Evening star., 1946-10-27
Europe Has Enough
Food for Winter
Survey Reveals Famine Threat
Limited to People of Romania

O9 H0f mum y. oASACJ W.
LONDON, Oct. 26 (P.-A slight, but
general improvement in the food situa-
ton in most European countries was
noted this month and, although tight
belts still would be the fashion, reports
from all over the continent indicated
that actual or potential supplies would
be sufficient for the winter.
Only from Romania came forecasts
of famine" but survey by Associated
Press correspondents showed that the
food problem for both Portugal and
Spain would be difficult after wartime
years Of comparative good living.
The Portuguese. who during six years
of war managed to get all they wanted,
were facing a food crisis such as they
had never known and certainly never
expected
Portugal was practically meatless.
Meat was not rationed-there was not
sufficient to ration. Dried cod was in
ample supply but strictly rationed be-
cause of.the absence of oil in which to
cook it,
Spaniards, too, were suffering an
acute shortage of olive Oil. The wheat
harvest, although falling snort of esti-
mates, was one of the best in recent
years, but informed sources said 1t
would be necessary to import wheat
from Argentina and elsewhere.
Britains food remained on the strict
wartime rationing basis, assuring equita-
BILE distribution of essential commodi-
ties at controlled prices. Criticized at its
inception three months ago, bread ra-
tioning has helped many British house,
wives; the ration has been adequate and
left a good margin of unused bread
units to exchange for points" available
for greatly enhanced variety Of canned
goods. The meager trickle of shell eggs
continued, while dried eggs disappeared
from many shops.
In Fire, another wartime land OF
plenty, the wheat harvest was expected
to be 10000 tons below last years, and
imports would be necessary to maintain
the bread supply.
While Frances food situation showed
apparent improvement, the wine short
age LED to first class political scandal.
Adequate supplies were available at
inflated prices on Belgium's black mar
ket, but rations were not always avail
able through legitimate channels.
Food ceased to be the sole topic Of
conversation in Holland, and on the
whole the Dutch seemed to be satisfied
with their rations
Italian government estimates of the
wheat crop were revised upward to
government granaries totaled 2,048 ,246
tons. or 70 per cent of the government
goal.
Switzerland was expected to lift the
rationing of livestock feed during the
winter because of material improvement
in imports. General increases in feed
prices, however, led farmers to demand
boost in the price of milk.
American shipping strikes were re-
f1ected in reduced UNRRA deliveries to
Czechoslovakia which in September were
10000 tons below average at 10000 tons,
mostly grains and fats.
Hungarian officials predicted sufficient
food for the winter, but said the situa-
tion generally was complicated by poll
tics, transport difficulties, administra-
tive problems and lack of money. Pro-
duction of grain and potatoes failed to
reach earlier estimates, but complete
figures were lacking because dismissal OF
more than 10000 state employees COM
plicated collection of records.
Famine threatened in Romania after
the summers severe drought and, de-
spite the governments desperate ef-
forts to remedy the situation, hard
winter appeared inevitable.
The American Red Cross was negoti-
ating with the Romanian government
for the opening of 1900 soup centers and
food distribution points, half to be run
by the Red Cross and half by the gov
ernment.
With roughly $12 1000, 900 yet to spend
out of the $50 1000, 900 UNRRA ear
marked for food for Austria, the ration
diet for the average Austrian still was
held as low as possible to build up .
stockpile to last through the winter. The
ration provided the average consumer
with 1896 calories per day and 1t was
estimated that this was increased to
about $500 calories from other sources.
AS result of the economic merger
and in order to raise the resistance OF
Germans to winter illness, new ration
of 1850 calories daily for normal con-
sumers went into effect October IA in
the Anglo-American zones. This was
made possible by importing additional
bread grains. Coal miners were to re-
ceive 1000 calories 'daily-better than
they ever had under the Nazis-in an
effort to boost production.
4 xx&
A plague of field mice, destroying what
Polish agricultural officials estimated
at 80 per cent of the expected harvest,
appeared to have dashed hopes for in
creased food rations, and Poles figured
they would be lucky to maintain their
present standard of living until the next
harvest. They will be particularly short
of meat and fats owing to widespread
epidemic among cattle.
No one would go hungry in the Soviet
Union, and if workers got in the harvest
according to schedule the government
would be able to do away with rationing
next year. ..-.-, -.
In Norway, food was sufficient. If not