Evening star., 1943-05-23
Food Farley
Hot Springs Meeting
Opens Wide Field
Continued From Page B-1.)

raj body to work alongside other inter-
national institutions.
"Our main aim must be to develop a
well l-balanced mechanism which can cope
with the enormous reconstruction work
which lies ahead of us when the war is
over.
II feel convinced that this conference
on food and agriculture, which is the
first OF its kind among the United Ma
tions, will become happy starting point
toward a solution of the worldwide
problems that confront us today"
This is full and frank statement.
There is long road to be travelled how
ever, before this country-and some of
the other countries-will be willing to
set up an international organization that
will deal with political as well as eco
nomic problems.
The delegates to the conference are
harmoniously working so far. The stated
obJectiVes of the conference, so far as
better and more food for all the peoples
of the world are concerned, are popular
with them all. Indeed, the chances for
conflict in the food conference itself are
small. Where the conflict will come, if
the conference really steps out on such
matters as tariffs and the delegation of
power to the international food commits
sion is in Congress.
The American delegation realizes this,
and presumably so does the administra-
tion in Washington. 1t becomes, there
fore, nice question for President Mar
win Jones of the food conference and
his colleagues of the American delega-
ton how far the recommendations of
the conference should go. The Ameri-
can delegates are themselves keenly in
terested in the success of the conference.
They warmly support its aims. But they
must work for a program that will stand
up, even if there should be change Of
administration.
Denies Santa Claus Role.
The American delegates are doing their
best to throw cold water on the sugges-
tions advanced in nti-administration
circles that the United States is to be a
Santa Claus for all the world Paul H.
Appleby, Undersecretary of Agriculture
and delegate, was one of the first to
speak out, denying that this country is
to undertake to feed and clothe the rest
of the world
There seems no slightest doubt, how
ever, that the nations attending the
conference do look to the United States
for great deal. There are two distinct
situations and problems. The first is
the work of reconstruction Immediately
after the war. The second is long-range
planning for world at peace. This
country is tremendously wealthy. 1t has
vast resources within itself 1t is capable
of aid to nations which need it. When
it comes to the reduction of tariffs
it is the tariff duties of the United
States which some of the other nations
wish to see lowered.
A common fear among Americans who
have heard of the aims of the food
conference is that this country will be
called upon to lower its own standards
of living in order to bring up the living
standards of other, less-favored nations,
the American delegates to the food con-
ference do not see it that way They
contend that if the standards of living
of other nations are raised, this will,
instead of lowering standards in this
country help to raise still higher stand
ards of living in the United States.
They see in an expanded international
commerce great opportunity. In this
they believe that American businessmen
are entirely on their side.
The delegates to the food conference
talk of stability of price levels" con-
tending that some steps should be taken
to assure such stability if producers are
to be asked to step up production. They
talk of 'stabilizing tariffs" with view
to giving businessmen all over the world
an opportunity to make long-range and
successful programs They talk of
adopting standard nutrition" formulas,
they are thinking in terms of interna-
tional markets. and their sterilization
as far as practical
Fear Postwar Chaos,
Carried to the final degree, all of these
plans, no matter how laudable look to
international regimentation term that
is not popular in this country today.
The delegates insist, however, that unless
steps are taken to bring about an
orderly economy in the world after the
war, there will be chaos more serious
than that which came about after the
last war.
Stability of price levels for the great
international crops if it could be at
tanned, would be a boon to the farmers
in the United States as we'll as in the
rest of the world. n the period between
the last war and the present war the
prices of agricultural commodities have
f1uctuated violently. Under such con-
ditlons, it is pointed out, the producer
cannot plan ahead with any degree of
safety, nor can there be sure plans for
consumption of these goods 1t has
been either a feast Or famine-and too
often the latter.
The delegates are exercised over the
immediate postwar problem, which will
be serious lack of sufficient food
stuffs. 1t has been estimated that there
will be deficiency of foods valued at
something like four or five billions OF
dollars to feed the world That being
the case, they look forward to a period
of food rationing, not only in other
countries, but in the United States, after
hostilities have ceased. This will not be
popular with Americans, who have been
accustomed, until the pinch of this war,
to eating whatever they wished or were
able to buy. The handmade of rationing
is, of course, price regulation.