Evening star., 1945-09-18

duction Board have the authority
to issue set-aside orders on specific
quantities of commodities pur.
chased, regardless of whether they
are rationed, to insure deliveries
abroad. This does not mean thai
it may become necessary to resume
ration controls of certain items il
they become so short in supply that
such controls are required to insure
more equitable distribution.
Relief Needs Summarized.
The most desperate needs of the
liberated people are for coal, trans
portation and food, in that order of
priority. Other commodities urgent
ly required include hides and leather
cotton, wool, textiles, soap, farm
equipment, including fertilizer and
seeds, repair parts and machinery
medical supplies, and a general list
of raw materials. The items which
are causing major concern because
Of worldwide shortages are coal,
sugar and fats, hides and leather,
textiles, and few of the raw ma
terials, in minor quantities. Locomo-
tives constitute a special and acute
problem because of the time factor
involved in their manufacture.
Coal presents not only the most
serious but the most complicated
problem. Once self sufficient in
this commodity, Europe is now with
out the labor, the food, the trans
portation, the housing and the ma
chinery needed to restore production
quickly to its prewar level. The
Allied Control Commission is max
ing every effort to speed the re-
sumption of German production in
order to supply the liberated areas,
but despite considerable progress,
the people of these areas face a
winter of extreme hardship.
What Is Being Done.
The United States is now shipping
approximately 100000 tons of coal
to Europe a month. For the period
ending January l the goal is 8,000,-
600 tons, or slightly more than /
per cent of our domestic production.
The limiting factor is not primarily
one of supply. but of inland trans
portation facilities both here and
abroad
The Department of Agriculture
reports that shipments of food to
the paying governments and UNRRA
during the last quarter of this year
will include approximately these
quantities:
$50 million pounds of meat and
meat products.
10 million bushels of wheat.
28 thousand short tons of raw
sugar.
80 million pounds of dried peas
and beans.
13 million pounds of lard.
In addition, the Department OF
Agriculture is prepared to ship the
following supplies of dairy products
in at least these quantities, as soon
as financial arrangements have been
satisfactorily completed:
go million pounds of cheese.
200 million pounds of evaporated
milk.
Is million pounds of dry whole
milk powder.
80 million pounds of dry skim milk
powder.
IS million pounds of condensed
milk.
Only "Sustains Diet"
1t should be remembered that
these supplies will serve not to i'm
prove, but only to sustain the died
Of the liberated peoples, which re-
mains below the minimum level OF
subsistence. In some cases the
doubling of these food shipments
waits only upon the conclusion OF
satisfactory financial arrangements
The Government has abundant
evidence that the American people
are aware of the suffering among
our Allies. They have also made
plain their determination that this
country shall do its full part, along
with other supplying nations, in
helping to restore health ano
strength to those who fought at ou1
side both in Europe and in the Fal
East. 1t is an American response
bility not only to our friends, but tc
ourselves, to see that this job is done
and done quickly.