WILL YOU HELP BRITAIN?

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 54, 18 February 1949, Page 4

WILL YOU HELP BRITAIN?

Sir, —“Britain’s need is great,” says Mr W. Sullivan, M.P., “no time should be lost in "remedying, or removing hindrances to food export or production. The time to move is now.” Since 1946 great publicity has been given to this critical world food situation. Millions were starving. Grain, including barley, meant life. Our Government’s “Consumer News” stated: “A third of the people of the world are starving at this very moment.” United Nations urgently appealed to all governments to take “immediate vigorous Governmental action;” “to take all possible measures at the earliest possible date:” and for “drastic curtailment of the use of grains for beverages.” (“Grains for beverages” means barley for beer). What was done? We were asked to use less bread, but never asked to use less beer!

Instead, that year, 1946, 3,000,000 more gallons of beer were consumed than in 1945! Our annual drink bill shows continued increase. Not the hungry, but brewers have been aided!

Now, over two years since the first startling appeal, the “Dominion” states the position: “Of 800,000,000 children under 15 years of age in the world today, half are underfed to the extent that 230,000,000 of them are on the brink of. starvation.” (Figures from U.N.0.) In this tragedy threatening the worid women and children suffer most and even starve. Can we help? If we vote for 10 p.m. Closing we ask for increased consumption of beer, made from more barley that Britain needs for food. Yours etc.,

AWAKE