Evening star., 1942-11-20
Lehman Is Reported
Being Considered for
Food Administrator
New York Governor Holds
Conferences on Postwar
Needs Of Occupied Londs
BY BLAIR BOLLES.

Lehman OF New York had been
conferring Informally at Albany
with United Nations representa-
tives on the postwar food prob
lens of the occupied countries
gave rise today to speculation
that he may be chosen war food
administrator.
In Albany, however, Gov. Lehman
was quoted by the Associated Press
as saying he knew nothing of any
such appointment.
At the White House press confer
ence the President indicated that an
administration may be named soon.
Gov. Lehman will relinquish the
New York governorship January l
to Thomas Dewey. newly elected
Republican. Gov. Lehman, = long
time friend of President Roosevelt,
has been = frequent visitor st the
White House during the last few
months.
Rumors have suggested q number
OF jobs for him in the past, including
that of rubber administrator and
economic stabilizer, and have con-
nected him with the food job.
World Wide Scope.
The war food administrator is ex-
pected to cooperate closely with
Secretary of Agriculture Wickard.
His task. according to present plans,
will be worldwide in scope, and he
will:
l. Oversee the wartime distribu-
tion of food to the consumers in the
United States and perhaps take
control over food rationing.
2. Oversee the distribution of food
to service depots here and abroad
and to the countries which obtain
food for their fighting men and
civilians under lease-lend arrange
ments.
3. Establish pools OF foodstuffs for
shipment overseas to the countries
now occupied by Axis troops.
Have Reported Needs.
1t Is in connection with this last
task that European exile-govern-
ment representatives have talked
with Gov. Lehman. The exile gov
ernments in London have prepared
detailed reports on their countries
postwar food and seed needs. and
they all are to be made available
to the War Food Administrator. it ia
understood.
The establishment of the War
Food Administration, it Is said. will
be the signal for the launching of a
series OF diplomatic negotiations In
order to build up the food pool for
postwar nutritional rehabilitat ton
OF the occupied countries.
Canada and the South American
countries, including neutral Areen.
tina. are to be invited to set up
warehousing plans that will have
foodstuf1s available for trans-At-
.antlc and trans-Pacific shipment
as soon as the continents of Europe
and Asia once more are opened to
commerce with the Western Hemi.
sphere.
Sixteen months ago it was thought
that the United States wheat and
corn surpluses could satisfy the post
war food needs OF the undernour-
lshed nations, but the large-scale
dissemination of American surpluses
for lease-lend purposes makes it i'm
perative that other food producing
countries join with the United States
In the development of the pools.
Wartime trade restriction is Fore
ing the creation of large stores of
food surpluses in most Western
Hemisphere countries besides the
United States. Canada has great
stores Of wheat, Cuba of sugar. Bra
I'll OF coffee, the tropical American
countries Of fruit and Argentina of
beef and corn.
Plans are being developed for the
close cooperation of the Board of
Economic Welfare. the British Min
istry of Economic Warfare, the State
Department. the Combined Food
Board, the ONCE OF Price Admins
tration and the Agriculture Depart
ment with the War Food Admins
tration