Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1961-09-15
The War on HUNGER

writer by Friday Of each week.
The War on Hunger
New York. - There is not a
single city in the United States
that does not have its share of
men, women, and ragged urchins
tramping the alleys and back
streets, picking scraps Of food out
Of garbage cans to feed their hum
CRY bellies. I have, in fact, seen
some dogs eat better than some
people.
Food is a basic necessity Of life
and the fight for food has been
one Of the greatest forces In the
development Of human society. IN
search Of food, men have crossed
oceans and colonized strange and
hostile lands, and the lack Of food
has often led to social upheavals.
Most Of Us, however, never stop
to consider food In its proper per-
spective. We take it for granted
because we can get it when we
want 1t, and what food we don't
use, we casually throw away. Most
of US eat three hearty meals a day
and never pause to think that more
than half Of the worlds population
is seriously underfed- More than a
billion people are not getting
enough food for proper physical
development, for adequate resist
ance to disease, for profitable labor
or for recreation.
At the other extreme, Il seems
that less than q quarter Of the
worlds population h adequately
fed. ....
Freedom from hunger Is a rea-
sonable and basic human freedom
belonging to every man, woman,
and child anywhere on earth. No
longer can an Indifferent world
and indifferent people in America,
particularly - shrug off the situa-
ton, saying 'the poor and hungry,
we always have with U.S." In the
face of an exploding population,
the old problem Of malnutrition
and disease have become acute.
Recurrent famine threatens to be-
come downright starvation.
1t Is true that the world food
position is little more satisfactory
than it has been in times past but
today we are confronted by such
a rapid population growth that, If
not faced, could easily sweep
away the little progress we have
made. Through most Of mans his
tory, high death rates, due to dis
ease and lack Of control over ma
tural surroundings. prevented his
numbers from increasing very con-
siderably. Then the development Of
medical science began to remove
the influence of this brake on pop
ulation growth. and our numbers
began TO soar at a rate which has
never been approached before.
There are nearly three billion
people In the world, and not enough
food to go around In 40 years the
population Is expected to double
itself. If we are having trouble
producing adequate food supplies
now, can you imagine what a prob
lem lies only 40 years ahead in
feeding twice the population we
havel
There can be no doubt that this
is one Of the great problems of
our time. But the danger TO the
worlds future food supplies does
not spring 50 much from an In
trinsic lack OF natural or human
resources as from indifference,
apathy and lack Of action. The
observation-disclosures Campaign
which was launched two years ago
by the United Nations Food and
Agricultural Organization was de-
signed to rouse public opinion
about the true state Of affairs In
regard to the worlds food problem
and to turn resignation and des-
pair into hope, and apathy into
conscious effort. This II slowly but
surely taking place.
There are many private and pub
nc organizations specifically gear
ed towards helping refugees
ever. have adequate participation
Of Negroes. While American Me-
groes are sOrely beset with nsrmer-
Gus problems concerning his Inn
mediate existence IN his own be-
loved country, he cannot, ] think,
afford to overlook the problems
and needs Of others = be they |
black. white, or yellow.
II doesn't take a fortune for
Negroes to help others beside
themselves. There may be no black
ROckefelleFs. or J. p, MorganS, or
Henry Florida bat ~ million Me-
grOes can certainly contributs ]