Evening star., 1946-02-07
Text Of Food Statement

| | ext or rood
FOLLOWING Is the tert Of Presi-
dent Trun1nn's statement yester- d
day on the food crisis.
For the world as a whole, a food
crisis has developed which may
prove to be. the worst in modern
times. More people face starvation
and even actual death for want OF
food today than In any war year
and perhaps more than in all the
war years combined.
The United States and other
countries have moved food into
war-torn countries in record
amounts, but there has been a con-
stantly widening gap between essen
tial minimum needs and available
supplies.
F Although this country enjoyed
near record production of food and
a record crop of wheat, the wheat
crops of Europe and North Africa
and the rice crops of the Far East
have proved to be much shorter
than anticipated: in fact some areas
have experienced the shortest crops
in so years because of extreme
droughts and the disruption OF war.
We in this country have been con-
suming about $500 calories per per-
son per day. In contrast, more than
125, 100000 people in Europe will
have to subsist on less than 1000
calories a day; 28,0O0,000 will get
less than 1900 calories a day and in
some parts Of Europe, large groups
will receive as little as 1000 calories.
Under these circumstances 1t is
apparent that only through SUPER
human efforts can mass starvation
be prevented. In recognition of this
situation Great Britain only yester-
day announced cuts in rations of
fats and return to the dark war;
time loaf of bread.
I am sure that the American
people are In favor of carrying
their share of the burden.
Emergency Measures.
Accordingly, have instructed the
appropriate agencies of the Govern
ment to put into effect number of
emergency measures designed to
help meet critically urgent needs to
the greatest possible extent in the
shortest possible time. The coop
Grafton CT every man, woman and
child, the food trades and industries.
the transportation industry, and
others will be needed to make these
measures effective. I know the con-
science of the American people will
not permit them to withhold or
stint their cooperation while their
fellow men in other lands suffer and
die.
The measures to be taken are as
follows:
/. The, appropriate agencies of
this Government will Immediately
inaugurate a vigorous campaign to j
secure the full cooperation of all
consumers in conserving food, par
ticularly bread. Additional en-
phasis will be placed upon the CO.
operation of bakers and retailers in
reducing waste of bread in distribu-
ton channels.
2. The use of wheat in the direct
production of alcohol and beer will
be discontinued; the use of other
grains for the production of bever-
age alcohol will be limited, begin
ming March /, to five days consump-
tion month; and the use of other
grains for the production of beer
will be limited to an aggregate
quantity equal to that used for this
purpose in 1910 which was 80 per
cent less than the quantity used in
1945. This will save for food about
10000, 900 bushels Of grain by June
80, 1916. -
8. The wheat -four extraction rate
(the quantity of -four produced from
each bushel of wheat will be raised
to 30 per cent for the duration of |
the emergency. Also, steps will be
taken to limit the distribution of
flour to amounts essential for scur-
rent civilian distribution. This will
save about 25,oo0,OO0 bushels of |
wheat during the first half of 1916.
Inventory Controls.
4. The Department of Agriculture
will control millers inventories of
wheat and bakers and distribu-
tors inventories of flour. The in
ventory controls will be designed
to maintain the wheat and -four
being held for civilian use at the
minimum necessary for distribu-
ton purposes.
5. Specific preference will be givA
en- to the rail movmeent of wheat,
corn, meat and other essential foods
in order promptly to export maxi
mum quantities to the destinations
where most needed.
6. The Department of Agriculture
will exercise direct control over ex-
ports of wheat and flour to facili-
tate movement to destinations of
greatest need.
7. Necessary steps will be taken
to export during this calendar year,
375, 900 tons of fats and oils, 1.6 bill
lion pounds of meat, of which
I,000, ,000, 900 pounds is to be made