Evening star., 1946-07-02
Famine Relief Plans
Face Revision Unless
CongressRevives0PA
BY the Associated Press

OulSSo W n ID IeVlNeu SOOIl, JIle
Government may find it neces-
Sary to overhaul its famine relief
program.
Government buying for hunger
ridden areas overseas stopped yes
terday in all commodities except
cheese, evaporated milk and dried
milk. Purchases of wheat. meats,
lard and other food items were
halted.
Government operations have been
restricted to the dairy products be-
cause the Government is unwilling
to pay-at this time at least-more
than the prices which were in effect
under OPA.
In the case Of dairy products, the
Government is requiring professors
to set aside portion of their pro-
duction for overseas areas and it
will pay current market prices for
them. 1t is taking these dairy prod
ucts now because this is the heavy
production season. Later supplies
will not be available.
Congress Action Awaited.
Agriculture Department officials
said the Government will wait 10
days or so to see what Congress
does about reviving price control
II controls are restored, the famine
relief program will be re- established
along the lines in effect before OPA
expired. If controls are not re-
vived, officials said it will be neces-
sary for the Government to ascer-
tain whether foreign shortage areas
are willing to pay prices prevailing
in the American market.
Acting Secretary of State Acheson.
asserting that inability to control
the prices of meat and grain would
have an adverse effect on relief
shipments abroad, said, he hoped
Congress would act speedily to re-
instate the controls.
The Government had planned to
make more than l 500 ,000,00O pounds
of meat available to shortage areas
this year. Foreign countries which
pay for their own supplies and
UNRRA-the relief agency which
supplies impoverished nations-had
agreed to take that amount of meat
at ceiling prices.
There is question, officials said
whether foreign buyers with funds
will be willing to pay higher prices.
The same situation exists with
regard to wheat. This country has
committed itself to make 25O,0OO,0O0
bushels of wheat from the 1916 sup
ply available to shortage areas. The
Agriculture Department had insti-
tuted requisitioning program to get
that amount at ceiling prices.
Program Suspended.
The requisitioning program was
suspended yesterday pending out
come of the price control contro-
versy If price controls are not re-
established, this country would have
to arrange to buy the export wheat
at whatever price it could get it in
the open market.
hood that foreign countries would
be more willing to pay increased
prices for wheat than for meat, be-
cause the grain provides lower cost
food than meats.
Officials said UNRRAs ability to
provide foreign relief might be re-
duced considerably if price controls
are not reinstated because its linn
tied funds would not buy as much in
the American market.
There is question as to whether
! foreign countries would be willing
to pay increased prices for the dairy
products which manufacturers are
now required to set aside for Gov
ernment purchase. Oficials said
that if foreign buyers did not want
these products the Government
would sell them back to civilian dis
| tributors in this country.