Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1951-07-27

ThTee-quArters Of the worlds
people live In conditions Of ablcct
poverty. This has always been ~,
but recently II has become the
subject Of urgent International
discussion. Rightly or wrongly.
this poverty II seen ~ q menace
TO world peace The minds Of the
poor have become the battle.
ground for conflicting ways ~
life. The wealthy nations of the
world have started 10 wonder
whether thsir own safety does not
depend on rapid elimination Of
poverty In other parts Of the
world.
self IIelp
This IN why five economists
were summoned 10 New York In
the middle Of February from the
corners Of the earth. From
Britain, Lebanon. India. Chile and
the United states W. assembled,
at the request OF the United Ma.
tons, and debated for ten weeks
tho problems Of economic deVei-
opmsnt. Our report. a slim one
hundred page colums. was pub
llshed IN May, and will be cOnaid-
cred by the Economic and Social
Council Of the United Nations
this m0Mth.
The first part Of the Report
deals with the ways In which poor
countries can help themselves
There IL nothing new 10 say on
this Hubjsot. which has been de-
batsd extensively for four CEN
turtles. The Report diSouASeS the
social and political prerequisites
% economic development, savings
institutions. and son on.
To persons familiar with De-
VeIopm~nt pFOblems, thls part Of
the Report h mo- moro than =
collection oi platitUdea.
Lack Of skin
The Report comes 90 life when
II reaches external aid. Some
Governments do not promote de-
velopment because they arc bad;
others, because they do not know
what 10 do! hut the majority.
simply because they do not have
the money. Money In not the only
thing required most Of the Re-
port deals with other matters
but money Ia the sine qua non.
We came 90 tho conclusion that,
~ the peoples Of theae poor con.
tineats weEe 10 begin 30 Increase
their standard Of living by two
ped eeRt per AhnnGn (which IL less
than the rate In Europe and North
AmeFlca) they would need u sub.
StAAtlal annual import Of capital
much nloFs than tra balloon dol.
lAFu y year. Tho present lAiloW 10
loas than one and . half biIll0a
dollars . year.
We were told by potential In
veators that those continents can.
not absorb much more capital
than they are getting now. even II
II were available ON very easy
terms, This II largely . deficiency
Of human resources, II an invest.
msnt IL 10 be made there must be
people who can prepare the pro-
jet competrntly. and people TO
run II, Underdeveloped countries
arr sadly lacking In skilled people.
administrators, scientists. mo
chahIcS, artisans, or what you will.
Social capital u also deficient.
Governments do not have the
money 60 spend on education, on
pablic health, and on other public
services; and they cannot borrow
money for these ''unproductive"
purposes
This 10 q bottleneck The only
way 10 break II Ia To make grants
TO poor countries to enable them
TO expand their public services.
These grants are not a substitute
for loans or private investment.
On the contrary, they win prime
tho pump
Accordingly the Report recon.
mcnds that grants should BE- made
to the under-dsveloped countries
for certain specific purposes. such
a. agricultural extension services,
Ft,RaAFrh naihlir hahlRh 0..hnlnal