Evening star., 1951-02-02
Lutherans Vote Today
On Support for U. NJ;
Grain 10 India Urged
By Cospor Names
Stor Stoff Correspondent

NEW YORK, Feb. 2.-Resolu-
tions dealing with support of the
United Nations and with interna-
tional and domestic issues will be
voted on at the closing session to-
day of the National Lutheran
Councils 33d annual meeting here.
The council, representing ap-
proximately two-thirds of Ameri-
can LutheraniSm. is composed of
eight National Lutheran Church
bodies. They are the United, Evan
gelical, American. Augustana,
United Evangelical, Free and
Danish Evangelical Lutheran
Churches and the Finnish Suomi
Synod.
DR.. Fredrik A. Schiotz, execu-
tive secretary of the councils
commission on younger churches
and orphaned missions, last night
urged Congress to act favorably
on India's appeal for 2 million
tons Of grain to avoid a threaten
ing famine. The council referred
the matter to the Resolutions
Committee. which will bring in a
motion today.
Emphasizes Political Aspect.
Failure to come to Indias S
rescue now would be the dumbest
kind of politics." DR.. Schoitz de-
clared. In India and other parts
of the Far East the fear of hunger
is much more real to them than
the fear of communism. But
when a man does not have enough
to fill his <tomach. he cannot talk
about PHILOSOPHERS and ideologies.
That is why Prime Minister
Nehru, whose government is up
for reelection this year, Is speak
ing as he does. If he is defeated
we will probably get something
much worse than we now have in
India"
India normally needs so million
tons of grain each year to feed
its people, DR.. Schiotz explained.
He said the normal food reserves.
usually about l million tons, are
now down to zero.
He pointed out that the Indian
government has contracted to buy
almost million tons of grain of
6-million-ton deficit. OF this
amount the MAO government in
China has offered to give 10000
tons on barter arrangement.
Country Short on Dollars.
This insignificant amount will
bulk large in the minds of many
Indians" he said, 1T is only a
Drop in the bucket, but you can
be sure many people will talk
about it as though it were much
more"
DR.. Schiotz said that the Indian
government asked the United
States for 2 million tons of grain
on December Is in order to cover
the deficit tons of grain.
The request is for a gift be-
cause India is almost as short on
collars as she is food" he ex-
planned. "If it cannot be made
On a gift basis, the Indian gov
eminent has asked that a long
term loan be provided to cover
the purchase"
He denounced the failure of
Congress to take immediate action
on the request, noting that several
Senators objected to aiding India
as long as New Delhi had refused
to support American attempts in
the United Nations to brand Com
China as an aggressor.
Missions Having Trouble.
Lutheran Churches in Commu-
mist dominated countries are
having difficult times. speakers
told the council yesterday.
DR.. Schiotz said the Chinese
Christian Church is "perilously
close to surrendering its soul"
Lutheran Churches in Europe
are now facing another menace
which can also destroy them"
DR.. Sylvester c. Michelfelder.
executive secretary of the Lutheran
World Federation. reported yester-
day. Some of our churches are
already in danger of being choked.
Our Lutheran Church in Poland
is very likely to be the next victim.
The Lutheran Church of Romania
is as isolated as the remnant
Lutheran Churches in Estonia and
Latvia. Our brethren in Hungary
are helpless with their Quisling
leaders IN power. In Czechoslo-
vakia we can do little now"
The churches in Germany, Aus
! tria and France need substantial