British Cabinet's Proposal

Chronicle (Levin), 12 April 1946, Page 5

British Cabinet's Proposal

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xtwooived Tnursday, 8.30 p.m. *» LONDON, April 10. Britaip ftas infqrnied. the Coiqbined Food Board in Washiqgtpn that she is Willibg to ration bregd in tbe Unjted Kingdonx if tbe Rbited states is prepgred to adopt the same -policy. This. was decidqd at a special meeting of | Cabinet at which Mr. At'tlee presiued.3? £ An official statement issued from No. 10 pqwning Street adds that, short of tnis, the* British Government is prepared to adopt administrative meaisures of a comparably elfective nature to those whiGh the United States 4s pra- . pared to adopt in order to. saye wheat and flour, so that both countries xfixgat : mane the fullest contribution to the mterests of the peopies of the wpriu who are faced with starvation and famine. Tne British Government has given most sympathetic consideration to Mr, xjaGuardia's appeal to the main exporcing countries to increasq their suppiies co Unrra in order to preyent starvaeipn and death. The needs of the countries receiving aid from Unrra are undoubtedly tne greater, largely because the suppiies bhe United States hqped to exporc during the current month are falling consiqeraoly beiow expectation. There is likely to oe great difficulty in India in obtaining the quantities as suggested for that countr-y, daring Sir Ben Smith's visit to Washington.- Afiyi . fall in the suppiies to India would in- i erease the senous dahger of famine in' that country, and otner countries ofj the British Commonwealtn, notablyi South, Airica, would face a grave i ahortage if exports from the main supplymg countries feii belq?/ tne ii^urcs which, during Sir Ben Srnith's visit to ! vV ashingtoil, wer-a agreed on . as reason- 1 able. "The possihility of bread rationing' cau"be viewed only with dismay," says' the Daily Mail in a leacler. ' ' Yet it ; Will be accepted by the British people j despite six" years of rationing, pro-i vided the United States also rations j uread or takes cornparable measnies to | iimit Wheat consumpcion. It is a gesture which snoiild appsal not only to the genefoqs -American people, but also as a witness to the gocd laith of Britain, which bas already taken all/possible measures short of rationing oO economise in the use of bread grains. •The Americans have also taken meas- 1 ' ures, though they weie not so drastic as Britain 's. Txiey are evideutiy nA aufficient, since recent wheat exports j from America have been disappoincmgiy below the targets iixed, and since ' large quantities of wheat are still being fed to animals."