The midland journal., 1946-06-07
News "a,
Behind, 81, @|G|
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Released by Western Newspaper Union.
FEEDING STARVING WORLD
TOO BIG A JOB FOR US

VAoI111NG 1O1N. - 1U6 lOOu CdIIl-
paign is running into ever-deepen-
ing difficulties.
The sweeping publicity campaign
to induce Americans to save for the
hungry in the rest of the world
ceased the moment the coal
strike became serious, but only
temporarily. There was no use con-
sidering food saving when fuel
tie-up and transportation curtail-
ment threatened spoilage of in
definite proportions. But the tenor
of the campaign had made every
one believe that the problem Of
alleviating world hunger was
simply dependent upon a resolution
by the American people to eat less.
Any objective investigation will
prove these following greater facts
to the contrary:
(A) No matter what our saw
ings, we will not be able to give
the world the bulk of foods we
have promised.
(B) We have moved SO late
that we are not simply taking
food from our tables, but have
become involved in promises
which will cause a fast and
sharp decline in our own food
production.
(C) For this year, and pos
sibly two or three, we will get
less meat, butter and cheese
than in the war years of ra-
tiOning. Our diets will be
changed to cereals, vegetables
and fruits which should be
available in sufficient quantities
to stave off hunger here.
The need of many sections of the
world for food has now been estab-
lished beyond question, although
the earlier whooping-up campaign
contained much hokum about nom
existent needs. An army news re-
sumo currently quotes Brigadier
General Fisher of our occupation
forces as saying the German farms
are the most prosperous in the
world today. Another similar re-
port of equal authority says there
are no starving Bavarians. The
British ministry has announced suf-
ficient stores of food in that nation
to meet rationing quotas in all
lines, even butter and cheese
which are practically non-existent
in white" markets here.
WHERE SHORTAGES ARE
The European shortages are
largely in the Russian occupied
areas, plus Italy, Greece and some
parts of France. The two ships
diverted from England by head
man La Guardia of UNRRA, went
to Russian occupied zones. Yet the
need in actual hunger areas is real.
So is it also on the other side of
the world, in India, China and
the Philippines.
To meet these needs we have en-
tered upon a complete upsetting of
our economy to the point of promot-
ing further reduced production,
particularly of livestock, all forms
of animal foods, poultry, hogs,
sheep, dairy and beef cattle. Our
beef cattle population, which last
year numbered 83 million, has run
below 80 million and is going down
fast. On prewar ratio to popula-
ton, we should have over 100 mil
lion beef cattle. The pig crop has
been limited to 81 million, which is
about three-fourths of what could be
considered normal.
These curtailments were forced
because wheat and corn feed stocks
have been cut in order to send
them to the rest of the world. In
short, by sending feed abroad we
can do no more than produce three
fourths our usual number of pigs.
A government order denies chicken
feed to any poultry raiser having
more than 80 per cent Of the num-
ber of chickens he had last year.
This will force a 20 per cent re-
duction in poultry population.
While there are no particular re-
strictions on beef cattle feed, it
cannot be purchased, and unless
the farmer has corn, oats and hay,
he must sell his cattle. Similarly,
the government is promoting the
sale of hogs, at lighter weights than
usual-which will decrease produc-
ton further.
FUTURE FULL OF IFS
Where we go from here is a
problem of many tifs." If we do
not undertake a world food export
program another year, we may re-
store normal livestock supplies in
two or three years. Only poultry
and pigs can be restored in less
time, and pigs require about nine
months. If we have good crop,