OUR PERPLEXED WORLD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 53, 7 June 1950, Page 4

OUR PERPLEXED WORLD

Sir, —According to the press of 31/5/50, Professor Cumberland of Auckland University, speaking on “World Problem” deals with “the terrific world problem of maintaining a balance between food and population.” He said: “We are only saving hungry peoples today to allow them to starve a few years hence .... The question of food and population is the most formidable problem facing the world today, assuming that we can survive the atomic age .... Sixty million facing starvation in China .... Fourteen per cent of the world’s population have a satisfactory diet, but two-thirds of the population are hopelessly underfed.” A long London cable, “Surplus Produce a Problem,” in the same paper, stated that “surpluses of many products are piling up in different parts of the world . . . . Potatoes in such quantities that the cost of moving them to dump is more than they are worth . . . . Millions of pounds of dried eggs .... Twenty million pounds of butter .... Increasing surpluses which they cannot dispose of ... . The problem of surplus butter in Canada or wheat in U.S.A. or eggs in Denmark or milk in Holland is a problem for us as well as for those countries themselves.” This appalling paradox of millions starving in a world of paralysing surplus is undoubtedly a very potent cause of dissatisfaction, hatred and war. The great U.N. organisation, while doing their best, have not found the answer. Nearly two thousand years ago Jesus foresaw such conditions when He spoke of “Distress of nations, with perplexity . . . men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” Then our Saviour revealed the divine solution to all our problems and perplexities: “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” (Luke 21:25-27). He Himself is coming again! It is Christ or chaos. Yours etc., CHRISTIAN. Ohope, June 2.