WORLD FOOD FAMINE

Chronicle (Levin), 1 June 1946, Page 5

WORLD FOOD FAMINE

Press Assn.

Churchill Bifierly Attachs Govertiroent x LACK OF FOREStGHT SH0WN

i Bv T eleciravh

-Govvriaht

i ~ " 1 - ~ j Received Saturday, 11.15 a.m. LONDON, May 31. Mr. Churchill opened the food de- ! bate in the House of Commons- with i a conciliatory overture to Mr. Her!bert Morrison. Mr. Churchill- asi sured Mr. Morrison that he was not ' going to berate him about the slip i in the announcement of the results j of his mission to America. "I think riiyself that Mr. Morri'son was somewhat ill used by the istatement made in the United ! States," said Mr. Churchill. .He lToped Mr. Morrison was not going to lecture the House on bringing i party feeling into the discussions ;on large public issues. .The really i important point before the House 'was: "What have we got for 200,000 itons of wheat." % Everyone knew that the consequences of giving these 200,000 tons were likely to be very serious. He had been assured that very grave consequences would follow. Mr. Churchill asked what advantage Britain was going to get from the heavy sacrifice. Another important point was the' resignation of Sir Ben Smith, Mr. Churchill continued. All peacetime precedents required a Minis--ter to make a statement when he retired. "I am surprised he does not wish to defend himself and the Ministry wh'ich has ]peen so much under fire. Sir Beii Smith's flight was ignominious and unbecoming. ! What is this strange power that' strikes a retiring Minister dumb?" The development of the Indian food situation, saicl Mr. Churchill, ,showed an extraordinary lack of foresight on the part of the administration. Conditions in the British zone of . Germany should have been foreseen. "The Government throughout has been guilty of a lack of foresight so far as wheat is concerned. This is the failure of planned distribution."