FOOD SHORTAGE TENSION HAS EASED

Chronicle (Levin), 23 May 1947, Page 5

FOOD SHORTAGE TENSION HAS EASED

Koccived Thursdav, 7 p.m. LONDON, Mav 22. The Times ' Dusseldort correspondent says tluit although sporadic liunger demonstrations are still occurring in the North Khine-Westphalia, a relaxation of t (Misiou is manifest. Kesponsible obscrvers were prepared for an explosion of feeling last week. That it did not occur w as due to .several eauses not at least important being that trade union discipline and loyalty are still stiong moderating influences. Political parties of the Left also couuselled restraint aiul pointed out that strikea would not briug an additional ton of food to the undernourished people of the Khinelaud and Kuhr. This applied equallv to the Communist Party — at least ofticially. Bread queues in the lBihr were no shorter yesterday than a week ago but hope is rather strongar and hope is as great and urgent a neod as food itself. Trade union and otber lcaders feel that the essential purpose of calling the world 's attention to the worsening misery of a large party of Western Germany, has been served and probably their satisfaction is sliared by tlie general community. There is a disposition in some quarters to link the demonstrations with the American decision to expedite the dispatch of food ships to German ports but this line of reasoning has serious and even sinieter implications and at the moment not many Germans, hard as their lot is, are prepared to believe that the greater tlie prespure — by way of strikes and demonsfrations — the more tliey are likely to receive from abroad.