Evening star., 1948-12-05
Food Conferees
Set etWOrldStage
For Crop Sales
By MoIcoIm Lamborne, Jr.

The fourth annual conference OF
the United Nations Food and Agri-
culture Organization, which con-
cluded here last week, chalked up q
major achievement in one field Of
international relations, but left un-
answered several major problems.
On the credit side, the experts
paved the way for new start on an
international wheat agreement. Ne
gotiations begin in Washington jan
uary Is.
It Is sure to blaze the trail for
other multilateral pacts on such
commodities as sugar and rice. When
the wheat agreement is finally
drawn-and it will take time for all
hands to agree on details-exportins
countries like the United States
Canada and Australia will be as
sured Of a steady market for their
wheat surplus and importing ma
tions will know exactly how much
and at what price they will get
their wheat.
S0th Congress Rejected Pact.
The United States took the lead
in calling for q wheat conference,
with President Truman expressing
conviction the new Congress would
act favorably on an agreement.
Fresh in his mind was the fact that
the Eightieth Congress failed to
ratify an earlier pact drawn up last
March by SO countries. That pact
would have pledged the United
States to the export Of 185, 5,000, 900
bushels year. with 81 ceiling and
a floor price of l.50 the first year.
The floor price would have decreased
10 cents q year for the next four
years of the agreement.
What the delegates failed to re-
solve were Cd what form of f1nanc-
ing for needy areas will take the
place of the European Recovery Pro-
gram after 1852, assuming aid is
still required, and (2) what is to be
done about financial aid in other
backward areas, particularly in the
Far East, next year and years
thereafter.
Obviously, these are $64 questions,
which are troubling many world
planners in agencies other than FAC.
FAC delegates took two actions in
the financial field, but they were
only exploratory steps. One calls
upon the director general to ask the
United Nations, the International
Bank and other agencies for fact
finding statement on all financing
facilities available to needy coun-
tries.
Stockpile Financing Weighed.
The second requests the FAO's l8-
nation World Food Council to give
consideration to financing of food
stockpiles against hard times.
"A final commission report adopted
by the conference conceded that the
present lack of convertibility of the
principal currencies Of the world
seriously impedes the international
distribution of food and agricultural
products" But on the proposal of
Irish Agriculture Minister Dillon
for an economic union Of the United
States and Great Britain with these
countries taking action to restore
currency convertibility, the report
sadly comments:
The conference considered that
this matter did not fall within its
terms of reference" Expressed in
the vernacular, the issue could be
summed up about like this:
Sure, it's good idea. but, boys,
it's outside our jurisdiction"
Compelling Force Lacking.
Therein lies the weakest link in
the FAC chain forged five years ago
in the historic Hot Springs Con-
ference. FAC can only recommend
to member governments and hope
they cooperate for the general
welfare of all. The same weakness
is inherit in other U. N. organiza-
tions, too.
The still strong voice Of Sir John
Boyd Orr, former director general OF
FAC, was heard last week in Lon
don, calling again for his World
Food Board, armed with teeth and
we'll financed. The board could
double food production. build up
food reserves and stabilize prices in
the international market, If all
countries cut their armaments by 1C
per cent and gave the savings to the
board, Sir John reiterated.
There are many who hope Sill
John will live to see that day.