Evening star., 1948-11-28
Congress 10 Be Asked
For Loan 10 Finance
FAC Headquarters
By Malcolm Lomborne, Jr.


The administration plans to
request the new Congress for
a loan to finance a proposed
permanent headquarters for the
United Nations Food and Agri-
culture Organization but has
not yet decided whether to ask
that the loan be intereSt-free.
This was reported last night by
a member of the United States del
egation to the FAO's annual confer
ence nearing its end in the Shore
ham Hotel.
This official expressed the view
that chances of the FAC seat being
in the Washington area were still
excellent" despite decision Of dele
gates to postpone final selection
until further study had been made
of proposed locations.
Maryland U. Offer Stands.
The University of Maryland offer
to erect a building at College Park
with FAC paying $250,000 year for
a little more than II years to de-
fray the cost of construction, still
stands.
DR.. H. c. Byrd, university presi-
dent, has informed the United
States delegation that university
authorities were still ready to do
our part" in making a home avail
able for the food planning group.
DR.. Byrd was reported willing to
finance the project over a longer
period, thus cutting down on the
annual payments.
More than a score Of delegates
today were to tour the university
campus and several other sites sug-
gested by the United States. includ-
ing those In the Dalecarlia Reservoir
and Kenwood areas.
Hope for Low Cost Plan.
FAC members apparently were
hoping this country would offer a
site at very nominal figure. On
the other hand, 1t appeared the
American position was to go slow
on asking Congress for a long-term
interest-free loan.
There is a precedent. however,
for such action. Congress voted
s65 900, 900 loan, without interest and
PAYABLE in 80 years, to the United
Nations for its headquarters in New
York.
A FAC official, meanwhile, dis
closed that the agency had received
telegrams in the past few days from
mayors of New London, Conn: Myr-
tie Beach, S. c., and Charleston,
s. c., urging that FAC consider 10
eating in their areas.
Commissions Completing Work.
One of three commissions meeting
In the FAC conference completed
its work late yesterday. A second
commission will meet today and a
third tomorrow morning in an ef-
fort to wind up its reports in time
for submission to plenary session
tomorrow afternoon.
The conference. which began
nearly two weeks ago, will conclude
late tomorrow or Tuesday if dele
gates fail to act on all recommended
tions of the three commissions to-
morrow.
In a meeting of commission I.
studying means of increasing world
food stocks and achieving better
distribution. delegates dropped a
proposal calling on countries pro-
ducing surpluses to guarantee prices
paid to their farmers. 1t was pre-
sented by James M. Dillon, minister
of agriculture for Ireland, and op-
posed by the United States, Aus
tralia and several other countries.
Urged to Plan for Abundance.
The commission agreed to incor-
porate two other Dillon recommen-
dations into its report. They re-
quested nations to plan for abund-
ance rather than scarcity and called
for maximum food production con-
sistent with soil fertility.
At q plenary session earlier in
the day, delegates took these &C.
tions:
1-Re-elected Viscount Bruce Of
Melbourne by acclamation as chair
man of FAO's policy-making World
Food Council.
2-Re-eIected Australia, Denmark,
Egypt. France, India and Mexico to
the council after hearing complaints
from eight countries that the action
was violating the agencys principle
II