Evening star., 1946-05-20
Hoover Urges
Unified Famine
Relief Control
Merger Of Agencies
By September |
Is Recommended
BY Malcolm Lomborne, Jr.

Va ll1SA lSo1AS1lU 44C1 OCl Y
Hoover today recommended to
the United Nations Food and
Agriculture Organization the for
nation of a United Nations Food
Administration, with a single
administrator at its head, to take
over by September l the food
functions of UNRRA, the Com
bined Food Board and other in
ternational groups concerned
with agricultural rehabilitation.
AS Mr.. Hoover called for a drastic
reorganization of machinery solv-
ing world famine, Secretary of Agrl-
culture Anderson read a message
from President Truman, who de-
scribed the meeting as the first
great test for FAC"
The President stated that the
American people have shown an
admirable willingness to do their
share in the great humanitarian
task of preventing famine in other
lands" He added that every one
realizes now that the world wide
scarcity of cereals cannot lie COM
pletely overcome with the 1916 lar
vest" and that deficits in livestock
products will remain critical for
some time.
Calls Charity Wasteful.
Mr.. Hoover, addressing delegates
from l8 nations meeting in the
United States Chamber of Com
merce Building, also served notice
that 'the world must quit charity
as a basis of widespread food dis
tribution." He added: Il cannot
too strongly emphasize that charit-
able distribution is hugely wasteful
and inefficient"
The former President explained
that the purpose of the food ad-
Ininistration would be ito return to
normal commerce the food, fertilizer
and farm supply business of the
world with all speed possible"
This agency, he said, would serve
only during the period of food scar
city and agricultural reconstruc-
tion from the war. He would ap-
point single food administrator
with small advisory committee
which, in the majority, would rep
resent the surplus food-producing
nations.
Mr.. Hoover said the new organiza-
ton should be created under au-
spices of the United Nations Secur-
ity Council, ''or better still, under
your FAC committee"
Urges Regional Organization.
The Hoover plan also would call
for the establishment of regional
organizations for Europe, North
America, the Far East, South Amer
lea and the Indian Ocean area,
which would include Australia, New
Zealand, and South Africa.
Mr.. Hoover pointed out that the
food and agricultural activities of
UNRRA cover only 20 per cent of
the present world problems, and
that Director General La Guardia
favors the relief agency being taken
over by some United Nations Com
mission.
Il am not here going to criticize
the world food policies of the past
year." Mr.. Hoover informed the
delegates. "But they must have
vigorous reorganization if we would
avoid another crisis like that which
We are now in"
Anderson Named Chairman.
Mr.. Hoover, who recently returned
from a world food study for Presi-
dent Truman, also called for special
feeding and medical care of physi-
cally subnormal children, and added
that this should be the sole char.
liable contribution of governments.
At the outset delegates unani-
mously elected Secretary Anderson
as chairman for today's meeting.
Mr.. Anderson, in his opening ad-
dress, declared that he saw nc
prospect of enough food to meet
either need or demand in the yeal
ahead" and added that "it may well
be years before the storehouses OF
the world will be full again"
ohly huSSid ADSent.
With only Russia not represented
among the large agricultural Ma
tionS, delegates were to get dowr
to the job of reaching 3-point
agreement on making the best USE
of the 1916 crop, attempting to gel
the maximum harvest next year anc
setting up an international organi-
zation to deal solely with alleviatins
world hunger.
A warning that the world may fal
a third short on food again next
year came from Sir John Orr
director general of FAC. He de.
clared:
The position seems to be tha
following the 1916 harvest the worlc
will be as badly off for food as il
was at the time of the 1945 harvest