The Ypsilanti daily press., 1946-03-25
Lehman Versus Hoover
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Obviously Governor Lehman re-
signed from UNRRA in Pique over
the appointment OF Herbert Hoover
to discover why UNRRA failed to
save Europe from famine. During
the entire course OF the war. Mr..
Hoover har been warning OF fam
inc. and even when Governor
Lehman visited him at the Waldorf.
Astoria upon his appointment to
head .IINRRA, Mr.. Hoover warned
him OF the nearness OF famine.
The former president is now In
Europe representing not a con.
geries Of nations but the people OF
the United States, the most gen.
erous nation on earth.
But UNRRA Is q political agen'
cy. II is a compromise among
governments and II cannot pos
sibly work because some govern
ments want TO use hunger. starva-
tion. distress and despair political
ly. I an sure that Mr.. Lehman
has all along meant well, but he
is not one that fights great names
nor for great causes. He Is more
the administrative type that re-
spects authority even when 1t IS
vile, and dignifies the corrupt OF
heart by obedience when circum-
stance den 1nds that he speak out
truthfully. and courageously no
matter whom his words may blast.
Mr.. Lehman knows. as he must,
that the wheat that Soviet Russia
offers Fance Is American wheat
to be carried in American ships.
Anyone with even slight political
acumen will recognize that his
offer was made France so that the
hungry French, in their despair,
will in May vote for Thorer. the
French Communist. They will vote
for anyone for bread. for they are
hungry. Wheat Is used for poll
tics. not for relief. Hunger is en-
ployed to corrupt the spirit as It
weakens the body.
Does Mr.. Lehman or UNRRA
dare to demand that Russia pool
her surplus as We and Canada pool
ours and as the Argentine would
undoubtedly be willing to pool her
surplus? Does he inquire Of the
wheat OF the Ukraine and White
Russia and Bessarabia and the
Dobruja-granaries of Europe for
centuries? Does he ask RUSSIA
to pay her full share into UNRRA?
Famine does not walt upon pers-
Qualities nor politeness. Senator
Pepper may servileiy support pc-
liteness, but death from starvation
is not arrested by the timidity OF
the Floridian whose heart is sensi.
tive to Moscow. Until the next
harvest is gathered. millions OF
men. women and children must die
OF hunger no matter how much Is
done for them.
What they need most are grains
and fats. Rationing the American
people will not aid more than vol
untary abnegation. But what Is
absolutely essential Is that grain.
needed for human consumption,
shall not be fed to animals. Be-
cause Of OPA's unscientific, imprac-
tical ceiling prices, II pays the
American farmer to feed grain to
hogs rather than to sell the grain
for human consumption. And
again, because OF OPA stupidities.
1t does not pay the packer to trim
lard and tallow. The butcher, In
the store, sells the housewife fatty
meats which go into our garbage
pals. Those fats are essential TO
save the European sufferers from
famine.
To put the whole problem blunt
| ly the American garbage pail
could save millions OF lives. Has
Mr.. Lehman ever told the Ameri-
can people the truth about that?
Has UNRRA waged a public battle
against waste. depending upon the
goodwill and charity OF the Amerf-
can housewife rather than upon
shopping OPA officials? Has he
ever shown the American people
what he must know TO be true, that
UNRRA might have done all effec-
tive job IL OPA had not dislocated
farm-food prices so that food hui
mans weep for, hogs eat?
1t sometimes takes great cour-
age and it is often bad manners to
tell the truth. 1t might even In
volve a breach OF good-fellowship
with those who pull at the same
straw. So, all that Mr.. Lehman
can offer to handle a famine is the
resumption OF rationing in the Unit
ed States. That Is about as stupid
as Henry Wallace's fake report
on wages and prices. It is of a
piece with all the initiative totali-
tarianism in our painless, impro-
Wished New Deal.
Sniping at Hoover wiz not helm
bring anyone a loaf OF bread. II