BRITAIN CAN GIVE NO MORE FOOD TO GERMANS

Chronicle (Levin), 8 November 1946, Page 5

BRITAIN CAN GIVE NO MORE FOOD TO GERMANS

Kcci'h cl Tliurs'lav, 7 p.m. LOXDOX, Xnv. li. Xuthing nioro ••an be ilouc in loweri n» the 1 i ti 1 ish sl :t nibinls of iiving in order to assist Geriniuiy, said Lord I'akenliaiii in the House oi' Lojds, wlicn 1 replying for the (ioveniiiient to the do- : bute on fainiiie eonditions in the oet-u-pied /oufs of Germany. He said ihe' food situation, in the long run, Avould be eured l»y ti world reeoverv of food production, Lvervthing U the nioment dt'pended on whtit eould be obtained overseus. The Britisli zone was ;it Jiresent on a liaud to niouth busis of working. Slocks of grain on Xovember 1 did not exceed ten diiys' supply. Urgent negotiat i»ns hnd been opened in Washington in tui elTort to solve the situation. L\en the most h.ard boiled ainong theni couid not reintiin dettf to the kind of appeal w hirh the present (ternian situation presented. It was ti lieartrending all'air but ;it the risk of appearing eailous he was bound to stty that the tragie mess in whi«*h the Germaus fouud themselves, was ;i mess of their ijwii niaking. ile was bound to say that in fairness to the liiitish people. Xevertheless, it tnust be the Gnvernineiit 's preoeeupation t> see how ihe (icnnans couid be enabled to liave luore food or iit least how couid tliev l>e prevented from Iiaxing less. He ruled out as ;i reinedy any further loworing of Britisli standards of Iiving saying that the Government tleeided reluctantly but absolutely and ciearly, that nuthing more couhl be doue in that direction at the nioiueut. To attemj't to solve ihe problem along those lines, naiuely by direet Hritish assistanee, would be to atteinpt an impossible tusk and would, in the (lovernnient s view, be likely to bring down both Hritaiu and Germauy in coinmoii ruin. ILe added that in the long run the food siluaiiou in Germany would be cured.