ALL ITS WORK DONE

Chronicle (Levin), 27 May 1947, Page 5

ALL ITS WORK DONE

Press Assn.

World Farraers Avoided Mesmeric Platitndes ,

By Telegraph

-Copyright

(From the N.Z. Press Associktion 's Bpecial Correspondent, E. G. Weber.) Received Monday, ^0 p.m. LONDON, May 26. Although like most iliternacioual conferences it was oeeasionally in danger of falling a victim to what its president ivlx. J ames Turner) aptly cailed ' ' mesmeric platitucles, | the International Pederation of Agvi- , cultural Pxoducersi Conference at Scheveningen ended well on time , with all the work it had set out to do neatly and. tidily done. It had agreed unanimously upon a policy, written itself a constitution in 16 articles and a preamble, eiected- its permanent ofticers, deiined its organisation, and set itself dennite objectiyes for the coming year. The real l.est of the work done su Bcheveningen will be the results 4pro-' duced by the Federation 's 17 meiiiDe/ eountries when they meet a year henci' at the next annual conference. Nonc of the delegates attdiupts to disguist that upon the results of this yearV work the Federation wilj largely stnm. or fall. This World Farmers ' Federation, which on varying' estimates is backe*. by between three 'and ten.nwllion pro ducers aiuong its constituent associa tions, will by then lcave tested its influence upon the policies of govern ments and have discovered how fai legislators oi' the world are prepared to listen to those wlio produce its foou. it will also know whether in addition to its -own farmers and peasants it wib be supported by the orgunised 'agficuJ tural workers of the world. If tiuagricultural workers' unions respond to its in\itation to be represeuted at the next conference and participate in the Federation 's work. l.F.A.P. may web become the world 's most influeutial nou government international organisation The conference 's most important decision was that the Federation should enter imniediately mto tlie field oi national and .international politics. It will do this by using its member ergan isations to advocate its policies witli their respective governments and by using F.A.O. and l.T.O. as direct chau nels to the Assembly of tlie United Nations. It was reitorated during the conference that by forming this Federation the fonners of the world are -not attempting. "to gang up" on the rest oi the community. One of their nuxin purposes admittedly is to improve tlie returns from •agriculture, but tlieir niain stand is on the basis of Bir Boyd Orr's claim that a better-fed world must be a happier and more peacefui world. By assisting governments to •stabili.se agricliltural prices, by integrating eropping programmes and production, by encouragitig world coinmodity agreements, regulating surpluses, cheeking restrictive praetices and raising nutn tion standards l.F.A.P. hopes at one aiul the same time to help its own members and the whole . pop^ution . of the world. It is clearly laid down that l.F.A.P. cannot become just another appendage of the United Nations. It is stipulated that its niembersliip is open only to 11011g'overnmental pro ducers ' organisa tions. Moreover, it already includes two rnem-bei-s, Finland and B ungar-y, who are not members of Uno and will undoubtedly reeeive applicatioiis from otliers outside the Uno foJd. If oue of these is from Spain, which is showing close interest in the Federation, it may well confront l.F.A.P. with a very difiicuit decisiou and oue of its first headaehes. It was appareut at Scheveningen that neither France uor Czeehoslovakia is at all happy about the presence of- Spaniards ev-eu as observers. Representatives of the Spanish delegations ciaimed that tlie six cooperative . orgailisations with a menibership of 600,000 they represent ed were quite free from Franeoist dictation, but if and when an application is received from Spaiu to joiu l.F.A.P. it seems certain to be chaJJeiiged. . Tlie two New Zealand represen t ajti ve> at tlie conference,. Messrs W. W. Mul holland and \V. N. Perry, president and vice -president respec ti vely of the New Zealand Federated Farmers, and Ihe Australian delegate, Mr. Peter Newcoinen, who is president of the Primary Producers' CouiK-i'l of Australia, were all pleased with the results achieved at Scheveningen. ' ' I consider the conference has been most successful and that it has done very useful pioneering work," said hlr. Mulholland. "If members continue to support it whoJe'heartedly the Federation may well result in briuging about a great improvenient not only in agricultural production and jnarketing but also in the whole economic field." Mr. Mulholland said he was sure New Zealand farmers would be particuJarJy pleased lo learu that the Federation would tackle the problem of fariu sur pluses and that it would actively discourage restrictive praetices.