegian Legation in
Washington, said in an interview
here that an increase In the supplies
of food for Norway is essential in
order to bolster the Norwegian civil
ian morale. He expects a dietary
crisis in Norway by the end Of this
winter. the second Of the war. which
may bring nationwide starvation.
The statements made by DR..
Evang marked the first time
that an official of an Allied govern
ment has stated publicly his opinion
that the people of German-occu-
pied country ought to be fed by
the Allies. He made 1t clear that
he has no association with the feed
Europe plans advocated by Herbert
Hoover.
Would Feed Allies Friends.
ID. AS a medical man, DR.. Evang let
Il be known that he thinks food
ought to be made available to all
, the pro-Allied-occupied countries,
but officially he can speak only for
Norway. He said his government
would take no steps without agree
ment of London and Washington.
: Thus one of the most trying ques-
tons with which the United States
and England have had to deal since
Germany gained control OF the con-
tinent is pushed once more to the
fore, and with stronger propulsion
than it has had at any previous time.
- THE occupied countries are not
lost territories" DR.. Evang said In
explaining the Norwegian official
point of view. "They are the Allied
front line. The people IN them are
working for the Allies. Their spirit
must be bolstered."
.. The peoples spirit will flag in time
4 their Stomachs are not filled. Dr.
Evang said, no matter how strong
their spirit is. He is afraid that
Germany might undertake to feed
Norway when the people are near
the starvation point and try IN that
manner to temper the Norwegian
active hate for the Germans.
- Comedies Some Interception.
{. "Norwegians arriving from Nor
way in England after escape say not
to send food up there" DR.. Evang |
reported. But medical men know
that they are wrong. These Nor
Wegians have the good spirit. We
want to keep the spirit alive. 1t Will
flag under poor diet"
DR.. Evang returned to the United
States from London In mid-Decem-
Der after three months in England.
The Germans might get 10 per
cent OF food sent from the outside
TO Norway, DR.. Evang said, but he
insisted that the 80 per cent which
would reach the Norwegians would
do them and the British more good
than the 10 per cent which would
reach the Germans.
You can't fight an enemy with
out losing something to the enemy"
war. Dr.. Evang said. The Germans
went for; food losses as well As mill
thry losses. He recalled stories cur
rent here that Germany gained
domination over Finland by feeding
the Firms after the winter war be-
tween Finland and Russia.
Germany cannot so easily be
starved in this was as in the last |
war, DR.. Evank said. The Germans |
by their conquests have brought |
great quantities of food supplies
within their range He said, there
fore, that the Germans have only |
moderate need for whatever food |
might be brought into their occupied |
regions from the outside. He added
that the transportation of food from
Norway to Germany is a difficult |
task.
The surgeon general thought that
German home morale would deteri- |
crate from lack of proper clothing,
rather than from close rations. The
physiological effect Of improper
clothing and improper diet is much
the same. he said.
Dr.. Evang said that Norway is
deficient in fats and energy foods,
most Of which come from abroad in
normal times. He said that Norway
is almost self sufficient in milk, eggs
and meat, but the wartime dis
ruption Of transportation has cut
of a large part of the population
from milk.
The first ration instituted by the
Germans called for IS grams Of
butter and oleo a day." DR.. Evang
said. That has been cut three
times and it is now about 80 grams.
We expect it to be reduced further.
Norwegians can't get as much fat
as the ration allows"
The German masters of Norway
recently invoked a rule that no
Norwegian would be fed unless he
worked for the Nazis, DR.. Evang
said, speaking on the basis Of re-
ports reaching the Morse govern
ment-in-exile by grapevine.