Milford chronicle., 1946-08-02
We Can Prevent
This
HORROR
By DAVID KARNo and HARRY BARNARD

Despite its terrible yastness the international
food problem, involving starvation for millions
can be understandable presented
1t takes $500 calories of food day to assure an
individuals health Yet because of the effect Of
the war on manpower and farm equipment. to-
gether with crop failures millions of Furopeans
and Asatics face diet of less than 500 calories
in some areas below 900. This adds up to dis.
ease, suffering, famine, death.
The danger areas are known. Herbert Hoover
found that 100000 Polish children are under.
nourished. An official group from India reported
that between 100000 to 100000 will die
there unless they obtain 100000 tons of wheat
and rice in the next II months. In GERMANY. ra.
tions have been cut below l500 calories I'm Itav
100000 mothers and children face starvation
In China and other parts of the Far East there is
frightful shortage of wheat and rice
We Can Save Millions
Yet in certain favored lands. notably the United
States, the caloric intake, an the average is we'll
above $500 much more than health requires.
Spared the ravages of war, these lands have the
capacity tor producing surplus above the $500
figure. Indeed, they enjoy the luxury of waste.*** *
An efficient reshuffng of diet in the United
States alone would save more than 100, O,OOOO00
persons from starvation. Another 1OO. 100000
could be saved by stepping up our production.
Almost many could be saved by the food We
waste. About 5OOOOO.OO0 people = about one.
quarter of the entire population of the globe-face
famine. If all the ''havc nations do their part.
these people can be saved until their own produc.
tive capacity is restored.
America share in this responsibility calls for
the following program:
RFINSTITITE rationing to cover bread.
meat oils, fats, butter and canned staple
goods. Voluntary abstinence is not enough Food
once in consumer channels is lost for relief pur.
poses.
= ESTABLISH top transportation priority. on
land and water, to get food to the danger
zones
2 ESTABLISH top priority on materials for
manufacturing farm equipment. A recent De.
partment of Agriculture survey showed that one
fourth of all American farm machinery should be
replaced.
4 DECLARE an immediate moratorium on the
serving of food in night clubs, bars and the
like, and at public banquets
= IF NECESSARY, to crush the black market
and combat ''foodleggcrs." let the govern.
men do with food processing and distribution
what the late President Roosevelt did to meet the
bank crisis in I933-take over all such units, then
let them operate (undcr private management on
the basis of permits. The permits should be issued
on the basis of rules the violation of which would
bring penalties. War powers exist to permit such
step.
Politics Is to Blame
Why has such program not been adopted?
Why was rationing ended with speed that out.
did even the Harding ''normacv?" The answer is
narrow politics and an underestimate on the part
of our leaders of the real moral nature of Ameri-
cans.
Some politicians have believed that Americans
are more interested in overflling their stomachs
than in creating decent world, more concerned
with self than with sef-csteem This is an especial.