Evening star., 1948-11-25
Text of 7run1un's FAC Talk

FOLLOWING is the tert OF Presi-
dent Trnman's speech yesterday
to the United Nations Food and
Agriculture organization:
I am delighted to be here this
afternoon and have this opportunity
Of meeting the delegates to the
fourth session of the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations.
There could be no more appro-
to be host to United Nations meet
ing than during our cherished
Thanksgiving holiday.
Those Of you of the Food and
Agriculture Organization know the
importance to nearly all nations of
the harvest-time celebration. We
in the United States are only one
of many peoples celebrating the
gathering of the harvest each year.
Other peoples have been celebrating
in their own way since ancient
times. But there is one feature of
which I should like to call your
attention.
Indians Were Invited.
Our Thanksgiving traditions were
begun by some of the earliest set
tiers of this country. They thought
of a Thanksgiving holiday as much
more than an occasion for big
dinner and for thanks to God that
the earth had produced an abund-
ant harvest. There was another
spirit behind the first Thanksgiv-
ing dinner. The Colonists invited
the Indians to join with them in
their celebration. Around that first
Thanksgiving table, differences were
forgotten, and enemies became
friends.
This year our harvest is greater
than it has ever been. We have
much to be thankful for. But
thanks for a record breaking har-
vest is only the beginning of our
thanksgiving, just as it was only a
part of thanksgiving more than 300
years ago. The real spirit of our
holiday is in the sharing of this
friendship and good will for others
less fortunate.
That is the same spirit in which
the Food and Agriculture Organiza-
ton has brought many nations to-
gether.
I know that FAC has many prob
lens ahead of it. Perhaps I should
say that the world has many food
problems ahead of it and the peoples
of the world are counting on FAC
for a major part of the work in
solving those problems. One of the
first and most difficult problems is
the rebuilding of nations which SUI
fered heavily during the war.
Making Headway.
We are making a great deal OF
headway through the combined ef-
forts of many nations in the Euro
pean Recovery Program.
But rebuilding countries that
we're once self-supporting and pros
porous is not nearly so difficult as
building up the economies Of coun-
tries where there is comparatively
little to build on. Under r-developed
countries offer a challenge to the
ingenuity of those nations which
have greater resources. FAC has
clearly recognized the importance
of this problem and the responsible
itv of all countries in helping to
solve it.
The United States is happy to
join with other countries in FAC
in giving freely Of our technical
experience and knowledge in the
Job of agricultural improvement
making grass grow where 1t never
grew before-irrigating dry land
developing crops for special pur-
poses-and combating crop plaques
and pests.
can promise you that this coun-
try will continue to send its experts
wherever FAC believes they are
needed.
We have found our Agricultural
Extension Service essential to a
high level of farm production In
our own country. Through our ex-
tension service, we make sure that
our farmers learn about the latest
advances in production techntques.
This means furnishing practical in
formation and help right on the
farm. know that FAC is already
interested in an extension service,
but I wish to emphasize that the
United States stands ready to help
in developing such systems In other
countries.
Tool Of Farm Production.
Here in the United States we have
also learned that financial credit
is as much a tool of farm produc-
ton as is a plow, or bushel OF
seed. Our system for making agr1-
cultural credit available to farmers
is one of the keystones of our great
farm program.
1t protects every farmer in the
ownership of his land and in the
planning of his crops. That is
why we have such hopes for the
role that another international
agency can play in building up the
agricultural resources Of under
developed countries. I refer to the
international Bank. The credit
needs of under-developed countries
are great, however, and there is
room for all kinds of help. This is
q job for private lenders and CO.
operatives, as well as for govern
ment institutions.
The achievement Of our world