Evening star., 1947-09-25

Sttot1IbS hfC t!LS GCItS W
President Trur1an's statement on
food conservation and the report
OF the Cabinet Food Committee:
am making public today a report
from the Cabinet Committee on
World Food Programs which en-
phasizes critical situation calling
for immediate action by every Amer
lean. The report stresses the ex-
tremely grave food situation abroad
and the relationship between our
ability to help meet urgent foreign
food needs and the price situation
in the United States.
The committee states that adverse
crop developments. including those
of recent weeks, both in North Amer
jca and in Europe, make apparent
a food shortage even worse than
year ago. The losses from heavy
frosts in Northwestern Europe last
winter have been increased by
general European drought this spring
and summer. Any significant cut in
the already low rations in those
countries will have most serious con-
sequences for their rehabilita ton.
In the face OF this situation, the
report shows that. without further
action. we would be able to carry
through a large export program;
but, as result of sharply reduced
corn production and continued high
domestic demand for grain, exports
would not equal last years total
shipments-even though world needs
are greater.
Conservation Effort Necessary.
The United States cannot rest on
this export prospect. To ship more
abroad without adjustments in do
mestic demand, however. would ag-
gravate our own price situation.
In presenting its report the
Cabinet Committee stressed the
urgency of doing everything possible
to meet the problem at home and
abroad. 1t recommended further
emphasis on shipments of food other
than grain in rounding out our
export program and on arrange
ments for the fullest participation
by other nations in the combined
effort to increase available supplies
and to channel them to points of
greatest need.
The committee made it clear, how
ever, that definite steps to conserve
on use of foodstuffs at home and re-
ouce the feeding of grain to live
stock will be essential If we are to
make our fullest contribution tow
ards meeting minimum foreign
needs and at the same time relieve
the upward pressure on prices at
home.
Citizens Food Committee Named.
AS a primary step, am therefore
appointing a Citizens Food Com
mittee to advise on ways and means
of carrying out the necessary con-
servation effort. Charles Luckman
of Cambridge. Mass, will serve as
chairman of this non-partisan COM
mittee. I am asking the Citizens
Food Committee to meet at the
earliest possible moment to develop
plans for bringing the vital problem
of food conservation to the attention
of every American for action.
At the same time, am establish
ing working organization which
will mobilize the resources of the
Government in support of the over
all program. I will also confer with
the congressional leaders OF both
parties regarding legislative action
which may be necessary. =. .
While waiting for detailed recon-
mendations from the Citizens Com
mittee, there is one immediate and
personal thing each of US can do.
We can start now to conserve by
being more selective in foods we
buy particularly livestock products
whose production requires large
quantities Of grain. Such action on
our part will do two things We will
save on our family budget and we
will help others who are in des-
perate need, I am confident that
the. American people, realizing the
extreme seriousness of the situation,
will cooperate fully.
tdUllleb SUHlH1ittct , LetttT.
The tollotDtng letter Wos dd-
dressed to the President BY the
Cabinet Committee on Food
September "a, 1947.
The President,
The White House.
Dear Mr.. President:
This will confirm our oral recon-
negotiations to you, made September
%, at the time we submitted our
report containing a factual appraisal
of the food situation.
We wish to emphasize again the
seriousness of this situation. The
needs of other countries for food
have increased substantially over
the past year through a succession