Evening star., 1946-03-24
Outlook in Europe Grim
In Months Before Harvest
Mass Starvation Certain Without Aid Now and
Likely Next Winter Unless Seed and Other
Help Is Given to Agriculture
By Glenn Williams

Williams
ing another 10000 tons of Russian grain.
UGOSLAvIA-Disease and starva-
ton expected unless grain imports reach
$4,000 tons month, said Dr.. A. P. Mie-
klejohn, who heads UNRRAs nutrition
section. Stocks will be exhausted by the
end Of March. Imports of meat and
fats must increase "if disaster Is to be
avoided" Crop prospects dim because
of lack of seed.
ROMANIA-Minister of Supply Par
cities and villages face famine during
the four months before harvest. Some
peasants eating acorns or corn mixed
with grass.
Deaths are reported daily
Parvulescu said the Russians have
taken only very small quantities of
foodstuffs" as reparations, excusing
the country from delivery of 10000 tons
Of cereals until after harvest
CZECHOSLOVAKIA- - Stocks made
quate, especially fats. Lack of oil seeds
threatens margarine industry with COM
plete shutdown. UNRRA has shipped.
trainloads of canned meats, fats and
canned and dried milk. Crop prospects
are mixed. There are plenty of seed po-
tatoes, and some may be sent to Aus
tria. Spring farming delayed by rains
and deportation of Germans and Hun
garians caused labor shortage Ma
chinery and fuel needed Wheat seed il
scarce. Some fertilizer and farm ma
chinery have been supplied by UNRRA.
POLAND-Only great imports pre-
vented starvation during winter Meat
and cereals short in the countryside, al
though the cities seem in fair position.
Lack of transport prevents even dis
tribution.
UNRRA shipments of $4,000 tons last
year, plus direct aid from England,
Scandinavia and Russia, kept the coun-
try alive on meager diet. UNRRA plans
to ship million tons this year. Experts
believe Poland can raise enough to carry
through next winter if she can get
seed, horses and tractors-but so far
only small part of these necessities
are on hand.
4lldully Oll lillpOItcu
grain. Meat, fats and sugar almost i'm
possible to find except on black market;
80,000-ton grain shortage expected to be
met by Russia.
GREECE-Adequatel fed during win
ter, Greece will feel impact of world
wheat shortage soon. UNRRA allocations
of grain have been cut about 20 per cent.
In March only $1,000 tons were received,
with $1,000 tons needed. The country
expects to produce CSC, 900 tons of wheat
this year. Stocks of corn, potato, bean
and chickpea seed are good.
ITALY-Stocks of wheat lowest in his
tory with only two weeks supply on
hand at the beginning of March Sup
plies Of dried and preserved foods vir-
tually exhausted and meat and milk
practically nonexistent No starvation
is predicted. Spring vegetables will be-
come available in April
FRANCE-Rationing has been extend
ed to cafe meals. Russia is sending 500 900
tons of wheat as a stop-gap. France
uses about $4,000 tons month, and her
own crop will not come in until August
More than 2,5O0,000 acres have been
sown, 20 per cent above 1945 but also
about 20 per cent below normal.
THE NETHERLANDS Holland is get
ting along reasonably we'll Potatoes,
vegetables and meat are scarce, but ra-
tions are maintained at 1900 calories a
day and the bread ration is almost a
rO,lJ1d dou-ronro fIo,
predict crop of Is to 80 per cent nor
NAL. Grain and sugar imports will be
necessary.
BELGIUM-Bread ration cut to IA
ounces day but still is as high as any
country in Europe. A two-month sup
| ply-150,000 tons-of wheat has been
maintained, but Argentina Cancelled
60O,O00-ton order. Crop prospects fairly
good.
| BRITAIN - Rations sufficient for
health, though at about the lowest level
OF wartime and monotonous. Crop pros
poets normal. Anticipating SHORTAGES
well into 1947, Agriculture Ministry has
called for heavy sowing of spring grain
and ordered a 800, ,0O0-acre increase in
fall sowing for 1947.
RUSSIA-Rationing is over and Rus
sla came through the winter without aid
except for UNRRA grain shipments into
the Ukraine and White Russia normal
ly large producers. Spring planting well
ahead OF schedule in South Russia.
Eighteen million vegetable gardens were
! planted last year. Russia supplied food
for Poland and Berlin during the win
ter and now is contributing grain to
some Balkan countries and to France.
SWEDEN-Bread, butter. meat and
sugar still rationed and the bread ra-
ton was cut 6 per cent. Sweden will
give up scheduled imports of 1000 tons
of wheat and $4,000 tons of rye and
place them with American authorities
! for use in Europe,
Sweden also supports about 100000
German children in relief centers in
Germany. She has exported ITS 900 tons
of flour to Finland and 5000 tons to
Norway.
NORWAY-Fish, bread and fats, cab
bages and carrots, plentiful. Other
fresh vegetables, fruit, eggs, bacon and
meat virtually nil.